You're listening to Sleep Tight Science.

Did you know that rhubarb grows so fast, you can actually hear it?

What?

It is said that as the buds crack open, a sound is made.

Wow.

And other people say there is a constant creaking during the growing season.

Music Hello friends and welcome back to sleep tight science, a bedtime show that answers the questions you have about science.

In this episode, we are going to start to learn about food.

Food is very important for all of us, but what should we be eating?

What is a good, balanced diet?

This is one of the questions sent in by Manasvi that we are going to be looking at during this episode.

Diet is a widely discussed topic, which leads to all kinds of opinions.

We are going to answer Manasfi's questions with the best science we have available.

How can we describe a balanced diet?

A nutritionally balanced diet fulfills all nutritional needs of the body,

meaning we get everything our body needs from the foods we eat.

Each of us needs a specific amount of nutrients and calories to stay active and healthy.

Eating a good diet allows us to get all those required nutrients while taking care not to take

in too many calories. Calories in food mean the energy stored in that food,

and we use those calories to perform daily activities.

Things like thinking, breathing, moving, and walking,

all need the energy that comes from our food.

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