Class 6 Science Chapter 3 Notes Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body
Food in Different Regions
Food varies widely across regions due to differences in climate, culture, and available ingredients. Even within India, there is a significant variation in food. Food preferences in different regions of India are influenced by many factors, such as local crop cultivation, taste culture, and tradition.
The table below gives some traditional food items and the crops grown in different states of India.
State | Locally Grown Crops | Traditional Food Items Eaten | Beverages |
Punjab | Maize, Wheat, Chickpea, Pulses | Makki di roti, sarson da saag, chhole bhature, parantha, halwa, kheer. | Lassi, chhach (butter milk), milk, tea. |
Karnataka | Rice, Ragi, Urad, Coconut | Idli, dosa, sambhar, coconut chutney, ragi mudde, palya, rasam, rice. | Buttermilk, Coffee, Tea |
Manipur | Rice, Bamboo, Soyabean | Rice, eromba (chutney), utti (yellow peas and green onion curry) and singju, kangsoi. |
Black Tea |
All these food items have essential components required for the proper growth and development of an individual.
Components of Food
Each food item is usually made up of one or more ingredients, which we get from plants or animals. These ingredients contain some components, which are needed by our body. These components are known as nutrients. Thus, nutrients are the substances that are needed by our body to grow, function properly, and stay healthy. The major nutrients present in our food are as follows.
- Carbohydrates
- Proteins
- Fats
- Vitamins
- Minerals
The food items based on the presence of these nutrients can be classified as
- Energy-giving foods: These food items are mainly rich in carbohydrates and fats.
- Body Building Foods: These food items are rich in proteins.
- Protective Foods: These food items are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Carbohydrates
They are one of the primary sources of energy in our diet, that provide instant energy. The main carbohydrates found in our food are starch and sugars. Cereals like wheat, rice, and maize; vegetables like potato and sweet potato; fruits like banana, pineapple, and mango and glucose are some sources of carbohydrates.
Fats
Just like carbohydrates, fats also provide energy to our body. The amount of energy given by fats is much more as compared to the same amount of carbohydrates. They are the source of stored energy. Fats can be obtained from plants as well as from animals.
(i) Plant-Based Sources of Fats:
These include nuts, such as groundnuts, walnuts, coconuts, and almonds, and seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
(ii) Animal Based Sources of Fats:
These include butter, ghee, milk, cream, cheese, eggs, meat and fish.
Polar bears accumulate a lot of fat under their skin. This fat serves as an energy source. It supports them during their months-long winter sleep (hibernation), enabling them to survive without eating.
Proteins
These are body-building foods that are essential for the growth and repair of the body tissues. Proteins in our diet come from both plant and animal sources.
(i) Plant-Based Sources of Proteins:
These are obtained from plants and their products like gram, moong, tuar dal, kidney beans, peas, and soybeans.
(ii) Animal Based Sources of Proteins:
These are obtained from animal products like milk, paneer, eggs, fish, and meat.
Edible mushrooms are a good source of proteins. They grow mostly in dark and moist places.
Vitamins
These are a group of nutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of our body but are required in small quantities. Vitamins are essential nutrients that protect our body against diseases. They also help keep our ‘eyes, bones, teeth, and gums healthy. Some vitamins, their sources, and their functions are tabulated as follows.
Vitamins | Functions | Sources |
Vitamin – A | Keeps eyes and skin healthy. | Papaya, carrot, mango, milk. |
Vitamin – B1 | Keeps the heart healthy and supports the body to perform various functions. | Legumes, nuts, whole grains, seeds, (flax seeds, pumpkin seeds) milk products. |
Vitamin – C | Helps the body to fight against diseases. | Amla, guava, green chilli, orange, lemon, tomato. |
Vitamin – D | Helps the body to absorb calcium for bone and teeth health. | Exposure to sunlight, milk, butter, fish, eggs, edible mushrooms. |
Vitamin D can be naturally produced by our body upon exposure to sunlight.
Minerals
These are essential for proper growth of the body and to maintain good health. Like vitamins, these are also needed by our body in small amounts, e.g. iron, calcium, iodine, etc. Some minerals along with their sources and functions are tabulated below.
