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Class 6 Basic Science Chapter 1 Food for Health Question Answer Notes
Basic Science Class 6 Chapter 1 Question Answer Notes Food for Health
Food for Health Class 6 Questions and Answers Notes
Let Us Assess
Question 1.
Nutrients and food items which contain them in plenty are given below. Match them drawing lines.
• Carbohydrate – Leafy vegetables
• Minerals – Pulses, Egg
• Fat – Cereals
• Protein – Oils
Answer:
• Carbohydrate – Cereals
• Minerals – Leafy vegetables
• Fat – oils
• Protein – pulses, egg
Question 2.
Which is the health issue faced by a person who doesn’t eat food containing iodine?
A. Night blindness.
B. Rickets
C. Anaemia
D. Goitre
Answer:
D. Goitre
Question 3.
Our body can’t digest fibre. If so, why is it said that we should eat food items which contain fibre?
Answer:
Fibres are the cellulose obtained from plant-based food that can’t be digested by our body. Fibres are not nutrient components. However, fibres facilitate the digestion and egestion of faeces through the large intestine. So it said that we should eat food items that contain fibre.
Question 4.
Which nutrient is required for the health of teeth? From which food items do we get this nutrient?
Answer:
Calcium. From food items like egg, milk, leafy vegetables and fish, we get calcium.
Question 5.
“The teacher gave me an iron tablet today, but I didn’t eat it.” Do you agree with Aruna? Why?
Answer:
No. I cannot agree with Aruna.
Iron is a mineral. Such kind of minerals are essential for the proper growth and health of the body. It plays a major role in the formation of haemoglobin in blood. To prevent iron deficiency disease like anaemia, iron tablets are supplied in schools. So Aruna should eat the iron tablets provided to her.
Question 6.
Vitamins and minerals are required by our body in lesser quantities. Hence, it is enough to include small quantities of food items which contain them in our diet.’ This is a child’s opinion. Do you agree with this? Why?
Answer:
I cannot agree with the child’s opinion.
Vitamins and minerals are required by the body in small quantities only. However, if they are not available to the body in the required quantity, deficiency diseases are bound to manifest. In addition to that, the food items that contain vitamins and minerals may also contain other nutrients, and hence reducing the quantity can lead to many other deficiency diseases.
Basic Science Class 6 Chapter 1 Question Answer Kerala Syllabus
Question 1.
Did you notice the conversation between the mom and the doctor? Some of you have had this kind of experience. What is meant by nutritious food? Write your guess.
Answer:
Food that contains all the essential nutrients, used by our body to sustain growth and vital processes and to provide energy is meant by nutritious food.
We have a variety of food items around us. We eat different kinds of cooked and raw food items.
Question 2.
Some food items we usually eat are given in the pictures. How can we Classify them? Write down in the Science Diary.
Answer:
A. Cereals
B. Fruits
C. Vegetables
D. Pulses
E. Leafy vegetables
Question 3.
What are your favourite food items among them? Any dislikes? Why? Discuss.
Answer:
(Just for your reference)
Cereals and fruits are my favourite food items. I do not like leafy vegetables because I feel they are not tasty.
Question 4.
List the food items you usually eat in a day.
Answer:
| Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
Idli and sambar
Appam and Bengal gram curry
Puttu and green gram curry
Upma and tapioca
Egg |
Rice and dal curry
Biriyani and Chilli gobi
Fried rice and salad
Fish
Curd |
Soup
Chapati and vegetable curry
Noodles
Milk |
Should we eat only the food items we like? Pay attention to the conversation below.
Question 5.
Did you notice what the three children said? Will the food they like be enough for the growth and health of these three? Write down your opinion. Present in the class and explain.
Answer:
Yes. I noticed what the children said. No, the food these children like will not be enough for their growth and health. They need to eat the food items that contain vitamins, protein, minerals, carbohydrates and other nutrients. Our body needs different kinds of food items like fruits, vegetables, milk, rice, and pulses to grow strong and stay healthy. So, everyone should eat all types of food, not just their favourite food items.
Question 6.
