To ascertain whether we are supplying the body adequately with all the essential components would be a difficult task. However it is necessary to have a broad idea of the commonly used foods that are rich in nutrients.

Proteins
Proteins are found in certain foods and are essential for body growth and repair. It is preferable to have protein 'first hand' from natural sources - gluten from wheat, other amino acids from peas, beans, lentils, nuts or from diary products such as cheese, eggs and milk. Under normal circumstances, the body requires one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are fuel foods giving quick releases of energy helping the body and especially the nerves to work efficiently. Foods with high carbohydrate content are among the tastiest and extremely tempting to the sweet tooth. All cakes, biscuits, and breads come into this group. They are the greatest source of weight builders and the hardest to give up when loss of weight is required.

Fibre
Bread made from 100 percent whole-wheat flour with no additives is the most beneficial as a staple food. The protein (gluten) blended with the starch is the best mixture for easy digestion. Some of the B group of vitamins are found in bran and wheat gram. Natural wheat contains a good supply of iron and minerals. A rich intake of fibreeliminates the risk of constipation in the body.

Sugar
Sugar gives rapid energy to the body but foods with a high sugar content have no fiber, vitamin, mineral or protein content. Sugar should be consumed with care and avoided where possible.

Fats
Fats provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet. The building blocks of fats are called fatty acids. These can be either saturated, monounsaturated or poly-unsaturated. Foods rich in saturated fats are usually of animal origin. Vegetable fats are generally unsaturated. Saturated fat raises the level of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is present in animal foods but not plant foods. It is essential for metabolism but is not needed in the diet as our bodies can produce all that is needed. Raised blood cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for life and are used by the body in small amounts. Very few vitamins are stored and daily intake in natural foods is usually adequate for good health. Sources of vitamins include tomatoes, vegetables, fruits, dry fruits, black currants, peas, fish liver oils, eggs, wholemeal bread and whole cereals.

Minerals
Calcium and iron are essential minerals required by the body and more is known about the purpose of these than many of the other minerals, which are necessary in small amounts and found over a wide range of foods. Sources of minerals include dairy products, whole grain cereals, egg yolk, dark green vegetables, red meat, lentils, oats, prunes and raisins.