Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body — Class 6 Science
Curiosity · Chapter 3
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5- Mathematics
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- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
Chapter summary
Key ideas & terms
- Nutrients
- Components of food that provide energy, support growth, repair the body, and protect it from disease; the major ones are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
- Carbohydrates and fats
- Energy-giving foods; carbohydrates come from cereals, potatoes, and fruits, while fats come from nuts, seeds, oils, and ghee, and store energy.
- Proteins
- Body-building nutrients needed for the growth and repair of the body, obtained from pulses, beans, milk, eggs, fish, and meat.
- Protective nutrients
- Vitamins and minerals, required in small amounts, that protect the body from diseases and keep it healthy.
- Roughage (dietary fibre)
- A component of food, mainly from plant products, that provides no nutrients but helps get rid of undigested food and ensures smooth passage of stools.
- Balanced diet
- A diet that contains all the essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amounts for proper growth and development of the body.
Extra questions & answers
What are nutrients?
Nutrients are components of food that provide energy, support growth, help repair the body, and protect it from disease; the major nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Which nutrients are called energy-giving foods?
Carbohydrates and fats are called energy-giving foods because they provide energy for performing various activities.
Why are proteins called body-building foods?
Because protein-rich foods help in the growth and repair of the body, which is why sportspersons and growing children need them in larger amounts.
What are protective nutrients and why are they important?
Vitamins and minerals are protective nutrients; though needed in small amounts, they protect the body from diseases and keep it healthy.
Which disease is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C, and how is it cured?
Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C and can be cured by eating citrus fruits like lemons and oranges that are rich in Vitamin C.
Which disease is caused by iodine deficiency, and how was it reduced in India?
Goitre, a swelling at the front of the neck, is caused by iodine deficiency; it was reduced by supplementing common salt with iodine to make iodised salt.
How can you test a food item for the presence of starch?
Put a few drops of diluted iodine solution on the food; a blue-black colour indicates the presence of starch.
How can you test a food item for fat and for protein?
A food containing fat leaves an oily patch on paper; for protein, adding copper sulfate and caustic soda solutions turns the sample violet.
What is a balanced diet?
A balanced diet is one that has all the essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amounts for the proper growth and development of the body.
Why are millets called nutri-cereals?
Millets such as jowar, bajra, ragi, and sanwa are called nutri-cereals because they are rich in vitamins, minerals like iron and calcium, and dietary fibre, and can grow in many climates.
Let us enhance our learning
1. Pick the odd one out and give reasons: (i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana
Chana is the odd one out. Jowar, Bajra and Ragi are millets, also called nutri-cereals, which are cereal grains rich in carbohydrates and also contain vitamins, minerals and fibre. Chana (chickpea) is not a millet or cereal; it is a pulse/legume which is mainly a source of protein.
1. Pick the odd one out and give reasons: (ii) Kidney beans, Green gram, Soya bean, Rice
Rice is the odd one out. Kidney beans (rajma), Green gram (moong) and Soya bean are pulses/legumes which are plant sources of protein and are called body-building foods. Rice is a cereal grain which is mainly a source of carbohydrates, an energy-giving food, not a pulse.
2. Discuss traditional versus modern culinary practices in India.
Traditional culinary practices used tools like chulha (earthen or wood-fired stove) for cooking and sil-batta (stone grinder) for grinding, with manual labour, more time and locally grown seasonal ingredients. Modern practices use gas stoves, electric grinders, mixers, pressure cookers and microwaves which are faster, require less effort and use electricity or LPG. The change has happened due to technological development, availability of electricity, improved transport and communication, and changing lifestyles. Traditional foods were often cooked slowly and freshly at home, while modern practices include more packaged and processed foods.
3. A teacher says that good food may act as medicine. Ravi is curious about this statement and has some questions for his teacher. List at least two questions that he can ask.
Two questions Ravi can ask are: 1) How can the nutrients in good food prevent or cure deficiency diseases like scurvy or anaemia, similar to how medicines work? 2) Which specific foods should we eat regularly to keep our eyes, bones and blood healthy so that we do not need medicines?
4. Not all delicious foods are necessarily healthy, while not all nutritious foods are always enjoyable. Share your thoughts along with a few examples.
This is true. Foods that taste very delicious are often high in sugar, salt or fat but low in protective nutrients. For example, potato wafers, burgers, noodles, candy and soft drinks are tasty but are junk foods that can cause obesity and poor health if eaten often. On the other hand, many highly nutritious foods like green leafy vegetables, bitter gourd, ragi, milk and sprouted pulses may not be liked by everyone but they provide vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre and energy needed for growth and protection from diseases. We should learn to enjoy healthy foods and eat tasty junk foods only occasionally.