Did you read the write-up? Analyse it using the indicators given below.
a) Which are the major nutrients?
b) What is the need for preparing food using different ingredients?
c) Why do we eat nutrient rich food?
Answer:
a) Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are the major nutrients.
b) All food items may not contain all essential nutrients in adequate quantity. Hence, we eat a variety of food items prepared using different ingredients.
c) Nutrients are the components required for our growth, to maintain health and to prevent diseases. So we eat nutrient-rich food.
To Obtain Energy
We eat food not only to enjoy the taste, and to satisfy hunger alone. There are many activities in which you usually engage in a day. Observe the picture.
Question 7.
What activities do you see in the picture?
Answer:
Playing with a toy car, playing football, playing with balloons, and reading a book.
Question 8.
Don’t these activities require energy?
Answer:
Yes
Question 9.
Do these activities require the same amount of energy?
Answer:
No, these activities require different amounts of energy.
Let’s examine from where the energy required for these activities is obtained.
Question 10.
What are the food items that should be included more in our diet to get the required amount of energy?
Answer:
Cereals and tubers should be included more in our diet to get the required amount of energy.
Let’s do an experiment to find out if starch is present in the food we eat.
Iodine test
Materials required: Two test tubes, milk, diluted iodine solution, rice water.
Activity – Take two test tubes. Take milk in one test tube and rice water in the other one. Add two or three drops of iodine solution to each test tube. Observe the colour change in both test tubes when iodine solution is added. Repeat the same experiment with other food items you eat.
Question 11.
Record your findings in the table.
| Food items |
Change in colour when iodine solution is added |
| Potato |
Changes to deep blue colour |
| Cucumber |
No colour change |
| Maida |
Changes to light blue colour |
| Egg white |
No colour change |
| Milk |
No colour change |
| Curd |
No colour change |
| Tomato Juice |
No colour change |
| Rice water |
Changes to deep blue colour |
| Wheat flour(Atta) |
Changes to light blue colour |
When iodine combines with starch, a dark blue colour is formed. Depending on the quantity of starch the intensity of blue colour varies.
Question 12.
Find out the food items with more starch content based on the intensity of blue colour formed when iodine was added.
Answer:
Potato and rice water have more starch content as they form a deep blue colour.
Question 13.
You have already listed the food items you usually eat. Analyse the table and examine whether more food items you consume contain starch.
Answer:
Food items like tapioca, wheat flour and rice contain starch.
For Growth
It is not enough to include only carbohydrates in our diet. Let’s find the other nutrients needed for our body.
PROTEIN
Question 14.
Did you notice what the doctor told the child’s mom? Why does the doctor say so?
Answer:
Yes. The child feels tired because he has protein deficiency. Food items like egg, green gram, ground nut, fish, milk etc. are rich in protein. Having them will provide energy.
Read the suggestions given by the dietician in a programme organised by the Health Club in the school.
Question 15.
What are the functions of protein?
Answer:
Question 16.
What are the diseases caused by the deficiency of protein? Discuss.
Answer:
• Kwashiorkor
Kwashiorkor is a condition resulting from inadequate protein intake. The symptoms are fatigue, irritability, growth failure, loss of muscle mass, generalised swelling, protruded belly and decreased immunity.
• Marasmus
The main symptoms of marasmus are extreme thinness, weakness, dry and wrinkled skin, and sunken eyes.
The child may also experience slow growth, lack of body fat, and feel extremely tired all the time.
Question 17.
Pictures of food items which contain protein are given below. Identify them and write.
Answer:
A. Green gram
B. Cashew nut
C. Peanut
D. Egg
E. Milk
Question 18.
Which food items among these are included in your diet?
Answer:
All of them are included in the diet.
Question 19.
There may be vegetarians among you. What food items are to be included in their diet to compensate the deficiency of protein?
Answer:
Green gram, cashew nuts, peanuts, seeds, whole grains, and other pulses are to be included.
Question 20.
Find out more food items which contain protein and write down in the Science Diary.
Answer:
Milk products, fish, meat, soyabean, oats, green peas, asparagus, egg, almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, chickpeas.
Question 21.
