2

Components of Food
Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge to be gained: •Various nutrients present in different food items •Balanced diet
•Undernutrition and Malnutrition
Skills to be developed: •Identi cation of food ingredients and their nutritional value • Selection of
food items for a balanced diet
Attitude to be inculcated: • Consumption of a balanced diet • Relating processes and phenomena
with cause, for example, de ciency diseases with diet

All living organisms require energy.
Energy is needed by the living organisms to
do work and for the growth and
development of their bodies. Food provides
our bodies the energy to grow, repairs our
damaged body parts and keeps us t and
healthy. e food we eat contains different
components.
NUTRIENTS
e components of food that provide
nourishment essential for the growth and
maintenance of our body are called
nutrients.
20 Exploring Science-6
Our diet consists of different nutrients that
can be classi ed as carbohydrates, fats,
proteins, vitamins , water and mineral
salts. e study of food and diet is known
as nutrition.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
Types of Food
Food can be classi ed into three groups or
types, namely, body-building food, energy-
giving food and protective food. Our daily
diet should consist of food items from all
three groups to keep us healthy.
 Energy-giving Body-building Protective obtained mainly from plant sources. ey
food food food are present in fruits, cereals (like wheat, rice,
Oils, Fats, Vitamins and etc.), starchy vegetables (like potatoes),
Proteins
Carbohydrates Minerals sugar, jaggery and honey.
ere are many types of carbohydrates like—
1. Sugars: Glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.
2. Cellulose
3. Starch
Let us study about them.
1. Sugar: Sugar are the carbohydrates that
have a sweet taste and are soluble in
Fig.1 Daily requirements of food w a t e r. R e n e d s u g a r i s a p u r e
A balanced diet has seven components. carbohydrate and lacks proteins,
ey are: vitamins and minerals. e main sources
of sugar is our food are glucose, milk,
(1) Carbohydrates (2) Fats
apples, grapes, mangoes, sugarcane, etc.
(3) Proteins (4) Vitamins
Glucose is the simplest carbohydrate and
(5) Minerals (6) Water
can be broken down very quickly by the
(7) Roughage (Fibre)
body to release energy. at is why, it is
ese are the ve basic nutrients along with given to patients and sportspersons who
water and roughage. require a quick support of energy.
All the components of food are required by 2. Cellulose: Cellulose does not have any
the body to maintain the various life avour or taste. It is derived from plants.
processes in living organisms. Let us learn Cellulose forms the main structure of
about these components in detail. plants.
CARBOHYDRATES 3. Starch: Starch is soluble in water and does
e bulk of what we eat consists of not have any avour or taste. Major sources
carbohydrates. of starch are rice, wheat, potatoes, etc.
Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen Digestion of Carbohydrates
and oxygen. As the process of digestion starts, sugar and
Carbohydrates are the main and the cheapest starch get converted into glucose. Glucose is
source of energy for our bodies. erefore, a soluble substance. Hence, it is absorbed by
carbohydrates are called energy-giving blood and transported to each part of the
food. Carbohydrates in our food are body.
Components of Food 21
E x c e s s i nt a k e o f s u g a r a n d s t a r c h
(carbohydrate) can result in a disease called
diabetes. Diabetes is a severe disease. If the
diabetic level increases in a person's body, it
can lead to death.
How to Test the Presence of Starch?
Knowledge Booster
On average, an adult needs about 10-15 grams of
sugar per day. Glucose directly enters the
bloodstream and produces energy through
respira on.

Activity-1
Aim: To test the presence of carbohydrates in food.
Materials required: Raw potato, iodine solution and a
dropper.
Procedure: Take a piece of raw potato and put a few
drops of dilute iodine solution on its cut surface using a
dropper.
Observation: When we add some dilute iodine
solution, the potato turns blue-black.
Conclusion: is shows that the potato contains starch
because starch gives a blue-black colour with iodine. Fig.2 Test for starch in a potato

PROTEINS How to Test the Presence of Protein?

