| Nutrient | Functions | Food Groups and Foods |
| Carbohydrates | Major source of energy for the body | Wheat, millets, maize, rice, fruits, vegetables |
| Protein | Building blocks of the body; repair and replacement of cells | Pulses, legumes, meat and poultry, egg white, milk and milk products. |
| Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene) | Maintain integrity of the epithelial cells, boosts immune system, prevents body from the damage by free radicals (Powerful antioxidant) | Leafy vegetables - coriander, spinach, mint, radish leaves, fenugreek leaves.
Other vegetables - pumpkin, carrot
Fruits - mango, papaya |
| Folic Acid | Blood synthesis | Green leafy vegetables- mint, spinach
Pulses and legumes
Oilseeds - sesame seeds, soybean |
| Iron | Structural component of red blood cells (essential for production of hemoglobin) | Green leafy vegetables - cauliflower greens, radish leaves
Millets - jowar, bajra
Oilseeds – sesame seeds
Pulses - soybean, bengal gram |
| Calcium | Gives strength and rigidity to bones | Millets and legumes - ragi, kidney beans, soybean
Green leafy vegetables
Oilseeds – sesame seeds
Fish, milk and milk products |
| Vitamin C | Antioxidant, Prevents heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and age related degenerative diseases, gives resistance to infections, boosts immune system. | Green leafy vegetables - Cabbage, coriander leaves, drumstick leaves
Other vegetables – capsicum, green chilies
Fruits – amla, guava |
| Fiber | Healthy digestion, fullness, satiety | Cereals - wheat, broken wheat, unpolished rice, oats
Millets - jowar, bajra, ragi
Pulses and legumes
Seeds and nuts - fenugreek seeds
Vegetables and fruits |
