Roughage, Water, Balance Diet

Roughage 

Roughage is the fibrous matter in food which cannot be digested. Roughage is also called dietary fibre (‘Dietary fibre’ means ‘fibre which can be eaten’). Like water, roughage does not provide any nutrients to our body. Though roughage has ‘no food value’ but its presence is essential in our food. Roughage is needed for the normal working of the digestive system.

Function of Roughage:

1. It provides bulk to the food. This helps our body to get rid of undigested food.
2. It prevents constipation.
3. It helps in retaining water.

Water

Water accounts for about 70% of the weight of an individual. The amount of water we drink depends on how water is lost by sweating, excreting etc. Excretion, sweating and breathing makes us loose about 2–3 litre of water every day.

Function of Water:

All the chemical reactions in the body, like digestion, occur in the dissolved or solution state.

Water helps to carry digested food around the body.

It also carries wastes, which are thrown out of the body in the form of sweat and urine.

Water also helps to regulate the body temperature through the process of sweating.

Balanced Diet

A diet that contains all the nutrients along with roughage and water required by the body in the right proportion is called diet. A balanced diet is not the same for everyone. For example, in early childhood a child grows rapidly, so needs more proteins, while a hard working labourer needs more fats and carbohydrates.