Nutrition and Diet
A balanced diet supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water.
About this topic
A balanced diet contains carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, fats for energy storage and insulation, vitamins and minerals in small amounts (vitamin C for skin, vitamin D and calcium for bones, iron for blood), fibre for gut health and water.
Energy needs vary with age, activity and sex. Deficiencies cause diseases such as scurvy and rickets, and excess energy causes obesity, linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Food tests (iodine, Benedict's, biuret) identify nutrients.
A student who eats mostly white bread and sweets might get plenty of energy but too little fibre, vitamins and iron. Calcium and vitamin D build bones, iron makes haemoglobin, and vitamin C prevents scurvy, which sailors once suffered. Water and fibre are also essential even though they give no energy.
Energy needs vary: a teenage athlete may need about 3,000 kcal per day while a sedentary adult needs fewer. Eating more energy than you use leads to weight gain and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease; eating too little causes malnutrition. The energy in food can be measured by burning it under water and measuring the temperature rise. Students sometimes think all fat is bad; some is needed, though saturated fat should be limited.
Key ideas
- Carbohydrates give energy
- Proteins build and repair
- Vitamins and minerals protect
Quick check
Use cases: where Nutrition and Diet helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Nutrition and Diet before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Nutrition and Diet without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Nutrition and Diet changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Nutrition and Diet in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Biology underpins medicine, farming, conservation and biotechnology.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nutrition and Diet?
A balanced diet supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water.
What will I learn in Nutrition and Diet?
Carbohydrates give energy. Proteins build and repair. Vitamins and minerals protect.
Is Nutrition and Diet part of Biology?
Yes. It is one of 150 Biology topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Nutrition and Diet lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Nutrition and Diet?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.