FOOD & ITS COMPONENTS

Food: It is the group of edible substances which provide energy to the living
beings and repair the old tissues and build the new tissues.

Nutrition: The process of consuming nutrients required for the growth and

development of our body and to obtain energy is known as nutrition.

Our food contains three main substances called nutrients. These are fats, proteins
and carbohydrates. In addition, our body requires water, salts (minerals), vitamins
and fibres.

Diet: It is the amount of food eaten by a person at a time.

Malnutrition: If a person does not get adequate food, or if his/her diet does not
contain all the nutrients, he or she becomes weak. When the body does not get
adequate nutrition, it is said to be suffering from malnutrition.

Various food components are grouped in three classes:

 Energy giving food: Carbohydrates and fats.

 Bodybuilding food: Proteins.
 Protective food: Vitamins and minerals.

Carbohydrates

 Grains such as rice, wheat, sorghum, peas, beans, sago (sabudana), sugarcane,
sugar beet, many fruits like banana, mango and melons and vegetables are
good sources of carbohydrates.
  Cellulose, starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose are the important
carbohydrates found in our food.
 Starch turns iodine solution to dark blue or black.

Fats

 Fats are obtained either from plants or from animals. Groundnut oil, soybean
oil and mustard oil are examples of fats derived from plants. Fats like butter
and ghee are obtained from animals.

 Fats act as fuel in our body but they provide more energy than carbohydrates.
(in) Our body has some advantages of fat deposits in small quantity. It helps
body organs to grow and protects them from injury and prevents loss of heat
from the body surface.
 Too much fat deposition is harmful for the body. This leads to the condition
called obesity.
 Fatty substances leave greasy and transparent spot on paper.

Proteins

 Milk, fish, meat, cheese and eggs are the main sources of animal proteins.
Vegetable proteins can be obtained from legumes including pulses and beans.
 Proteins are required for growth and repairing of our body. They help in
building new tissues. They also account for tough, fibrous nature of hair and
nails and for the structure of muscles. They are a part of our blood and help in
proper functioning of our body.
 Large amount of protein is needed for building new tissues in short period,
such as during infancy, pregnancy or when mother is nourishing a child.
Vitamins: Vitamins are required by our body in very small quantities. Vitamins
help in keeping our eyes, bones, teeth and gums healthy. The food items rich in
vitamins are called protective food as they protect our body from diseases and keep
us healthy.

Minerals: Minerals are needed by our body in small amounts. Each one is

essential for proper growth of body and to maintain good health. Some sources of
minerals are shown in fig.

Water

 Our body requires a large quantity (5-7 litre) of water daily.

 Water helps our body to perform many functions like digestion, throwing out
dissolved waste as urine and impure blood.
 Water also keeps our body cool through sweating.
 Water helps in blood circulation.

Roughage

 Whole grains, flour and cereals, potatoes, fresh food, raw and cooked
vegetables provide roughage to our food.
 It helps in proper digestion of food and prevents constipation.

Food items that are deep fried and roasted usually lose their nutritive value. Energy
requirement: Requirement of energy or intake of food depends on profession, age,
sex and special needs like pregnancy, infancy, lactation, etc. Deficiency diseases:
Diseases that occur due to the lack of nutrients are called deficiency diseases.

Some Diseases or Disorders Caused by deficiency of Vitamins and Minerals

Name of vitamins and Deficiency disease or
Main symptoms
minerals disorder

Poor or loss of vision in darkness (night),

Vitamin A Night blindness
sometimes complete loss of vision

Vitamin B1 Beriberi Weak muscles, and very little energy to work

Vitamin C Scurvy Bleeding gums

Vitamin D Rickets Bones become soft and bent

Calcium Hypocalcemia Weak bones, tooth decay

Glands in the neck appear swollen, mental

Iodine Goitre
disability in children

Iron Anaemia Weakness

Balanced diet: A diet containing all the nutrients and other components in proper
proportions is called a balanced diet.
Deficiency diseases Diseases that are caused due to the lack of nutrients in the diet
are called deficiency diseases.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibres are the main
components of food.

Carbohydrates and fats provide energy to the body.

Proteins are needed for muscle-building and for repairing worn-out tissues.

Vitamins and minerals are needed for the normal functioning of our body.

A balanced diet should include food items from four basic food groups.

Deficiency of carbohydrates causes lack of energy and stamina.

Deficiency of proteins causes kwashiorkor whereas combined deficiency of

proteins and carbohydrates causes marasmus.

Deficiency of vitamins can cause night blindness, beriberi, anaemia, scurvy, and
rickets.

Deficiency of water can cause dehydration.

Deficiency of minerals can cause osteoporosis, rickets, anaemia, and goitre.