Diet (nutrition) facts for kids
A diet is all the food and drinks a person or animal eats. It's about what you put into your body every day. Your dietary habits are the usual choices you make about food. Sometimes, when people say "diet," they mean eating special foods for health or to manage their weight.
Even though humans can eat many different things, each culture and person has favorite foods. Some people also avoid certain foods. What you choose to eat can really affect your health. Eating well means getting enough vitamins, minerals, and energy from foods like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Your food choices play a big role in how healthy you are. They can even be part of your culture or religion.
Diet is about eating the right amount and type of food at the right time. When someone says they are "dieting," it usually means they are trying to lose weight. People who study food and eating habits are called dietitians.
Why is Diet Important?
When your diet isn't balanced, you might gain or lose too much weight. This can make you overweight or underweight. To get to a healthy weight, you often need to change your diet. This can be tricky, and sometimes a specialist can help.
Some people also practice fasting. This means they don't eat anything for a certain time. They might do this to help balance their diet, clean their bodies, or for religious reasons.
Special Diets and Health
Some people have diseases that stop them from eating certain foods. If they eat these foods, they can become very sick. They need to change their diet to avoid these foods.
- A food allergy is when a specific food makes someone sick. For example, some people are allergic to peanuts or milk.
- Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disease where a person cannot properly break down a chemical called phenylalanine. This means they must avoid foods high in this chemical.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A selection of magnesium containing food consumed by humans. The human diet can vary widely.
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Raw food tacos prepared with guacamole, non-fried beans and sour cream. Raw foodism promotes the consumption of food which has not been cooked.
See also
In Spanish: Régimen alimenticio para niños