Repeat the experiment by rubbing the food items given below on the paper. List them. Discuss your findings in the class.
Answer:
| Food items |
Observations |
| Chips |
The paper becomes translucent. Fat is present. |
| Raw banana |
Oil patch is not visible. Fat is not present. |
| Crushed sesame |
The paper becomes translucent. Fat is present. |
| Dried coconut |
The paper becomes translucent. Fat is present. |
| Crushed groundnut |
The paper becomes translucent. Fat is present. |
Question 22.
Write down the other food items you are familiar with that contain fat.
Answer:
Oil, ghee, meat, egg, coconut, sesame, mustard, ground nut, milk and butter.
| We get fat from plant and animal sources. |
Question 23.
Observe the pictures given below and write their names. Classify the given pictures as ‘fat obtained from plants’ and ‘fat obtained from animals’.
Answer:
| Fat obtained from plants |
Fat obtained from animals |
A. Coconut oil
E. Sunflower oil |
C. Fish oil
B. Ghee
D. Butter |
| The majority of food items like vegetables, rice, wheat etc1, contain small amount of fat. |
Cholesterol
Question 24.
Have you heard doctors advise not to eat too much fatty foods? What could be the reason?
Answer:
Cholesterol is a form of fat. A moderate amount of cholesterol is required for the body. If there is excess cholesterol in the blood, it gets deposited in the inner wall of blood vessels and prevents blood flow. This may cause fatal diseases like stroke and heart failure.
Question 25.
Analyse the table given below to understand different types of vitamins and their significance.
| Vitamin |
Significance |
| Vitamin A |
Maintains the health of eyes, skin and hair |
| Vitamin B |
Maintains the health of the brain, nerves, heart and skin |
| Vitamin C |
For the health of teeth, gum, blood vessels and for immunity |
| Vitamin D |
For the health of bones and teeth, and for immunity |
| Vitamin E |
For the proper functioning of nerves |
| Vitamin K |
For blood clotting when wounds occur |
a) Which vitamins are essential for the health of the skin?
b) What health issues will occur if you don’t get an adequate quantity of vitamin D?
c) Haven’t you analysed the table? Prepare a note on vitamins and present it in the class.
Answer:
a) Vitamin A, Vitamin B
b) Affects the health of bones and teeth. Immunity power decreases.
c) Vitamin is an essential nutrient required for the body. There are different types of vitamins. The function of each of them is different. Vitamin A is essential for eye and hair health. Vitamin A and B are essential for the health of the skin. Vitamin C helps in maintaining the health of teeth, gum and blood vessels and immunity. Vitamin D helps in maintaining the health of bones and teeth. Vitamin E helps in the proper functioning of nerves. Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood.
Question 26.
What food items should be included in the diet to prevent the physical issues caused by vitamin deficiency? Observe the table and identify the food items which contain different types of vitamins. Refer to books and elaborate the list by adding more food items.
Answer:
| Vitamin |
Food items |
| Vitamin A |
Fish, Carrot, Spinach, Cow pea leaf, Colocasia leaf, Moringa leaves, Milk nroducts, liver, Fruits, egg |
| Vitamin B |
Matta rice, Spinach, egg, Colocasia leaf, milk, fish |
| Vitamin C |
Gooseberry, Lemon, moringa leaves. Tomato, guava, papaya, mango, iackfruit, other fruits |
| Vitamin D |
Fish, Egg, cereals, cheese, other milk products |
| Vitamin E |
Peanut, Almond, vegetable oils, egg, milk, ghee, leafy vegetables |
| Vitamin K |
Cabbage, Cauliflower, spinach, milk, egg, fruits |
| Edible leaves and fruits obtained from our surroundings contain vitamins in abundance. Now we have understood the importance of including food items like moringa leaves, spinach, guava, papaya and mango in our diet. |
Water and fat-soluble vitamins
| Water-soluble vitamins |
Fat-soluble vitamins |
| Vitamin B, C |
Vitamins A, D, E and K
In the absence of fat, these vitamins will not be absorbed by the body. |
MINERALS
Question 27.
