Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Class 6 Questions and Answers NCERT Solutions
Class 6 Science Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Question Answer
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Question 1.
Pick the odd one out and give reasons
(i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana
(ii) Kidney beans, Green graam, soyabean, rice.
Answer:
(i) Chana because it is not a millet.
(ii) Rice because it is not a good source of plant proteins.
Question 2.
Discuss traditional versus modern culinary practices in India.
Answer:
Traditional Practices
- Cooking was mostly done on chulhas (traditional stoves).
- Grinding was done manually using tools like silbatta (stone grinder).
- Emphasis on using fresh, locally grown ingredients.
Modern Practices
- Use of rpodern gas stoves and electric Appliances like grinders and mixers.
- Availability and use of pre¬packaged and processed foods.
- Influence of global cuisines and fusion cooking.
Reasons for Change
- Technological advancements.
- Time constraints and lifestyle changes.
- Improved transportation and availability of a variety of ingredients.
Question 3.
A teacher says that good food may act as medicine. Rain is curious about this statement and has some questions for his teacher. List at least two questions that he can ask.
Answer:
Ravi can ask the following questions:
- How does food act as medicine?
- Do all foods act as medicine?
Question 4.
Not all delicious foods are necessarily healthy, while not all nutritious foods are always enjoyable. Share your thoughts along with a few examples.
Answer:
Delicious food like chips, candy bars and carbonated drinks are often high in sugar and fats, but low in nutrients. Nutritious foods like green leafy vegetables, beans may not be enjoyable, but are essential for good health. Balancing taste and nutrition is key to a healthy diet.
Question 5.
Medu does not eat vegetables but enjoys biscuits, noodles and white bread. He often has stomach ache and constipation. What changes should he
make in the diet to get rid of these problems? Explain your answer.
Answer:
Medu should start taking roughage in his diet. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are main sources of roughage. Roughage keeps the food and faeces moving along the intestine and helps to prevent constipation.
Question 6.
Reshma had trouble seeing things in dim light. The doctor tested her eyesight and prescribed a particular vitamin supplement. He also advised her to include a few food items in her diet.
(i) Which deficiency disease is ‘she’ suffering from?
(ii) Which food component may be lacking in her diet?
(iii) Suggest some food items that she should include in her diet to overcome this problem (any four).
Answer:
(i) Reshma is suffering from night blindness which re’sults in difficulty of seeing things in dim light.
(ii) Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness. Hence vitamin A might be lacking in her diet.
(iiii) In her diet, Reshma can include food items such as carrot, spinach, papaya, milk, green leafy, vegetables, mango, fish oil, etc. which are rich in vitamin A.
Question 7.
You are provided the following:
(i) Canned fruit juice
(ii) Fresh fruit juice
(iii) Fresh fruit
Which one would you prefer and why?
Answer:
Fresh fruit juice does not have roughage while fresh fruit has roughage too. So, I would prefer fresh fruit.
Question 8.
Gaurav got a fracture in his leg. His doctor aligned the bones and put on a plaster. The doctor also gave him calcium tablets. On the second visit, the doctor gave him vitamin-D syrup along with calcium tablets. Refer to the table-given below and answer the following questions.
(i) Why did the doctor give calcium tablets to Gaurav?
(ii) On the second visit, why did the doctor give vitamin-D syrup along with calcium tablets?
(iii) What question arises in your mind about the choices made by the doctor in giving the medicines?
Answer:
(i) The doctor gave calcium tablets to Gaurav because calcium tablets help in bone healing and strengthening.
(ii) On the second visit doctor gave vitamin-D syrup along with cacium tablets because vitamin-D helps in the absorption of calcium in the body.
(iii) Why do Dr. recommend calcium in bone fracture and why is vitamin-D necessary for calcium absorption?
Question 9.
Sugar is an example of carbohydrates. Sugar is tested with iodine solution but it does not change to blue-black colour. What can be a possible reason?
Answer:
Starch gives a blue black colour on adding a few drops of dilute iodine, sugar after hydrolysis gives glucose and fructose. Hence, sugar does not change to blue-black colour.
Question 10.
What do you think of Raman’s . statement, “All starches are carbohydrates but not all carbohydrates are starches.” Describe the design of an activity to test your answer.
Answer:
Raman’s statement, “All starches are carbohydrates but net all carbohydrates are starches,” is correct. Carbohydrates are a broad category which include sugars, starches, and fibers. Starches are a type of carbohydrate that consists of long chains of glucose molecules bonded together. On the other hand, carbohydrates also include simpler sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, as well as complex carbohydrates such as cellulose (fiber).
