GLOSSARY

Balanced Diet matches food quantities and combinations to a person's needs while bringing complementary food groups and nutrient sources together. Balance does not mean equal weights of every food, a fixed macronutrient ratio or permanently banning enjoyable foods.

Adequacy is judged against habitual intake and individual needs, not simply the presence of one healthy food. Sufficient energy can coexist with a micronutrient shortfall. High protein intake also does not guarantee adequate water, fibre, or other nutrients.

Food groups are defined by nutritional similarities or culinary use, and their boundaries differ somewhat between guidelines. Grains, fruit, vegetables, protein foods, and dairy or suitable alternatives are examples. Depending on the framework, pulses may fit more than one group; no single group supplies every nutritional need.

Most foods provide several nutrients together. Lentils, for example, contain carbohydrate and fibre as well as protein, while milk can provide protein and calcium. Assigning each food to just one nutrient therefore simplifies its actual composition.