Didn’t you notice the announcement? Why are iron tablets given to children?
Answer:
Iron is a mineral. Such kind of minerals are essential for the proper growth and health of the body. The deficiency of iron can cause many health issues. To avoid such deficiency diseases like anaemia, iron tablets are given to children.
Question 28.
Which are the minerals required for our body? How do these minerals support our growth and health? Analyse the table and write them in the Science Diary.
| Important minerals |
Food items |
Significance |
| Iron |
Leafy vegetables, jaggery, fish, liver |
Plays a significant role in the formation of haemoglobin in blood. |
| Calcium |
Egg, milk, leafy vegetables, fish |
Helps in the formation of bones, teeth etc. and also helps in the clotting of blood. |
| Iodine |
Sea foods |
Helps in the functioning of the thyroid gland. |
a) Which mineral helps in the formation of haemoglobin in the blood? What food items should be included in the diet to get this mineral?
b) Why should we eat sea food?
c) What health issues will occur if we avoid eggs, milk and leafy vegetables?
Answer:
a) Iron helps in the formation of haemoglobin in the blood. Leafy vegetables, jaggery, fish, liver etc. should be included in diet to get this mineral.
b) Sea food provides iodine, which helps in the functioning of the thyroid gland.
c) Vitamin C helps in the formation of bones, teeth, etc. and helps in the clotting of blood. Food items like egg, milk and leafy vegetables contain calcium. Avoiding these food items affects the health of teeth, bones and the clotting of blood.
| Haemoglobin: Haemoglobin is the pigment present in red blood cells. It imparts red colour to blood. Haemoglobin carries oxygen to the cells and brings back carbon dioxide. A low level of haemoglobin in the blood leads to a condition called anaemia. |
Question 29.
You have already learned about the diseases related to protein deficiency. Pay attention to the vitamin deficiency diseases listed below.
a) Deficiency of which vitamin causes scurvy?
b) What food items will you suggest to include in the diet, if someone in your home suffers from mouth ulcer?
c) Deficiency of which vitamin causes night blindness?
d) Deficiency of which vitamin causes rickets?
Answer:
a) Vitamin C
b) Include vitamin B-rich food items like matta rice, spinach, legumes, vegetables, fish, milk, liver, etc., in the diet.
c) Vitamin A
d) Vitamin D
Night Blindness
Night blindness is the poor vision experienced in dim light and night. Persons with night blindness have no issues in vision during day time and in bright light at night. |
Question 30.
Deficiency diseases caused by the lack of minerals are given in the table below. Analyse the table and find answers to the questions.
| Minerals |
Deficiency diseases |
| Iron |
Anaemia |
| Iodine |
Goitre |
| Calcium |
Osteoporosis |
a) Which disease is caused by the deficiency of iron?
b) What food items should be included in our diet to prevent goitre? Why?
c) What food items are to be included in our diet to prevent osteoporosis?
d) Why are iron tablets supplied in schools? Explain.
e) Analyse the two tables given above. Prepare a write-up on deficiency diseases and display it on the bulletin board.
Answer:
a) Anaemia
b) Sea foods are rich in iodine. They should be included in diet to prevent goitre. It is because goitre is an iodine deficiency disease. So, to prevent goitre, iodine-rich food items are to be included in the diet.
c) Osteoporosis is caused due to the deficiency of calcium. Calcium-rich food items like eggs, milk, fish, leafy vegetables, etc., are to be included in the diet.
d) Iron is a mineral essential for our body. It plays a major role in the formation of haemoglobin in blood. To prevent iron deficiency disease, like anaemia, iron tablets are supplied in schools.
e) Write-up:
• Anaemia is a condition occurring when there is lack of haemoglobin in a person’s blood. Haemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the whole body. The body gets tired quickly when the count of haemoglobin is less. The common symptoms of anaemia are tiredness, paleness and feeling dizzy. This is caused due to the deficiency of Iron. To prevent such a condition, more leafy vegetables, jaggery, fish liver, etc., should be included in the diet.