To design an activity to test this statement, following experiment should be conducted
Activity Design:
Testing Types of Carbohydrates
Materials Needed
1. Iodine solution (potassium iodide solution with iodine dissolved in water)
2. Different food samples:
- Starch sources: Potato, rice, bread
- Sugar sources: Sugar crystals (sucrose), honey, fruits (like banana)
- Fiber source: Raw vegetable (like celery)
Materials Needed
1. Prepare small samples of each food item on separate plates or containers.
2. Label each plate/container according to the food sample (e.g., Plate 1: Potato, Plate 2: Sugar crystals).
3. Pour a small amount of iodine solution onto each sample. Be careful not to mix the samples.
4. Observe and record any color changes that occur.
5. Compare the color changes observed with each sample.
Expected Results
- Starch sources (e.g., potato, rice, bread): When iodine solution comes into contact with starch, it turns blue-black.
- Sugar sources (e.g., sugar crystals, honey, fruits): Sugar samples will not change color with iodine solution; they remain unchanged or show a different reaction (e.g., no color change or a slight yellowish color).
- Fiber source (e.g., raw vegetable): Fiber does not react with iodine solution and should not change color.
Conclusion: Based on the observations.
- Starches (potato, rice, bread) exhibit a blue-black color change with iodine solution, indicating the presence of starch.
- Sugars (sucrose, honey, fruits) do not show a color change with iodine solution, confirming they are not starches.
- Fiber (raw vegetable) does not react with iodine solution, indicating it is not a starch.
Explanation
This activity demonstrates that while all starches are carbohydrates (as they react with iodine solution), not all carbohydrates (such as sugars and fiber) react in the same way with iodine. Therefore, Raman’s statement is validated through this simple experiment, showing that starches are a subset of carbohydrates distinguishable by their characteristic reaction with iodine solution.
Question 11.
While using iodine in the laboratory, a few drops of iodine fell on Mishti’s socks and a few fell on her teacher’s saree. The drops of iodine on the saree turned blue-black while the colour on the socks did not change. What can be a possible reason?
Answer:
The possible reason for blue-black colour on teacher’s saree could be the presence of starch. The saree might have been starched. Mishti’s socks did not have starch on it, therefore the colour did not change.
Question 12.
Why are millets considered a healthy choice of food? Can eating just millets suffice forthe nutritional requirements of the body? Discuss.
Answer:
Millets are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers, making them a healthy choice.
However, a balanced diet requires a variety of nutrients, so relying solely on millets may not meet all nutritional needs.
Question 13.
You are given a sample of a solution. How would you check the possibility of it being an iodine solution?
Answer:
To check if a given solution is iodine, perform a starch test. Take starch solution in a test tube. Add a drop of solution (to be tested) to this starch solution. If a deep blue colour appears in the solution the given sample of solution is an iodine solution.
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body
Intext Questions
Question 1.
Do different diversity in food exists in different states of our country? (Page 36)
Answer:
Yes, different parts of our country has a diversified food culture, that follows unique food habitats.
Question 2.
Why do different states in our country have diverse traditional foods? (Page 37)
Answer:
Different states have diverse traditional foods due to variation in climate, local ingredients and cultural heritage.
Question 3.
Are there any food items that are common across many states? (Page 37)
Answer:
Yes, there are many food items are common across many states, e.g. rice, wheat, maize, etc.
Question 4.
What is the relation between the traditional food items and the locally grown crops? (Page 37)
Answer:
The relationship between a traditional food item and a locally grown crop is that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the crops grown in that state. India being an agricultural country with diverse soil and climate types is able to produce various crops in different regions.
Question 5.
What are the changes in cooking practices over time? (Page 38)
Answer:
Earlier, most cooking was done using a chulha, but now-a-days, most of us cook using a modern gas stove.
Question 6.
Why have culinary practices changed over time? (Page 39)
Answer:
Culinary practices have changed over time due to factors such as technological development, improved transportation and better communication.
Question 7.
Why do a marathon runner drinks glucose water during and after a race? (Page 40)
Answer:
Drinking glucose water during and after a race helps runners to maintain their energy levels, hydration and recover more quickly after race.
Question 8.
Why do we prefer to have laddoos as a part of our traditional diet in winter? (Page 40)
Answer:
We prefer laddoos as a part of our traditional diet in winters as they are rich in ghee and nuts which provide us with energy and keep us warm during the cold season.