Proteins are body-building nutrients. Our
body is made up of billions of cells. Most cells
do not live for too long. ey die and are
replaced by new cells. Proteins supply our
body with the materials to make these new
cells. We need protein for the growth and
repair of our bodies. We also need them to
ght against diseases. Proteins help to carry
out all the processes within our bodies. ey
can be obtained from both plant as well as
animal sources. Proteins are compounds of
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Some sources of proteins are pulses,
soybean, egg and meat.
Activity-2
Aim: To detect the presence of proteins in
food.
Materials required: Test tubes, dropper, spot
plate, CuSO₄ solution, NaOH solution, and
food samples such as egg white and boiled
pulses.
Procedure:
1. First, take about 2ml of boiled pulses or egg
white and crush it with very little water to
make a food-stuff solution to carry out the
test.
2. Take the food-stuff solution in a test tube
and add 2ml each of NaOH solution and

22 Exploring Science-6
 CuSO₄ solution Let the test tube stand for a few minutes.
3. Observe the colour change in the test tube.
4. Note your observations in your activity le.

Dropper

Sodium hydroxide Copper

solution sulphate
solution

Test tube

Egg white or boiled pulses

Violet
Egg white mixed with sodium colour
or boiled pulses hydroxide solution

Fig.3 Test for protein in crushed egg or boiled pulses

Observations: e colour of the solution turns violet.
Conclusion: Protein is present in the food sample. Protein turns copper sulphate solution violet.
Note:
Ÿ Make the solution of CuSO₄ by dissolving 1 g of CuSO4 in 100 ml water.
Ÿ Make the solution of NaOH by dissolving 10 g of NaOH in 100 ml water.
Ÿ is test is usually not conducted using insoluble proteins, such as chicken. In such a case, a
small amount of food sample can be heated with dilute hydrochloric acid for 10 minutes and
then the solution can be used to test the presence of protein.

FATS body. ey provide energy, particularly

Like carbohydrates, fats also provide energy
to our body. Fats give us more energy than
carbohydrates. Foods rich in fats are also
called energy-giving foods. Fats are obtained
from plants and animals. Ghee, oil, milk,
butter, meat, egg, etc., are some common
foods containing fats. Nuts and some seeds
also contain fats.
u Fats give avour and taste to our food.
u Fats are stored mainly under the skin in the
Components of Food
when the body runs short of carbohydrates.
u Many animals, like polar bears, camels,
whales, etc., store fats in their bodies for
future use.
u e deposits of fat in our bodies help to
cushion our delicate body organs and
protect them from injury.
u Fats in our body also help to prevent heat
loss from the body surface. However, too
much fat deposited in our body leads to
obesity.
23
Fats/oils are further divided into two
p ar ts: Saturate d and uns aturate d.
Saturated fats are usually derived from
animals. Unsaturated fats are usually
derived from plants.
How to Test the Presence of Fat?
Fig.4 Sources of Fats

Activity-3

Aim: To test the presence of fat in a food sample.

Almonds
Procedure: Take some crushed pieces of the food sample (like
peanut seeds or almonds), and rub them on a white piece of
paper.
If the white paper turns into translucent oily paper, the food White paper with
material contains fat (or oil). patches of oil
Remember to use only solid food items.
Fig.5 Testing the presence of fat

Knowledge Booster
An adult needs about 35g of fat per day. Excess use of fat-rich food makes a person obese.

Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in our body. _________
2. Proteins are body-building food. _________
3. Fats give us less energy than carbohydrates. _________
4. Glucose is called the instant source of energy. _________

VITAMINS Vitamins help in protecting our bodies

Vitamins are protective nutrients. ey do against diseases. Vitamins are needed in
not provide energy to the body. But, they are very small quantities.
essential for the growth and maintenance ere are two classes of vitamins. ey are as
of our bodies. Vitamins play a vital role in follows:
many chemical reactions taking place in our u Water-soluble vitamins: Vitamins B and
body. So, they are essential for the growth C are water-soluble vitamins. ey are
and normal functioning of our body. absorbed in the bloodstream, and the
24 Exploring Science-6
 excess amount is thrown out of the body.
ese vitamins are not stored in the
body. Hence, they need to be supplied
regularly through food.
u Fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E
and K are fat-soluble vitamins. ese are
stored in the body fat and used only
when the body needs them.
Fat-soluble vitamins
Vitamins Function
Functions
u Vitamins help to protect our body against
various diseases. ey also help us to
keep our eyes, bones, teeth and gums
healthy.
u ey control many metabolic reactions.
e names of different vitamins, their
functions and sources are given in the
following tables.
Food Source

Keeps skin healthy, maintains Cod liver oil, egg yolk, milk and dairy products,
Vitamin A
normal night vision. mangoes, carrots, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables.

Aids in the normal growth of Fish, eggs, cod liver oil and milk; sunlight also helps our
Vitamin D
bones in children. body to make vitamin D.

Whole grain cereals, cotton seed oil, milk, meat

Aids in normal reproduction,
Vitamin E and egg yolk, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes,
keeps the skin healthy.
sprouts and wheat germ oil.
Spinach, cabbage and other green leafy vegetables
Vitamin K Helps in blood clotting.
and egg yolk.
Water-soluble vitamins
Vitamins Function Food Source

Helps in digestion, and Eggs, meat, milk, sprouts, green vegetables, wheat and
Vitamin B1
maintenance of nervous system. whole grains.

Keeps skin and buccal cavity

Vitamin B2 Eggs, milk, green vegetables, peas, cherries and raising.
healthy.

Essential for the normal

Vitamin B6 Yeast, whole grains, sh, meat and legumes.
functioning of the brain.

Formation and maturation of

Vitamin B9 Green leafy vegetables, fruits, yeast, liver and kidney.
blood cells.

Vitamin B12 Helps in the formation of RBCs. Meat, eggs, sh and milk.

Citrus fruits like lemon, orange, lime, tomatoes, guava,

Vitamin C Provides resistance to infection.
amla, sprouts, soybean oil, etc.

Components of Food 25
 calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine,
Knowledge Booster potassium, magnesium, sulphur, iron,
Ÿ The term ‘Vitamin’ was iodine, copper, etc. Each one is essential for
given by a Polish scien st
Casimir Funk. building organs and good health. Minerals
Ÿ Your body can synthesise are needed for building bones, teeth
vitamins D and K on formation, formation of blood, coagulation
exposure to sunlight.
of blood, functioning of muscles, nerves and
glands, etc.
MINERALS
Some important minerals, such as copper,
Salts of certain metals and non-metals are
zinc, magnesium, are needed by our bodies
needed by our body for its normal
in very small amounts.
functioning, which are collectively called
Some important minerals, their sources in our
minerals.
food, and their functions are given below.
Our body requires many minerals, such as
Minerals

Minerals Function Food Source

Milk products, beans, whole grains

For strong bones and teeth. Also, it helps
Calcium and cereals, sh, meat, ragi and green
in blood clotting.
leafy vegetables.

For the formation of haemoglobin, Groundnut, jaggery, eggs, kidney,

Iron which carries oxygen from lungs to the liver, millet, spinach and green
body cells. vegetables.

For the formation of protein, called

thyroxine, which controls the physical,
Iodine Seafood, iodized salt and sh.
mental and sexual development of our
body.

For proper functioning of the nervous

Fluorine Water
system; prevents tooth decay.

Helps in the formation of bones and Fish, meat, ragi, nuts and green
Phosphorus
teeth. vegetables.

