There are various kinds of food for human beings, each with different nutrient components. There is no single food which can provide all the nutrients essential to the human body. As a result, our daily diet should be composed by different kinds of food, and all these different food should be collocated with each other properly.

Generally speaking, there are mainly five categories of food:

The first category is frumentum, which includes rice, flour and cereals. This kind of food is the major source of energy, dietary fiber and vitamin B.

The second category is animal food including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and so on. They are the main provider of high quality protein, fat, minerals, vitamin A and vitamin B. Although they contain high nutrition, however, excessive consumption of this kind of food will increase the risk rate of many diseases such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, arteriosclerosis and so on.

The third category is beans and bean products. This kind of food contains plenty of quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin B and dietary fiber. They play an important role in the prevention of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and many other diseases.

The fourth category is vegetables and fruits. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers, which have the great effect of maintaining the normal function of the intestinal tract, improving immunity of the body, reducing the risk of some chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and so on.

The fifth category is oil and fat food. Such food can not only improve the taste of the meal and make you have a good appetite, but is also conducive to the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. However, eating too much of these food will be easy to cause some chronic diseases such as obesity, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis and so on. Research shows that the most ideal dietary pattern for Chinese people is with a variety of food and cereal-based. As such a diet pattern can not only ensure adequate nutrition, but also can effectively reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

The key to the implementation of a balanced diet is always sticking to the principle of food diversity and appropriateness. It is necessary for us to fully realize the importance of a scientific and balanced diet and understand the main features of various types of food. Try to eat scientifically, nutritiously, and healthily.