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 his diet to get rid of these problems? Explain your answer.
Medu's diet is made mainly of refined flour (maida) products like biscuits, noodles and white bread. These foods are low in dietary fibre (roughage) and also low in vitamins and minerals. Lack of roughage causes constipation and difficulty in passing stool, leading to stomach ache. He should add foods rich in roughage and fibre such as green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains like wheat and millets, pulses and nuts, and drink sufficient water. Roughage helps to remove undigested food and ensures smooth movement of stool. He should also reduce junk foods and include a balanced diet.
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?
Reshma is suffering from night blindness, which is the early stage of loss of vision. In this condition a person cannot see clearly in dim light or darkness. If not treated it can lead to complete loss of vision.
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. (ii) Which food component may be lacking in her diet?
The food component lacking in her diet is Vitamin A. Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and its deficiency causes night blindness.
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. (iii) Suggest some food items that she should include in her diet to overcome this problem (any four).
She should include Vitamin A rich foods such as papaya, carrot, mango, milk, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and yellow-orange fruits and vegetables. Any four like carrot, papaya, mango and milk will help overcome the deficiency along with the supplement advised by the doctor.
7. You are provided the following: (i) Canned fruit juice (ii) Fresh fruit juice (iii) Fresh fruit Which one would you prefer and why?
Fresh fruit is the best choice, followed by fresh fruit juice, while canned fruit juice is the least preferred. Fresh fruit contains all nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and most importantly dietary fibre which helps digestion, and it has no added sugar or preservatives. Fresh fruit juice retains vitamins but loses most of the fibre. Canned fruit juice often contains added sugars, preservatives and has lost some vitamins during processing and storage, and is low in fibre. So for health, freshly washed whole fruit is preferred.
8. Gourav 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 Fig. 3.5 and answer the following questions: (i) Why did the doctor give calcium tablets to Gourav?
Calcium is essential for keeping bones and teeth healthy and strong. When a bone fractures, the body needs extra calcium to rebuild and repair the bone tissue and to make the new bone strong. So the doctor gave calcium tablets to help the fractured leg heal faster and properly.
8. Gourav 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 Fig. 3.5 and answer the following questions: (ii) On the second visit, why did the doctor give Vitamin D syrup along with calcium tablets?
Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium for bone and teeth health. Without enough Vitamin D, the calcium eaten in food or tablets cannot be properly absorbed and used to make strong bones. Giving Vitamin D along with calcium ensures that the calcium is utilised well for healing the fracture and preventing soft and bent bones (rickets).
8. Gourav 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 Fig. 3.5 and answer the following questions: (iii) What question arises in your mind about the choices made by the doctor in giving the medicines?
A question that arises is: If Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, why did the doctor not give Vitamin D together with calcium on the first visit itself? Or, could Gourav have obtained Vitamin D naturally from exposure to sunlight, milk, eggs and fish instead of syrup? Another thoughtful question is: Does Gourav's normal diet lack calcium and Vitamin D, and should he continue these foods after recovery to keep bones strong?
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?
Not all carbohydrates give a blue-black colour with iodine. The iodine test is specific for starch, which is only one type of carbohydrate. Sugar is also a carbohydrate but it is a simple carbohydrate (like glucose and sucrose), not starch. Only starch forms the blue-black complex with iodine, so sugar does not show the colour change.
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.
Raman's statement is correct. Starch is one kind of carbohydrate, but there are other carbohydrates like sugar, glucose and cellulose which are not starch. To test this, we can take different food items: for example, boiled potato or rice (which contain starch) and sugar solution and glucose (which are non-starch carbohydrates). Put a small sample of each on separate dishes, add 2-3 drops of diluted iodine solution and observe colour. The potato and rice will turn blue-black showing starch is present, while sugar will not change colour, proving that although both are carbohydrates, only the starch type reacts with iodine.
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?
The colour change to blue-black shows the presence of starch. The teacher's saree was likely made of cotton and had been starched during washing, so the starch on the cotton reacted with iodine. Mishti's socks were probably made of synthetic fibre like nylon or polyester which does not contain starch, so there was no reaction and no colour change. It shows that cotton clothes often have starch while many synthetic clothes do not.
12. Why are millets considered a healthy choice of food? Can eating just millets suffice for the nutritional requirements of the body? Discuss.
