Components of Food

Key Concepts:

1. What Do Different Food Items Contain?

Food items are made up of different components known as nutrients.
The main nutrients in our food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and
minerals.
Water and dietary fibers (roughage) are also important components of food.
2. Nutrients and Their Functions:
Carbohydrates: Provide energy. Examples include rice, wheat, bread, and potatoes.
Proteins: Essential for growth and repair of the body. Examples include milk, eggs,
fish, pulses, and meat.
Fats: Provide energy and help in absorbing vitamins. Examples include butter, oil,
nuts, and cheese.
Vitamins:Help in protecting against diseases and are essential for various body
functions. Different vitamins have different functions:
Vitamin A: Good for eyesight (carrots, spinach).
Vitamin C: Helps in healing wounds (citrus fruits like oranges, lemons).
Vitamin D: Helps in bone health (sunlight, fish oil).
Vitamin E: Protects cells (nuts, seeds).
Vitamin K: Helps in blood clotting (leafy greens).
Minerals: Important for various body functions such as bone formation, blood
formation, and maintaining fluid balance. Examples include calcium, iron, and
potassium.
Water: Essential for various bodily functions, including digestion, absorption, and
excretion.
Dietary Fibers: Help in digestion and prevent constipation. Examples include whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables.
3. Balanced Diet:
A balanced diet contains the right amounts of all the nutrients, along with adequate
water and roughage.
Eating a variety of foods ensures that we get all the essential nutrients.
4. Deficiency Diseases:
Lack of certain nutrients in the diet can lead to deficiency diseases.
Vitamin A deficiency: Causes night blindness.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency: Causes beriberi.
Vitamin C deficiency: Causes scurvy.
Vitamin D deficiency: Causes rickets.
Calcium deficiency: Causes weak bones and teeth.
Iron deficiency: Causes anemia.
Iodine deficiency: Causes goiter.
5. Testing for Nutrients:
 Test for Starch: Use iodine solution. If the food contains starch, it will turn blue-
black.
Test for Proteins: Use copper sulfate and caustic soda solution. If the food contains
protein, it will turn violet.
Test for Fats: Rub the food on a piece of paper. If it leaves an oily stain, the food
contains fat.

Important Points to Remember:

Different food items contain different nutrients that are essential for the proper
functioning of our body.
A balanced diet is necessary to maintain good health and prevent deficiency diseases.
Water and dietary fibers are crucial for digestion and overall health.
Regular consumption of a variety of foods ensures that we get all the necessary
nutrients.

Summary:

This chapter emphasizes the importance of various nutrients in our diet and their role in
maintaining good health. It explains the concept of a balanced diet and highlights the
diseases caused by the deficiency of specific nutrients. The chapter also includes simple
tests to identify the presence of nutrients in food items.

Activities to Reinforce Learning:

1. Create a Balanced Diet Chart:

Make a chart showing a balanced diet for a day, including all the essential nutrients.
2. Food Diary:
Maintain a food diary for a week, listing all the foods you eat and identifying the
nutrients they provide.
3. Testing Nutrients:
Perform simple tests at home or in the school lab to check for the presence of starch,
proteins, and fats in different food items.
4. Deficiency Disease Research:
Research and create a presentation or poster on different deficiency diseases, their
symptoms, and prevention.

These notes should help in understanding Chapter 2 of Class 6 Science

comprehensively.