Nutrition is an essential element for our health and for growth and reproduction. We need good nutrition in order to acquire a strong immune system that determines our resistive power to fight illnesses and makes us stronger enough to reduce the chances of getting ill.

Though nutrition is synonymous to food intake, it doesn't mean that one should consume whatever food and in whatever quantity. Rather, nutrition is the judicious way of getting strength and energy for body to stay active in day-to-day life and perform various bodily functions.

It is important to eat right kind of food to promote health and to reduce the risk of mortality or disability due to chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis.

Our diet must include all the vital nutrients like carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water in proportionate amount. A balance diet refers to the intake of appropriate and adequate amount of foods and drinks that supply nutrient and energy to the body for maintenance of body cells, tissues and organs that support the normal growth and development of the body.

Due to modern day lifestyle we have very little time to think about our health and plan a proper diet for ourselves. For maintaining a healthy body and to look good we must follow a proper diet plan. For a diet to be ideal, it must be nutritionally balanced and is easy to follow so that one can maintain it throughout his life. There are various kinds of diet plans available in the market. These diet plans are prepared keeping a person's lifestyle in view. So it is advisable that you must choose the plan that suits your requirements.

The South Beach diet, developed by U.S. cardiologist Arthur Agatston, stress on the intake of good carbohydrates and good fats. The diet encourages consumption of whole grains and large amounts of vegetables, along with adequate amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids.

In the first phase of the South Beach diet, which lasts for two weeks, you can eat lean meats, vegetables, nuts, cheese, eggs, coffee, tea, and water. After 14 days, second phase begins. Whole grain foods and fruits are gradually returned to the diet and with a continued emphasis on foods with a low glycemic index.

In the third phase the diet expands to include three servings of whole grains and three servings of fruit a day. The first two phases are for a specific time and the third phase is to be continued for lifetime.

Finally, for a diet plan to succeed one must follow it diligently without any break and without taking help from weight loss supplements, the result gained thus will be permanent, healthy and more satisfying.