Minerals | Functions | Sources |
Calcium | Keeps bones and teeth healthy. | Milk/Soya Milk, Curd, Cheese, Paneer. |
Iodine | Helps to perform physical and mental activities. | Seaweed, water chestnut (singhada), iodized salt. |
Iron | An important component of blood. | Green leafy vegetables, beetroot, pomegranate. |
In addition to these essential nutrients, our body needs dietary fibers (roughage) and water.
Water
It is one of the major constituents of our food. About 70% of the human body is made up of water. One can get water in the following ways.
- Most of the water can be obtained from liquids like water, milk, and tea.
- In addition, water is also obtained from fruits and fresh vegetables.
- Even while cooking, a lot of water is added to the food.
Water performs the following functions in our body:
- It helps our body to absorb nutrients from food.
- It removes waste from the body as urine and sweat.
- Hence, one should drink plenty of water to stay healthy.
Roughage (Dietary Fibre)
It is the fibrous matter present in food that cannot be digested. Roughage in our food is mainly provided by suitable plant products. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, pulses, and nuts are the main sources of roughage. Roughage is also called dietary fiber (the fiber that can be eaten). It does not provide any nutrients to our body, but it is an essential component of our food and adds to its bulk. It helps our body to get rid of undigested food and ensure smooth passage of stool.
Balanced Diet
The total amount of food that a person eats during an entire day is called their diet. A balanced diet is a diet that contains the proper amount of all the nutrients along with a good amount of roughage and water. It provides the body with all the energy and fulfills various nutrient requirements needed for proper functioning. A balanced diet is not the same for everyone. The type and amount of nutrients in a diet may vary according to the age, gender, physical activity, health status, and lifestyle of a person. This can be explained by the following examples.
- Sports persons need proteins in larger quantities to build their muscles.
- Children in their growth phase require more/the right amount of protein for proper growth and development.
A balanced diet is crucial for maintaining good health but consuming packaged food like potatoes, wafers, candy bars, and carbonated drinks can significantly deteriorate Cone’s health and can cause obesity. Such types of food are often referred to as junk food. These food items have high calories due to high sugar and fat content. Moreover, they contain very low amounts of proteins, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibers.
Package food items must include information about the nutrients on their labels, specifying the amount of each nutrient. Sometimes, more nutrients are added to the food during processing (fortification) to improve its nutritional quality. Iodized salt and some baby foods are examples of fortified foods. The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) is a government agency that regulates food quality in India.
Culinary Practices and their Impact on Nutrients in Food
In addition to a balanced diet, mindful cooking habits are vital for maintaining good health. The cooking practices also known as culinary practices, have evolved leading to significant differences between modern and traditional approaches. As earlier most of the cooking was done using a chulha and sil-batta, but now it has been replaced by a modern gas stove and an electrical grinder. These changes may be due to factors such as technological development, improved transportation, and better communication. However, it is important to note that regardless of the cooking practice used, some nutrient loss can occur during food preparation.
Loss of Nutrients in Food
We all know that cooking improves the taste of food and makes it easier to digest. At the same time, cooking also results in the loss of certain nutrients. So, while cooking one should remember the following important things.
- Some nutrients like vitamin C and others are lost during cooking due to high heat.
- Washing cut or peeled fruits and vegetables may also result in the loss of some vitamins.
- Repeated washing of rice and pulses may result in the loss of some vitamins and minerals present in them.
- Consuming food that lacks vitamins and minerals for a long time can lead to several diseases.
Coluthur Gopalan (1918-2019) pioneered nutrition research in India. He analyzed over 500 Indian foods and recommended diets suited to the Indian context. He identified widespread deficiencies in protein, energy, and other nutrients, leading to the implementation of the Mid Day Meal Programme in 2002, now known as the ‘PM Poshan’ initiative. This program provides balanced meals in government-run and aided schools, improving the health and nutrition of millions of children across the country.
Deficiency Diseases
The diseases that occur due to the lack of specific nutrients in our diet over a long period are called deficiency diseases. Some diseases caused due to the deficiency of vitamins and minerals are tabulated below.