26 Exploring Science-6
WATER
Water is an important part of our body. e
human body contains about 70% of water by
weight. It is required for all processes taking
place in the body. A normal adult requires 2-
3 litres of water per day. Apart from drinking
water, we consume water in the form of
drinks, such as tea, coffee, juice, and milk.
We also get water
from fruits and
vegetables.
Water is an
important
constituent
of blood and
other body uids.
Functions
u Water helps in transporting nutrients to
all parts of our body, through blood.
u It also collects the wastes from all parts of
our body and excretes them through
urine.
u It helps the body to get rid of waste food
in the form of faeces.
u Our body is cooled by the evaporation of
sweat from the skin.
What happens if water is de cient in the
body? Two-thirds of our body is made up of
water. When water is de cient in our bodies, it
gets dehydrated. is means the amount of
water in the body drops below the level
needed for its normal functioning. is is a
serious condition and requires immediate
medical attention.
Components of Food
ROUGHAGE (DIETARY FIBRES)
e brous indigestible material present
in food is termed as roughage.
Roughage is mainly made of an
indigestible carbohydrate, called cellulose,
which is present in plant cell walls. Like
water, roughage also does not provide any
nutrients to our bodies. ough roughage
has no food value, its presence is essential in
our food.
Roughage adds bulk to the food, keeps the
food and waste matter (faeces) moving along
the intestines, and helps to prevent
constipation.
Functions of Roughage (Dietary bre)
u Roughage helps in maintaining water
balance in the body.
u It prevents gas, dehydration and
constipation, and ensures proper bowel
movement.
Major sources of roughage in our food are:
u Vegetables and fruits
u Salad
u Corn cob
u Flour products (like bread and roti )
BALANCED DIET
e food that we consume during the whole
day is called our diet. A diet consists of many
food items. Dal, chapati, rice, curd, vegetables,
fruits and milk constitute our diet. We need
all the nutrients, water and dietary bre to
keep our body active and healthy.
27
A diet which contains all the nutrients, in
the right proportion, is called a balanced
diet. It varies from person to person,
depending upon the gender, age group and
living style.
Fig.6 Balanced diet
A balanced diet also contains sufficient
amount of water and roughage.
Almost all the food items contain two or
more nutrients, but no single food item
contains all the nutrients in adequate
amount. erefore, we should include a
combination of different food items in our
daily meals.
A balanced diet provides us with:
(i) e proper amount of energy required
by our body.
(ii) Materials to repair the damaged cells or
tissues of the body.
(iii) Materials for growth and development
of the body.
u A balanced diet for a normal and healthy
person should roughly contain—60%
carbohydrates, 15% fats, 25% proteins
and small amounts of vitamins and
minerals.
28 Exploring Science-6
u A growing child, a pregnant woman and a
nursing mother need more protein.
u A labourer and a sportsperson needs
m o r e e n e r g y.  e y n e e d m o r e
carbohydrates and fats.
u A sick person requires more vitamins and
minerals to ght against diseases. Hence,
he needs more fruits and vegetables.
Knowledge Booster
• Milk is a complete food as it contains all the
nutrients needed by our body, except vitamin C.
• Pulses are rich in proteins and carbohydrates.
Cereals also contain both these nutrients. They
make bulk of our diet. Sprouts are rich in
proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins.
IMPORTANCE OF COOKING
Just eating the right kind of food is not
enough. It should also be cooked properly so
that its nutrients are not completely lost as
well as, it becomes edible and tasty. Most of
the raw food materials are not t for eating as
such. e raw food materials are washed,
peeled, cut and cooked to make them edible.
Various nutrients present in food materials
are, however, lost during the washing and
cooking process.
e various practices which lead to the loss
of nutrients are:
1. Repeated washing of food grains, like rice
and pulses.
2. Taking off thick peels from fruits and
vegetables.
3. Unnecessary washing of vegetables and
fruits aer they have been peeled and cut.
It removes the water-soluble vitamins and
minerals from them.
Bene ts of Cooking Food
Cooking improves the taste of food and also
makes it easier to digest it properly. Several
germs and microorganisms are also killed
during cooking.
UNDERNUTRITION AND
MALNUTRITION
Undernutrition
You have learnt that in order to stay healthy,
we should always have a balanced diet. If a
person takes less than the required amount
of food (even if it is balanced), he/she will
become weak and fall ill. Such an unhealthy
state of the body, due to the intake of a
l e s s e r qu a n t i t y o f fo o d , i s c a l l e d
undernutrition.
Undernutrition may be caused due to the
following reasons:
u Due to the absence of food: Sometimes,
due to some reasons, sufficient food
might not be available. For example:
During natural calamiti e s, such as
drought, ood, tsunami, etc., food may
not be available.
u Due to poverty: Poor people quite oen
do not get the required amount of food.
So, they suffer from undernutrition.
Malnutrition
Many people do not take balanced diets in
their daily lives. When the diet lacks one or
more nutrients, it leads to malnutrition.
Components of Food
A condition in which people become weak
and sick, due to the lack of one or more
nutr i ent s i n t h ei r d i e t , i s ter m e d
malnutrition.
e de ciency of proteins, carbohydrates and
fats is known as Protein Energy Malnutrition
(PEM).
e growth of a child is affected very badly by
malnutrition and undernutrition.
Malnutrition may result due to a lack of
education, poverty, carelessness and natural
calamities ( ood, drought, tsunami, etc.).
In any case, undernutrition and malnutrition
hamper body growth and lead to physical,
mental or metabolic disabilities in people of
all age groups. If you take a balanced diet
regularly, the chances of undernutrition and
malnutrition are very rare.
DEFICIENCY DISEASES
Many people in the world do not get
enough food. As a result, their bodies do
not get enough nutrition. Also, sometimes
people do not eat a balanced diet. As a result,
their bodies do not get nutrients in the
required quantity. Lack of different
nutrients in the body leads to many
dis e as es. Su ch dis e as es are c a l l e d
de ciency diseases.
De ciency disease is de ned as a disease
caused by the lack of a particular nutrient
in the diet.
29
 Undernutrition Malnutrition