• Simple goitre is the condition in which the thyroid gland, situated in the throat, becomes enlarged. This is caused by the deficiency of iodine. Iodine is essential to produce hormones by the thyroid gland. To prevent this condition, seafood should be included in the diet.
• Osteoporosis is a condition occurring when bones become soft and brittle, due to the decrease in density of minerals in the bones. This may lead to weakness of bones and fractures. This is caused by the deficiency of calcium. Calcium-rich food items like egg, milk, leafy vegetables, fish, etc. are to be included in the diet.
Question 31.
Which other dietary fibres do you know? Why is it essential to include fibres in the diet? Discuss the note given below. Write down your inferences in the Science Diary.
|
Fibres
Fibres are the cellulose obtained from plant-based food that can’t be digested by our body. Fibres are not nutrient components. However, fibres facilitate the digestion and egestion of faeces through the large intestine. Cereals with bran, leafy vegetables, vegetables, banana stem, banana flower, etc., contain fibres in abundance. |
Answer:
Fruits, vegetables, leafy vegetables, banana stem(vazhapindi), vazhakoombu, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds are rich in fibres.
It is essential to include fibres in the diet because they help in the movement of excretory materials in the large intestine, even though they do not provide any nutrients to the body. They facilitate the digestion and egestion of faeces through the large intestine.
Question 32.
Observe the picture.
Did you see the mango slices and the strained mango juice? Which has more fibre? Why? Discuss.
Answer:
Mango slices have more fibre. Mango slices have the pulp and flesh of the fruit. This part contains
dietary fibre, which helps in digestion and keeps the stomach healthy. Most of the pulp and tiny bits of the fruit are being removed from the strained mango juice. That means most of the fibre is lost when the juice is strained. Therefore, mango slices have more fibre.
So you should try to eat whole fruits like mango, orange and apple instead of their juice.
Water
- About 70% of our body is comprised of water.
- Water is essential for physiological activities like digestion, circulation and excretion.
- Water is lost from the body through urine and sweat. So, we must drink plenty of pure water.
- Children should drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water a day.
- Vegetables like tomato, cucumber, watermelon, etc., contain plenty of water. So, they are to be included in food.
Question 33.
Earlier, you had prepared the menu for a day. Examine the menu and find out whether it is a balanced diet. If not, make necessary changes in the diet and write them down in the table.
Answer:
Changes to be made in my diet
| Items to be included in breakfast |
Items to be included in lunch |
Items to be included in dinner |
| Boiled eggs, nuts (For protein) Banana (for fibre), milk (for calcium) |
Leafy vegetables (for minerals and vitamins) Fish and meat (For protein) |
Roti (for carbohydrates), Ghee (for fat), mixed vegetable salad (for fibres, vitamins and minerals), fruits (for vitamins and fibres). |
My Food Plate
We have understood that none of the nutrients discussed so far can be excluded from our diet.
A sample that contains all nutrients is given below. Find out the quantity of food items to be taken in a day from the picture.
Question 34.
Prepare a food chart for a day, including all the nutrients as per your food habit, and exhibit it in your home and class.)
Answer:
An example is given below..
Lunch and its Calorie
Examine the menu of school noon meal for five days.
Question 35.
Which food items are included in it? Discuss the menu of each day with the teacher and examine the food items and the nutrients in them. Tabulate your findings.
Answer:
Question 36.
Did you notice the food items and their nutrients for each day? What did you understand?
Answer:
Yes, we can understand that the menu for the noon meal in schools is prepared to ensure a balanced diet for every child.
Calorie
Calorie is the unit that measures the amount of energy in food items. Energy is required for physiological activities like respiration, circulation etc. A man engaged in physical activities requires about 1900 to 2400 calories of energy per day. A woman having physical activities needs about 1600 to 2000 calories of energy per day. A grown-up child needs an average of 1200 to 1400 calories of energy per day. |
A child gets about 750 calories of energy from the noon meal. Make it sure to get the remaining amount of calories from the food items you eat at other times.
Question 37.
Can you suggest less expensive and nutritious dishes to improve the noon meal?
Answer:
- Ragi Porridge (Ragi Kanji) using ragi flour, water or milk and jaggery. This dish is rich in calcium, iron and carbohydrates.
