Most people think of skimpy food and losing weight when they hear the word “diet“. However, what is usually meant is a diet that is tailored to a specific physical need.
Who needs to go on such a diet?
Balanced diets are developedfor people who have a special need for nutrient and energy intake because of a disease, because of a specific functional impairment of an organ, or because of special physical circumstances. These can be people with metabolic disorders, but also other sick people, such as cancer patients, or people in need of care who have problems with normal food intake.
What does a “balanced diet” look like?
In most cases, balanced diets are drinkable foods that are formulated to meet the complete daily requirements of the affected group of people, taking into account special nutritional needs.
The word “balance” (bilancia (Ital./lat.) = scale, hence the word “balance“) is intended to express that the diet is brought into balance with the needs and requirements of the organism. “Debit and credit” come to a balance, the “balance is right”.
In principle, supplementary balanced diets must be taken together with other foods – preferably as part of a nutrition plan – to ensure an adequate supply of energy and nutrients. For this reason, supplemental balanced diets are sometimes also called “partially balanced diets”.
This contrasts with “fully balanced diets”, which are the only source of nutrition and cover the complete needs of the human organism. Source: PTA today