Question 9.
Why are we advised to include servings of fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods in our daily diet? (Page 42)
Answer:
Including variety of fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods, in our diet ensures overall health, disease prevention and well-being.
Question 10.
What do you mean by iodised salt? (Page 43)
Answer:
Iodised salt is common salt mixed with required quantities of salt of iodine.
Question 11.
How can we overcome vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases? (Page 45)
Answer:
We can overcome vitamin and mineral deficiency disease by having vitamin and mineral rich food, respectively.
Question 12.
What differences do you observe in raw and cooked vegetables? (Page 46)
Answer:
The differences between raw and cooked vegetables can be observed in terms of texture, flavour, nutrient content and digestibility.
Question 13.
Would it not be wise to include fruits and uncooked vegetables into our diet? (Page 46)
Answer:
Including fruits and uncooked vegetables in our diet is generally wise and beneficial for health. A balanced diet include both raw and cooked vegetables and a variety of fruits ensures nutrients and health benefits.
Question 14.
What are the food sources that provide water to our body? List a few of them. (Page 47)
Answer:
The food sources that provide water to our body are watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, oranges, green leafy vegetables, etc.
Question 15.
Are nutritional requirements the same for everyone? (Page 51)
Answer:
No, requirements of the type and amount of nutrients in a diet may vary according to age, gender, physical activity, health status, lifestyle and so on.
Question 16.
How would eating local food help reduce food miles? (Page 55)
Answer:
Eating local food can help reduce food miles, by minimizing the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is consumed. It also helps in controlling pollution associated with long-distance food transportation.
Let’s Investigate
Activity 1 (Page 48)
Aim : To test the presence of starch in food items.
Materials Required Food items (such as a slice of potato, cucumber, bread, some boiled rice, boiled gram, crushed peanuts, oil, butter and crushed coconut), diluted iodine solution, dropper and petridish.
Procedure :
- Place a small piece of each food item on a separate dish.
- With the help of a dropper, put 2-3 drops of diluted iodine solution on each food items.
- Observe the changes in the colour of the food items and record them in the table.
Observation :
Conclusion The appearance of blue-black colour confirms the presence of starch in the food items.
Viva Questions
1. What happen when 2-3 drops of diluted iodine solution is poured on a cut slice of potato?
2. On adding iodine drops to potatoes, butter and cucumber, do we expect to get similar results?
Activity 2 (Page 49)
Aim : To test the presence of fat in food items.
Materials Required Food items (such as slice of potato, cucumber, bread, boiled rice, boiled gram, crushed peanuts, oil, butter and crushed coconut), brown paper ànd a source of light (bulb).
Procedure :
- Take a small part of each food item on a separate piece of paper.
- Wrap the paper around the food items and press it carefully. If any food item contains a little water, allow the paper to dry.
- Now, hold this paper against a source of light and observe a bright greasy patch on the paper.
- Record your observations in the table.
Observation :
Conclusion The greasy patch confirms the presence of oil, i.e. fat in the food items.
Viva Questions :
1. What do you expect if ghee was used in place of butter?
2. What differences do you observe while comparing peanuts, coconut and cucumber for fat test?
Activity 3 (Page 49)
Aim : To test the presence of proteins in food items.
Materials Required Food items (such as a slice of potato, cucumber, bread, boiled rice, boiled gram, crushed peanuts, oil, butter and crushed coconut), pestle and mortar, test tube, water, copper sulphate, dropper, caustic soda, test tube stand.
Procedure :
- Take the food items and make a paste or powder using pestle and mortar.
- Put about half teaspoon of each food items in a separate clean test tube.
- Then, add 2-3 teaspoons of water to each test tube and shake well.
- Add two drops of copper sulphate solution to each test tube using a dropper.
- Now, take another dropper and add 10 drops of caustic soda solution to each tube.
- Shake well and leave the test tubes undisturbed for a few minutes.
- Write your observations in the table.
Observation :
Conclusion The change of colour, in the test tube, to violet signifies the presence of protein in the food items.
Precautions :
- The chemicals used are harmful and need to be handled with extreme care. Do not touch any of these chemicals unless asked to do so.
- If any chemical gets spilled on your body, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of water.
- Do not put any of these chemicals into your mouth, or try to smell them.
Viva Questions :
1. Does the test tube with peanuts change its colour to violet?
2. Name some other food items, except the ones used in this experiment that contain protein.