- Vegetable pulao and curd salad using different vegetables (beans, carrots, potato, green peas), rice, curd (tomato, onions, cucumber), which is rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium and carbohydrates.
- Rice porridge with green gram curry, raw mango chutney and boiled eggs. This dish is rich in
carbohydrates, protein, calcium and fibres.
- Also include tubers like tapioca, elephant foot yam (chena), Colocasia (chembu), different types of pulses, banana stem (vazhapindi), vazhakoombu and pickles.
Question 38.
What are your suggestions to get the ingredients for preparing these dishes? Discuss.
Answer:
- A small school vegetable garden which will help grow cultivation habit in children and at the same time it gives the opportunity to have nutritious meals prepared using fresh vegetables, which is economical too.
- Make use of various government schemes that provide support for the noon meal at schools.
- Take help from local societies.
- Take help from various voluntary organisations.
To Prevent Loss of Nutrients
Question 39.
What are the possibilities for the loss of nutrients while cooking? Discuss and write in your Science Diary.
Answer:
- Washing vegetables after cutting them.
- Cooking using a large amount of water.
- Overcooking of vegetables.
Question 40.
Did you understand why it is said that fruits and vegetables should not be washed after cutting them? Discuss with the elders in your home the measures to be adopted to prevent the loss of nutrients from food items. Write them in your Science Diary.
Answer:
Yes.
Measures to be adopted to prevent the loss of nutrients:
- Cook vegetables by covering the vessel
- Don’t overcook vegetables
- The leftover water after cooking vegetables can be used.
- Consume fruits and salads fresh
- Do not peel the vegetables too thick in size.
Now we have understood the need to eat nutritious food for growing up healthy. Nutritious food is not only essential for health, but it is also our right.
Class 6 Basic Science Chapter 1 Question Answer Extended Activities
Question 1.
Prepare the recipe of a food item cooked in your home. Exchange your recipes and read.
Answer:
Avial
Ingredients: Cucumber, Drumstick, Carrot, Yam, Papaya, Tender plantain, ivy gourd (Kovaikka), Pea, Curd, Coconut and green chilli, coconut oil, Curry leaves, Salt and turmeric powder.
Method of Preparation: Cut vegetables into long and narrow slices. Add one teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt for taste. Cook it in a flat vessel. Add scraped coconut and green chilli, which is cut into small pieces, into it. After taking it out from the stove, add curd and stir. Then add coconut oil and curry leaves, stir gentl) and close the vessel.
Question 2.
Prepare a balanced diet chart including items available in your surroundings. Exhibit it in the classroom.
Answer:
|
Food items |
Nutrients obtained |
| Breakfast |
Breakfast -Puttu and Bengal gram curry, boiled eggs, banana, Wheat bread -butter toast, milk |
Carbohydrates (puttu), Protein (boiled eggs, Bengal gram, wheat bread). Fibre (Banana, wheat bread), Fat (wheat bread, butter, toast), calcium (milk) |
| Lunch |
Rice, curd, mixed vegetables, fish curry, gooseberry pickle |
Carbohydrates (rice), vitamins and minerals (mixed vegetables), fish curry (protein), curd(calcium), vitamin C (gooseberry pickle) |
| Tea time |
Roasted peanuts, Coconut jaggery laddu |
Iron (jaggery), Protein (nuts) |
| Dinner |
Roti, Egg curry, Fruits(Guava ,mango) |
Carbohydrates (Roti), protein (Egg curry), Fibres and vitamins (Fruits) |
Question 3.
Observe food packets bought from shops and identify the nutrients in them. Prepare a note and present it.
