Components of Food, NCERT NOTES, Class 6

Components of Food

What Do Different Food Items Contain?

Carbohydrates are present mostly as starch.
They provide us energy and are thus energy giving food.
Wheat, Potato, Rice etc. are good sources of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates present in any food item are tested by Iodine test.
Few drops of dilute iodine solution are added to the sample food item.
If the colour changes from brown to blue-black, the presence of starch is confirmed.

Proteins are the bodybuilding nutrients.
They are needed to build every single part and organ of the body.
They help in growth and repair of our body.
Eggs, Meat, Lentils etc are good sources of proteins.
Proteins in the sample food are tested by copper sulfate and caustic soda solutions.
Sample food item is made into very dilute paste and above solutions are added to it.
If the colour of the resulting solution changes to purple, presence of protein is confirmed.

Fats are high energy nutrients.
They are needed in a moderate amount by the body.
Fats are the reserved food material of our body.
Oils, ghee, butter etc are the sources of fat.
Fats in the food are tested by a simple paper test.
A little amount of sample food is wrapped in a paper and crushed.
If the paper gets an oily patch, the presence of fat in the food is confirmed.

A balanced diet is a diet that has all the necessary nutrients in the amount that is needed for normal body functioning.
A Balanced Diet for Healthy Body

Deficiency diseases are caused by the lack of certain nutrients.
These diseases can be treated by a properly balanced diet.
If the body is deficient in vitamin we get vitamin deficiency diseases.
E.g. scurvy, pellagra, Rickets etc.
If minerals are deficient, then we get mineral deficiency diseases.
E.g. iron deficiency leads to anaemia, phosphorus deficiency leads to weak bones and teeth.

\begin{matrix} M i n e r a l / Vitamin & D e f i c i e n c y d i s e a s e & S y m p t o m s V i t a m i n A & N i g h t b l i n d n e s s & P o o r v i s i o n, l o s s o f v i s i o n i n d a r k n e s s, c o m p l e t e l o s s o f v i s i o n V i t a m i n B 1 & B e r i b e r i & W e a k m u s c l e s l i t t l e e n e r g y t o w o r k V i t a m i n C & S c u r v e y & B l e e d i n g g u m s, w o u n d s t a k e t i m e t o h e a l V i t a m i n D & R i c k e t s & B o n e s b e c o m e s o f t a n d b e n t V i t a m i n E & p a l e S k i n, r a p i d a g i n g V i t a m i n K & H a e m o r r h a g e & t a k e s l o n g t i m e f o r b l o o d c l o t t i n g C a l c i u m & R i c k e t s i n c h i l d r e n & w e a k b o n e s, t w i s t e d l i m b s, a n d P h o s p h o r u s & a n d o s t e o m a l a c i a i n a d u l t s & u n f o r m e d t e e t h I r o n & A n a e m i a & l o w e r l e v e l o f h e m o g l o b i n, f a t i g u e, d i z z i n e s s, r a p i d h e a r t b e a t I o d i n e & G o i t e r & E n l a r g e d t h y r o i d g l a n d s, m e t a l d i s a b i l i t y i n c h i l d r e n \end{matrix}

Vitamins are the essential nutrients that help us in maintaining normal body functions and also fight off infections.
Fruits and vegetables are the major sources of vitamins.
Vitamins also keep our eyes, bones, teeth, gums and skin healthy.
A, B complex, C, D, E and K are the vitamins we get from different foods.

\begin{matrix} V i t a m i n & F u n c t i o n & S o u r c e A & K e e p s e y e s a n d s k i n h e a l t h y & C a r r o t, P a p a y a, M a n g o, A v a o c a d o, R e d P u m p k i n e t c B c o m p l e x & H e l p s t h e b o d y u s e e n e r g y & G r e e n l e a f y v e g e t a b l e s, m e a t, f i s h, f r o m t h e f o o d w e e a t & g r o u n d n u t s e t c C & H e l p s h e a l w o u n d s, m a i n t a i n s & L e m o n, o r a n g e a m l a, g u a v a h e a l t h y g u m s a n d b l o o d v e s s e l s, f i g h t s i n f e c t i o n s & s t r a w b e r r i e s, e t c D & K e e p s b o n e s a n d t e e t h h e a l t h y & D a i r y p r o d u c t s, f i s h, e g g s, s u n l i g h t E & M a i n t a i n s h e a l t h y s k i n a n d h a i r & N u t s, S e e d s, g r e e n s l o w s d o w n a g e i n g, p o w e r f u l a n t i o x i d a n t & l e a f y v e g e t a b l e s a v a c a d o s e t c K & I m p o r t a n t f a c t o r i n b l o o d & D a r k g r e e n l e a f y v e g e t a b l e s, c l o t t i n g, b o n e h e a l i n g a n d b o d y r e p a i r & c a b b a g e, l i v e r, c a u l i f l o w e r e t c \end{matrix}

Minerals are important substances that help your body's form and function on many different levels.
Minerals are essential for various metabolic functions including growth and organ functioning.
Important minerals required for our body are sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc,iron, phosphorus, magnesium etc