IMPORTANT TERMS

Balanced Diet          A diet that contains different components of food in right proportion.

Deficiency disease   Diseases that are caused due to lack of nutrients in the body.     

Nutrients                 Substances needed by our body for proper growth

Obesity                   Condition due to excess of fat in the body

Constipation            Condition due to lack of insoluble roughage

Dehydration            Excess loss of water from the body.

PEM                       Protein and Energy Malnutrition. Disease caused due to deficiency of protein along with carbohydrates e.g Marasmus

 

COMPONENTS OF FOOD

The food that we eat consists of various components or nutrients. There are six main components present in food: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres.

 

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates mainly give energy to the body. There are two types of carbohydrates:

• Sugar:    Sugar is also called simple carbohydrate. E.g. Fruits, honey etc.
• Starch     Starch is also known as complex carbohydrate. E.g. Rice, wheat, potato etc.

FATS

Fats also provide energy to the body. They are of two types:

• Saturated  Fats       They are normally solid at room temperature. E.g. Butter.
• Unsaturated Fats   They are mostly liquid at room temperature. E.g. Vegetable oil.

PROTEINS

Proteins are also known as body building foods. Proteins are needed for growth and repair of the body. They help in repairing the damaged cells and building of the muscles.

Proteins come from both animal and plant sources. Pulses, soya-bean and grams are some plant sources of proteins. Egg, milk and meat are some animal sources of protein.

VITAMINS

Vitamins are important for the proper functioning of the body. They help in keeping our eyes, bones, teeth and gums healthy and protect our body against diseases. There are 13 vitamins and each one has a specific function. They are of two types:

Fat-soluble vitamins -   They are stored in the fat tissues of human body and are used only when the body needs them. Vitamin A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins -    These are not stored in the body and need to be supplied through food items. Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and folic acid (together known as vitamin B complex) and vitamin C are water soluble vitamins.

MINERALS

Minerals are also very important for our body. Minerals perform several important functions such as maintaining a normal heartbeat, formation of red blood cells. They are of two types:

• Macro minerals - They are needed by the body in a very large amount. E.g. calcium, magnesium, Sodium, potassium etc.

• Trace minerals - They are needed by the body in very small amounts. Iron, Zinc, copper and iodine are examples of trace minerals.

DIETARY FIBRES or ROUGHAGE

Dietary fibres or roughage do not provide any nutrients, but they are essential for our health. They are of two types:

• Soluble – They are soluble in water. They help in blood circulation. E.g. Apple, peach, rice etc.

• Insoluble – These are not soluble in water. Lack of insoluble roughage in the diet causes the stool to become hard and difficult to pass. This condition is known as constipation. E.g. Carrot, Cabbage, Cauliflower etc.

WATER

Most of our body weight consists of water. Water is very important for our body. Fruits, vegetables and juices are sources of water. It performs many important functions in our body.

• Water helps in removing the wastes from the body.
• Water helps in transporting the nutrients in the body.
• Water helps in regulating the body temperature.

DEFICIENCY DISEASES

Component of food	Function	Deficiency diseases	Symptoms
Vitamin A	Keeps eyes, hair and skin healthy	Night Blindness	Improper vision
Vitamin B	Helps in digestion	Beriberi	Inflammation of nerves
Vitamin C	Keeps gums, joints healthy	Scurvy	Loosening of teeth
Vitamin D	Helps in growth of bones	Rickets	Weak bones
Vitamin K	Helps in blood clotting	Haemorrhage	Affects clotting of blood
Protein	Strengthens the muscles	Kwashiorkor	Large pot-like belly
Calcium	Strengthens bones and teeth	Osteoporosis	Weak teeth and bones
Iron	Helps in formation of haemoglobin and red blood cells	Anaemia	Pale body colour
Iodine	Required for proper working of the thyroid gland	Goitre	Enlargement of the thyroid gland

 

INTERESTING FACTS

• Our skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun but use of sunscreen blocks its generation into the skin.

• The nutritional requirement for every person is different; what works for one person may not work for the other.

• Vitamin C gets easily destroyed during cooking so it is better to eat raw food items rich in vitamin C.

• Deficiency diseases cannot be transmitted from one person to another.