Balanced Diet

• A balanced diet means eating a variety of foods, not just one kind.
• Our body needs energy foods, body-building foods, and protective foods.
• Drinking enough water every day is also part of a balanced diet.
• Eating only one type of food, like only sweets, is not healthy.

Level 1 — Core idea

Verbal: Just like a team needs different players for different jobs, our body needs different foods for different jobs.

Symbolic: Balanced diet → energy foods + body-building foods + protective foods + water.

Visual: Draw a plate divided into sections for grains, vegetables, fruits, and a glass of milk or water beside it.

Level 2 — Going deeper

Eating too much of only one kind of food, even a healthy one, is not balanced. Variety across meals keeps the body strong.

NCERT anchor

NCERT Looking Around 3 encourages eating a mix of foods and avoiding too much junk food for good health.

A child eats only chips and sweets every day. Is this a balanced diet?

Step 1 — A balanced diet needs a **variety** of foods
Step 2 — Eating only chips and sweets misses many nutrients
Answer: This is **not** a balanced diet ✗

A child eats rice, dal, vegetables, and drinks milk. Is this closer to a balanced diet?

Step 1 — This meal has grains, protein, vegetables, and milk
Step 2 — It covers **different food needs** of the body
Answer: This is closer to a **balanced diet** ✓

• What does 'balanced diet' mean?
• Name one part of a balanced diet besides food.
• Why is eating only sweets not healthy?
• Stretch: Plan one balanced meal with grains, vegetables, and milk.

Revision tip: Check your own lunch box for variety across a whole week.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Balanced Diet.