1.2 KEEPING A BODY HEALTHY 11 Experts refer to the food pyramid to talk about a balanced diet. Do you know what it is? What percentage of a human body is water? ONLINE RESOURCES How to read food labels A HEALTHY DIET A balanced diet allows an organism to feel well and maintains a body healthy and fit as well as in a good psychological condition. All diets should take into account many factors such as age, sex, physical condition, weight, lifestyle, etc. and should include though in different proportions all the main classes of food nutrients that exist. Main food nutrients Carbohydrates give the body energy and heat, help to build muscles, and are fundamental for brain power. They can be: Simple (easy to digest), from sugars; Complex (more difficult to digest), from grains, fibre, and starchy food like pasta and bread. Fibre in particular is necessary to help the digestive system; Proteins are responsible for the growth, repair, and maintenance of the body. Proteins can be found in meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and dairy products. Dairy products in particular are rich in calcium and are important for healthy bones; dairy: latticini growth: crescita starchy: ricco di amido Fats are an important extra source of energy for our organism. They can be: Saturated, which must be consumed with attention since they increase the risk of heart disease; Unsaturated, which help lower cholesterol and provide us with the essential fatty acids needed to stay healthy. Vitamins and minerals are mainly found in vegetables and fruit and are essential for many body functions. Water, to keep the body hydrated. 32 BODY AND MIND Special diets Sometimes, for different reasons connected to moral, ethical, personal, or religious beliefs, people may decide to adopt a particular style of diet, the main ones being: Vegetarianism: no meat; Veganism: no meat, poultry, eggs, fish, or cheese; Lacto-/ovo-/lacto-ovo-vegetarianism: no meat or fish, but dairy products or eggs (or both); Pescatarianism: no meat, but only some types of fish (and dairy is an individual choice).