Answer:
| Food item |
Nutrient chart |
Key Nutrients |
| Toned milk |
Nutrient chart
• Energy: 62 kcal
• Protein: 3.1 g
• Fat: 3.0 g
• Carbohydrates: 4.8 g
• Calcium: 120 mg |
• Protein – helps in body repair and growth
• Calcium – strengthens bones and teeth
• Carbohydrates – provide energy
• Fat – Helps in absorbing vitamins |
| Wheat bread |
• Energy: 70-80 kcal
• Protein: 2-3 g
• Carbohydrates: 13-14 g
• Fat: 1-1.5 g
• Fibre : 1.5-2 g
• Calcium: 25-40 mg
• Iron :0.5-1 mg
• Sodium: 100-150 mg
• Sugar: 1-2 g |
• Carbohydrates-Main energy source
• Protein – helps in body repair and growth
• Fat – Helps in absorbing vitamins
• Calcium – For bone and teeth strength
• Fibre: Helps in digestion |
Question 4.
Conduct a seminar in the class on ‘Food and Health’. Collect information related to different aspects of the topic and prepare a report for presenting in the Seminar.
Answer:
Topic – ‘Food and health’
Introduction: There is a close relationship between food and health. The nutrients our body requires to maintain energy, support growth, prevent sickness, and function correctly are found in the food we eat. Healthy eating practices and a balanced diet are essential for preserving good health.
The main topics for discussion:
1. Importance of food for a healthy body and mind
2. Different food groups and nutrients
3. Deficiency diseases
4. Importance of food hygiene and healthy eating habits
1. Importance of food for a healthy body and mind
Our bodies need the essential nutrients that food gives us in order to survive and lead a healthy life. These nutrients consist of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Non-nutrient components like water and fibre are also essential. What we eat not only affects our physical health but also our mental health. Healthy food is a must for a healthy mind.
2. Different food groups and nutrients
A healthy diet should include a variety of food groups. Each group provides different nutrients that our body needs. Let’s check the importance of each nutrient factor.
- Carbohydrates -Energy required for the body is mainly obtained from carbohydrates. Carbohydrate is found in food items in different forms like starch, sugar, glucose, cellulose and fibres. Starch is present in abundance in cereals and tubers.
- Proteins: Found in food items like eggs, beans, lentils, meat, and dairy. Protein is essential for
growth, tissue repair, and immune function.
- Fats -Like carbohydrates and proteins, fat is also essential for us. It helps in absorbing some vitamins. Healthy fats from sources like nuts, olive oil, and avocados help with brain function and hormone production. But it is important to limit unhealthy fats as it can lead to cholesterol and cardiac issues which is a major issue of the time due to the fast food habit and lack of exercise.
- Vitamins and minerals: Fruits and Vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibres, they help prevent chronic diseases and improve digestion.
- Calcium: Milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich in calcium and Vitamin D, which are essential for bone and teeth health.
3. Deficiency diseases
Vitamins and minerals are required by the body in small quantities only. However, if they are not available to the body in the required quantity, deficiency diseases are bound to manifest.
- The common vitamin deficiency diseases include night blindness, glossitis, scurvy and rickets.
- The common protein deficiency diseases are kwashiorkor and marasmus.
- Each nutrient is to be taken in a sufficient amount to prevent deficiency diseases. So, including different types of food groups containing the essential nutrients is very important.
4. Importance of food hygiene and healthy eating habits
- In order to maintain health, we should follow a Balanced Diet.
- Drink plenty of water
- Limit junk food habit
- Eat food at proper intervals of time without skipping.
- Control overeating, not just eating ,but eating the required amount with essential nutrients is important.
- Keep food at the correct temperature to avoid bacterial growth.
- Wash hands, utensils, and food before cooking or eating to prevent contamination.
- Ensure food is cooked at the correct temperature to kill harmful bacteria and viruses.
- Always consume food within its shelf life to avoid food poisoning.
Conclusion
A crucial part of preserving health is eating. Our general well-being can be greatly enhanced by following healthy eating practices, eating a well-balanced diet, and paying attention to food safety. We may prevent many diseases and live healthier, happier lives by making educated dietary choices and understanding the connection between food and health.
Food for Health Notes Pdf
Food for Health Class 6 Notes Kerala Syllabus
- Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are the major nutrients.
- Carbohydrates: Energy required for the body is mainly obtained from carbohydrates. Carbohydrate is found in food items in different forms like starch, sugar, glucose, cellulose and fibres.