Millets like jowar, bajra, ragi and sanwa are called nutri-cereals because they are good sources of carbohydrates for energy, plus they also provide proteins, vitamins, minerals like iron and calcium, and dietary fibre. They can be grown easily in different climates and soils with less water, and are therefore good for health and the environment. However, eating only millets is not enough for a balanced diet. The body also needs other nutrients such as fats from oils and nuts, proteins from pulses and milk, protective vitamins from fruits and vegetables, and roughage and water. A balanced diet must include a variety of foods, not just one type.
13. You are given a sample of a solution. How would you check the possibility of it being an iodine solution?
To check if the unknown solution is iodine, we can use the starch test. Take a food item known to contain starch, such as a slice of raw potato, boiled rice or a piece of bread which gives a positive test. Add 2-3 drops of the given solution onto it. If the food turns blue-black, the solution is likely iodine solution, because iodine reacts with starch to give that colour. If there is no colour change, it is probably not iodine. As a control, we can also test the solution on a non-starchy item like sugar to confirm.
Learning further
Help your mother in unpacking the packets of various food items after shopping for grocery next time. Read the nutritional information of at least three fortified food items and analyse those.
This is a practical observation task. Choose three packets that say fortified, for example iodised salt, fortified wheat flour and fortified milk. Note per 100 g the energy, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals added. You will see that iodised salt has iodine added to prevent goitre, fortified flour may have iron and vitamins added, and fortified milk may have Vitamin A and D added. Compare which one adds which nutrient and understand that fortification improves nutritional quality to prevent deficiencies.
The Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh produces a salt called tapyo to fulfil their dietary requirements. Collect more information from the internet about their salt making process and the need to make their own salt. Collect pictures and paste them on a chart paper. Also, write a paragraph about the process of making this salt and its usefulness.
The Apatani tribe lives in a remote hilly area far from the sea, so common salt was not easily available. They make tapyo by filtering water through ash obtained by burning specific salty plants and then evaporating the filtered water to get salt. Tapyo provides necessary iodine and salt for taste and health. For the chart, collect pictures of the plants, ash filtration and salt cakes, and write that tapyo is a traditional, locally made alternative to sea salt that helps prevent goitre and fulfils iodine needs where iodised salt supply is limited.
Vegetables or fruits that grow naturally in the forest or nearby fields without being cultivated by farmers are considered wild varieties. Traditionally, many tribal groups in India depend on these wild varieties, which form a part of their food. Read about ranbhajis from Maharashtra and edible mushrooms from Himachal Pradesh. Are you aware of any such wild varieties of food from your region? Discuss in class.
Ranbhajis are wild leafy vegetables collected from forests in Maharashtra during monsoon, and wild edible mushrooms grow naturally in Himachal Pradesh forests after rains; both are nutritious and part of tribal diets. In my region, examples of wild foods are wild berries, amla, tendu leaves, bamboo shoots and uncultivated greens like bathua or chaulai that grow in fields. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, are freely available in season and show how local biodiversity supports nutrition. Discuss with classmates to list more local wild foods.
List junk foods you eat frequently. Ask your friends also to make such lists. On the basis of these lists, write a letter to your principal requesting to ban certain junk foods inside the school campus. Suggest some healthy options.
Sample letter: Respected Principal, we students often eat potato wafers, soft drinks, chocolates, instant noodles and burgers during recess. These junk foods are high in sugar and fat but low in proteins, vitamins and fibre, and cause obesity and poor concentration. We request you to limit such foods in the canteen and ban carbonated drinks and fried wafers inside campus. Instead please offer roasted chana, fruits, sprouts, milk, idli, poha and millet cookies which are tasty and nutritious. Thank you. This promotes Health is Ultimate Wealth.
Find out the variation in nutritional requirements of different individuals based on age, physical activity and health conditions. Record your observations. Discuss and analyse.
Observations: A growing child and an adolescent need more proteins and calcium for growth, an adult doing heavy physical work needs more carbohydrates and fats for energy, an elderly person needs less energy but more fibre and calcium, a pregnant woman needs more iron and vitamins, and a sportsperson needs extra proteins. Thus nutritional needs vary with age, gender, activity level and health status. A balanced diet must be adjusted accordingly, not the same for everyone.
Prepare a diet chart to provide a balanced diet to a twelve-year-old child. The diet chart should include food items that are not expensive and are commonly available in your area.
Sample balanced diet chart for a 12-year-old: Breakfast - millet upma or poha with peanuts, milk and a fruit like banana; Mid-morning - roasted chana or seasonal fruit; Lunch - rice or chapati, dal, mixed vegetables, curd and salad; Evening snack - boiled eggs or sprouts and lemonade; Dinner - chapati, vegetable curry, dal and a small bowl of rice. Include plenty of water and locally available foods like ragi, bajra, seasonal vegetables and fruits to provide carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water at low cost.