Not having enough food to eat leads to Not having the right balance of nutrients in
undernutrition. the diet leads to malnutrition.

De ciency of
Diseases Symptoms Photos
Nutrients

Dizziness, loss of
Carbohydrate De ciency of carbohydrates leads to
appetite,
(Energy) weakness and lack of stamina.
dehydration

Kwashiorkor Stomach becomes swollen, legs become

Protein
(in small children) thin and the skin shows ugly patches. Fig.7 Kwashiorkor

Protein & e child becomes so thin that loose folds of

Marasmus
Carbohydrate skin can be seen over their body.

e person is unable to see properly in dim

Vitamin A Night blindness
light.

Fig.8 Kwashiorkor and Marasmus

Muscles become too weak and the person
Vitamin B1 Beriberi
has very little energy to do work.

Vitamin C Scurvy Loose teeth and bleeding gums.

Fig.9 Scurvy

Vitamin D Bow legs, pigeon chest and bending of

Rickets
and Calcium spine.

yroid gland in the neck region becomes Fig.10. Rickets

Iodine Goitre
swollen.

Low haemoglobin in blood; person looks

Iron Anaemic pale, gets tired quickly and suffers from loss
of appetite.
Fig.11 Goitre

30 Exploring Science-6
Keywords
Nutrients : Different substances that are supplied by food.
Nutrition : The study of food and diet.
Vitamins : Nutrients needed for the body to function normally.
Balanced diet : A diet that contains the nutrients in proper amount.
Under nutrition : The state of body when it gets less than the required food.
Malnutrition : When a diet lacks one or more nutrients.
De ciency diseases : Diseases that are caused by the lack of nutrients.

Points to Remember
u e chemical substances present in food that provide nourishment for the growth of the body
are called nutrients.
u Food can be classi ed into three groups or types, namely: Energy-giving food, body-
building food, and protective food.
u Carbohydrates are the main and the cheapest source of energy in our body.
u Proteins are called body-building food.
u We need proteins for the growth and repair of our body.
u Fats give us more energy than carbohydrates.
u Vitamins and minerals are protective nutrients.
u Roughage constitutes plant bres which are also known as dietary bres. ey are necessary
for the proper functioning of the digestive system.
u A diet which contains all the nutrients in the right proportion is called a balanced diet.
u Undernutrition and malnutrition can be caused due to lack of food or the consumption
of an unbalanced diet.
u A de ciency of vitamins and minerals in the diet leads to de ciency diseases.

Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. e study of food and diet is known as ____________.
(a) energy (b) nutrition
(c) diet (d) ingredient

Components of Food 31
 2. Iodine can be used to test the presence of which nutrient?
(a) Carbohydrates (b) Fats
(c) Proteins (d) Vitamins
3. Cod, liver-oil, egg yolk, milk, carrots, and green leafy-vegetables are the sources of
____________.
(a) vitamin A (b) vitamin B
(c) vitamin C (d) vitamin D
4. Scurvy is caused due to the lack of ____________.
(a) vitamin A (b) vitamin B
(c) vitamin C (d) vitamin D

B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words

1. ____________ and ____________ are called energy-giving nutrients.
2. Proteins are required for the ____________ and ____________ of our body.
3. Carbohydrates are formed in plants during ____________.
4. ____________ are the nutrients required by our body in very small quantities.
5. Human body contains about ____________ % of water by weight.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What are the three groups of food?
2. Give three examples of body-building food.
3. Which vitamin do we get from cauli ower, cabbage, tomatoes, egg yolk, soybean oil, etc?
4. Name the solution used to test the presence of starch in food.
5. A balanced diet is the same for all genders and age group. True or False?
6. Which disease is caused by the de ciency of iodine in the diet?
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What do you mean by nutrients? Name the major nutrients in our food.
2. Name the three types of carbohydrates. Give a source of each.
3. How is carbohydrate digested in our body?
4. Why do we need proteins?
5. What are vitamins essential for?
6. What is the function of roughage in our diet? What are the major sources of roughage in our
diet?
32 Exploring Science-6
 7. How does the balanced diet of an active sportsman differ from the balanced diet of a
growing child?
8. What does a balanced diet provide?
9. Mention a few cooking practices that lead to loss of nutrition.
10. Differentiate between undernutrition and malnutrition.
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. Write a short note on the three types of carbohydrates.
2. Why are fats important in our diet?
3. Explain the importance of the following vitamins and minerals for the body. Also, mention
two sources for each.
(a) Vitamin B1 (b) Vitamin K (c) Iron (d) Calcium
4. State the functions of water in our body. What will happen if water is de cient in our bodies?
5. Name the disease caused by the de ciency of the following nutrients along with their
symptoms.
(a) Protein (b) Vitamin A (c) Vitamin D and Calcium (d) Iodine

HOTS
Munmun loves to eat fried food and sweets every day. He watches a lot of TV and does not go
out to play with his friends. What do you have to say about his lifestyle? What problems may be
caused due to his eating habits? Can you suggest any idea so that he can improve his habits?

Activity Zone
A. Classify the following food items in the table given below:
rice egg bread sh meat oil ghee potato
butter carrot pulses milk gram fruits soybean jaggery

Food rich in carbohydrates Food rich in proteins Food rich in vitamins

Components of Food 33
Project Work
B. Gather at least ten packed food items in your Nutrition Facts
8 servings per container
kitchen/store. Check the nutrition label printed Serving size 2/3 cup (55g)
on each of them. Prepare a table and enlist the Amount per Serving

nutrients in each item. Calories 230

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 12g
Includes 10g Added Sugars 20%
Protein 3g
Vitamin D 2mcg 10%
Calcium 260mg 20%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 235mg 46%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrients in
a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories
a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Memory Map
Roughage Water

Nutrients COMPONENTS OF FOOD Other essential

components

Carbohydrates Fats Proteins Vitamins Minerals

Energy-giving nutrients Body-building

Protective nutrients
nutrients

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more
resources on this Chapter:
https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-1-science/b-1-exploring-science-6/c-2/components-of-food.html

34 Exploring Science-6