Fibre-rich foods tend to be low in fat and less in calories. High fibre foods minimise the risk of constipation, colon and rectal cancer, hiatus hernia, heart disease and obesity. A study reveals that colon cancer is the second largest cancer in the United States after Lung cancer. The estimation says that out of 1,50,000 people affected, nearly 57,000 died in the year 2003. This underscores the importance of a diet rich in fibres to get rid of the aforesaid diseases. It may be incredible to believe that Al Beckles of Britain achieved the distinction of becoming Mr. Universe with a Lacto-vegetarian diet. But it is true and the misconception that a diet with flesh and meat alone can make a person strong was proved wrong.

As far as consumption of a balanced diet, the least consumption should be Oils, Butter, Ghee and Sugar. Foods that should be consumed in limited quantity are Dals, dried seeds, Milk, Curd, Cheese, Fish, Eggs and chicken. The varieties that should be consumed more would be vegetables, fruits, Wheat and bread. The taste buds are to be tamed for a better health inasmuch as prevention is always better than cure and will it not be wise to refrain from diets that make us more vulnerable to different forms of cancer and serious problems? Fats are an essential part of the regular diet albeit; the wrong choice may cause a bad spell for the health. Refrigerating the fat diets until the fat rises to the top of the container and slicing it off can do elimination of fat. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol, while polyunsaturated fat lowers blood cholesterol. Foods that enhance HDL (High Density Lipoprotiens) which are beneficial to the health are to be consumed and those with LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) – the bad cholesterol function are to be kept away. Using monounsaturated oils like Olive oil, Canola and Groundnut oil and polyunsaturated oils like Sunflower oil, oils of corn, soyabean, Mustard, Gingely would be a better substitute for other oils. Nowadays it has become mandatory for the manufacturers of edible oils to declare the composition and grading of the oils they manufacture. One can find the wordings PUFA (Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids) etc. so that the consumer may know what sort of nutrition he is resorting to.

Read between the lines: Which is bad cholesterol?

What PUFA stands for?