Vitamins/Minerals | Deficiency Diseases/Disorder | Symptoms |
Vitamin-A | Loss of vision | Poor vision, loss of vision in darkness (night blindness), sometimes complete loss of vision. |
Vitamin-B1 | Beri-Beri | Swelling, tingling, or burning sensation in feet and hands, trouble in breathing. |
Vitamin-C | Scurvy | Bleeding gums, slow healing of wounds, low immunity. |
Vitamin-D | Rickets | Soft and bent bones. |
Calcium | Bone and tooth decay | Weak bones, tooth decay |
Iodine | Goitre | Swelling at the front of the neck. |
Iron | Anaemia | Weakness, shortness of breath. |
The link between deficiencies and their associated vitamins or minerals can be clarified through the following cases.
- Case 1: In earlier times, during long voyages, sailors often suffered from bleeding and swollen gums (scurvy). During a voyage in 1746, Scottish physician James Lind observed that sailors, who consumed lemons and oranges recovered from these symptoms.
- Case 2: In the 1960s, Indian scientists found that among the human population in the Himalayan region and the Northern plains of India, symptoms of swelling at the front of the neck (goiter) were prevalent.
As per norms of the Government of India, an effort was made to supplement common salt with iodine for preparing iodized salt. Consumption of iodized salt visibly reduced the above symptoms. These symptoms were due to a deficiency of iodine in the soil of this region resulting in a lack of iodine in the local food and water supply.
Nutrients like salt can be obtained either from rocks or from seawater. For harvesting salt from sea water a tribal community named Agariyas practices traditional salt farming methods. Similarly, the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh produces a salt called tap to fulfill their dietary requirements.
To prevent such deficiency and diseases, it is important to consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Recently, millets have gained popularity due to their high content of vitamins, minerals (iron, calcium), and dietary fibers, offering numerous health benefits.
Millets: Nutrition-rich Cereals
Millets are highly nutritious grains that have been an integral part of the Indian diet for centuries. Jowar, bajra, ragi, and Sanwa (barnyard millet) are examples of millets. These are native crops of India and can be easily cultivated in different climatic conditions. Millets are often referred to as nutri-cereals as they are rich in essential nutrients. They also contribute significantly to a balanced diet required for the normal functioning of our body. Having a diet that consists of locally grown plant-based food is not only healthy but also beneficial for the environment and the planet. The journey of all farm-produced foods including, these local and plant-based options, can be understood through the concept of food miles.
Food Miles: From Farm to Our Plate
The entire distance traveled by any food item from the producer to the consumer is known as its food miles. The food produced on farms reaches our plates through various steps. These steps involve a considerable amount of time and effort of many people. For example, the entire process of making the chapati can be understood from the image given below.
Benefits of Reducing Food Miles
Reducing food miles means decreasing the distance of food travel from the place of its production to the consumer. This practice provides the following benefits.
- It helps to cut down the cost and pollution associated with food transport.
- It supports local farmers and businesses which strengthens their economy.
- It ensures the food is fresher and more nutritious.
→ Carbohydrates: They provide energy to our body.
→ Culinary practices: Cooking practices are also called culinary practices.
→ Deficiency diseases: The disease, which occurs due to the lack of specific nutrients in our diet over a long period.
→ Fats: These are the storehouse of energy in our body.
→ Food Components: The major nutrients in our food.
→ Food Miles: The entire distance traveled by food item from producer to the consumer.
→ Iodised Salt: Salt that contains small amounts of iodine.
→ Millets: Jowar, bajra, ragi, and Sanwa are called millets.
→ Minerals: Essential for proper growth of the body and to maintain good health.
→ Nutrients: The fundamental components of food, that provides nourishment to the body.
→ Proteins: These are body-building food that helps in repairing and maintaining the body tissues.
→ Rickets: Disease caused by the deficiency of vitamin D.
→ Roughage: These are dietary fiber that forms bulk and help in the removal of undigested food.
→ Scurvy: Disease caused by the deficiency of vitamin C.
→ Vitamins: These are essential nutrients that protect our body against diseases.