- Iodine test is done to find if starch is present in the food we eat. When iodine combines with starch in a food item dark blue colour is formed.
- Protein: Protein is a nutrient essential for growth and body building. Protein is required for the health of muscles, hair and skin. Moreover, proteins provide energy. The deficiency of protein causes diseases like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus.
- Fats are essential because they help in the absorption of vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which are soluble only in fat.
- Vitamins are essential nutrients required in small quantities for the growth and health of our body. They are essential for health of eyes, hair, skin, brain, bones, nerves, heart, teeth, gum and blood vessels. They also help in maintaining immunity, helps in the proper functioning of nerves and is essential for clotting of blood.
- The pigment haemoglobin present in red blood cells imparts red colour to blood and it carries oxygen to the cells and bring back carbon dioxide. Low level of haemoglobin in the blood leads to a condition called anaemia.
- Minerals like iron, calcium, iodine are essential in the formation of haemoglobin in blood, formation of bones, teeth and clotting of blood, and help in the functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Night blindness, Glossitis, Mouth Ulcer, bleeding gums (Scurvy) and rickets are the vitamin deficiency diseases.
- Anaemia is caused due to deficiency of iron
- Goitre is caused to deficiency of iodine.
- Osteoporosis is caused due to deficiency of calcium.
- Fibres and water are non-nutrient components.
- Fibres are the cellulose obtained from plant-based food that can’t be digested by our body. Fibres facilitate digestion and egestion of faeces through the large intestine.
- Water is essential for physiological activities like digestion, circulation and excretion.
- In order to maintain health, we should follow a diet that includes protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals in appropriate quantities. Such a diet is called a Balanced Diet.
- Fruits and vegetables should not be washed after cutting them and vegetables should be cooked by covering the vessel to prevent loss of nutrients in them.
INTRODUCTION
Eating a variety of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, meat, fish, eggs, and pulses helps to keep our body strong and healthy. Our body needs nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fats to grow and stay active. Food gives us the energy to do work and helps our brain and body function properly. Eating a healthy diet can improve sleep, boost energy, and protect us from illness. A balanced diet helps us feel good and live a healthy life. In this chapter, we deal with topics like food and nutrients, deficiency diseases, components other than nutrients and balanced diet.
FOOD AND NUTRIENTS
Why Food?
Understand why do we eat food and what do we get from food by reading the write-up from a children’s magazine.
Our Health: Food provides energy for our daily physiological activities. Nutrients are the components required for our growth, to maintain health and to prevent diseases. We obtain nutrients from food items. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are the nutrients present in food items. Though water is not a nutrient component, it is an important requirement for our bodily activities. Fibres present in the food items are also required for bodily activities. All food items may not contain all essential nutrients in adequate quantity. Hence, we eat a variety of food items prepared using different ingredients. The quantity of food we eat, its quality and time of consumption influence our health. So, everyone should eat nutritious food.
CARBOHYDRATE
FAT
| Like carbohydrate and protein, fat is also essential for us. If we consume equal amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat, we will get more energy from fat. |
Activity to find out the presence of fat in your diet
Take a sheet of paper and put a drop of oil on it. Observe the paper. Likewise put a drop of ghee on another piece of paper. Identify the presence of fat by observing the changes in the paper when ghee and oil were added.
VITAMINS
| Vitamins are essential nutrients required in small quantities for the growth and health of our body. |
Let’s understand the importance of vitamins.
DEFICIENCY DISEASES
Deficiency Diseases
Vitamins and minerals are required by the body in small quantities only. However, if they are not available to the body in the required quantity, deficiency diseases are bound to manifest.
COMPONENTS OTHER THAN NUTRIENTS
Components other than Nutrients
Just like nutrients, there are certain other components that are required for our health. Let’s see what they are. Cut a banana stem and observe the fibres in it.
BALANCED DIET
Balanced Diet
In order to maintain health, we should follow a diet that includes protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals in appropriate quantities. Such a diet is called a Balanced Diet. |
There is no single food item we discussed earlier that contains all the nutrients in adequate quantities. We compensate the nutrient deficiency in one food item with another one. So the food we eat should be diverse.
