Class 6 Science Chapter 3 Notes: Mindful Eating and Components of Food

Introduction: The Secret to a Healthy Life 🍎

Hello, future scientists and health experts! Have you ever walked past your school noticeboard and had a particular thought for the day catch your eye? That’s exactly what happened to two students, Medu and Mishti. They saw a Sanskrit saying: ‘annena jātāni jivanti’. They were curious, so they found out what it meant. It's a simple but powerful idea: ‘food gives life to living beings.’ Isn't that amazing? The chapati, dal, rice, and vegetables we eat every day are literally what give us life!

This brings us to another wise saying that asks a very important question: "Who is healthy?" The answer is just as profound: "One who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, and appropriate for the season, time, and place." This is the main idea we're going to explore together. It’s not just about eating, but about eating mindfully and choosing the right kinds of food to keep our bodies strong and full of energy.

So, get ready! In this chapter, we're going on an exciting journey to understand the food on our plates. We’ll look at the incredible variety of food across India, uncover the secret ingredients called 'nutrients' that power our bodies, and learn how to build the perfect balanced diet to stay healthy and active. Let’s begin our adventure into the science of food!

What's Inside This Chapter? 📝

Here’s a quick look at all the exciting topics we'll cover to help you ace your exams:

• The amazing variety of food across India.
• How our cooking methods have changed over time.
• The essential components of food: Nutrients!
• Energy-Givers: Carbohydrates and Fats.
• Body-Builders: Proteins.
• Our Body's Protectors: Vitamins and Minerals.
• The importance of dietary fibre (roughage) and water.
• Simple science experiments to test for nutrients in food.
• What makes a 'Balanced Diet' and why to avoid junk food.

1. What Do We Eat? A Culinary Tour of India 🗺️

1.1 Food in Different Regions

If you travel across India, one of the first things you'll notice is the incredible variety of food. From the sarson da saag in Punjab to the dosa in Karnataka, every state has its own unique and delicious dishes. There is a vast diversity in the food eaten across the different states of our country.

But why is the food so different everywhere? The main reason is that the traditional food of any region is usually based on the crops that grow locally. What grows in a place depends on its soil and climate. Of course, our choices are also influenced by our unique tastes, culture, and traditions.

Here are a few examples to show this connection:

State	Locally Grown Crops	Traditional Food Items
Punjab	Maize, wheat, chickpea, pulses	Makki di roti, sarson da saag, chhole bhature, parantha, halwa, kheer
Karnataka	Rice, ragi, urad, coconut	Idli, dosa, sambhar, coconut chutney, ragi mudde, palya, rasam, rice
Manipur	Rice, bamboo, soya bean	Rice, eromba (chutney), utti (yellow peas and green onion curry), singju, kangsoi

1.2 How Cooking Practices Have Changed Over Time

Just as food varies from place to place, the way we cook it has also changed a lot over the years. These cooking methods, also called culinary practices, have seen a big shift from traditional to modern ways.

For example, many of our grandparents might remember cooking on a chulha (a traditional stove using wood or coal). Today, most of us use a modern gas stove. Similarly, for grinding spices or grains, the traditional tool was a sil-batta (a stone grinder), which required a lot of manual effort. Now, we have powerful electrical grinders that do the job in seconds!

These changes have happened for a few key reasons:

• Technological development: New inventions like gas stoves and grinders have made cooking faster and easier.
• Improved transportation: It's easier now to get different kinds of foods and equipment from all over the country.
• Better communication: We can easily learn about new recipes and cooking methods from different cultures.

2. What are the Components of Food? 🔬

Medu and Mishti recently visited a ‘Traditional Food Festival’ organised in their school. The theme of the festival was ‘Eat Healthy, Live Healthy’, and there were stalls with all kinds of amazing dishes. There, they met Dr. Poshita, a nutritional expert, who explained to all the students that "Health is the Ultimate Wealth." To be healthy, we need to understand what's inside our food. The special substances in food that our body needs are called nutrients.

So, what are nutrients? Food components that provide energy, support growth, help repair and protect our body from diseases, and maintain various bodily functions are called nutrients.

The major nutrients our body needs are:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats
• Vitamins
• Minerals

2.1 Carbohydrates and Fats: The Energy-Givers 🔥

Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are a primary source of energy for our body. Think about a marathon runner who drinks glucose water during a race. Glucose is a simple carbohydrate that gives them instant energy to keep going.

• Sources: Wheat, rice, maize, potato, sweet potato, banana, pineapple, and mango.

Fats Fats are another important energy source, but they work more like a backup battery, providing stored energy. They are also essential for keeping us warm. That's why in winter, we often eat traditional laddoos made with ghee and nuts—they are rich in fats that provide energy to keep us warm.

• Plant Sources: Nuts (like groundnuts, walnuts), seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower), and oils from plants (like coconut oil, mustard oil, soya bean oil).
• Animal Sources: Ghee, butter, milk, fish, and eggs.

Because both carbohydrates and fats provide our bodies with energy, they are called energy-giving foods.

2.2 Proteins: The Body-Builders 💪

Proteins are vital for the growth and repair of our body. From building muscles to healing a cut, proteins are always at work. Because of this crucial role, they are known as body-building foods.

Proteins are especially important for growing children (like you!) and for sportspersons who need to build strong muscles.

• Plant Sources: Pulses (like dal), beans, peas, and nuts.
• Animal Sources: Milk, paneer (cottage cheese), egg, fish, and meat.

2.3 Vitamins and Minerals: The Protective Nutrients 🛡️

Now, let's talk about the microscopic bodyguards in our food. We don't need a lot of them, but without them, our body's defenses can weaken. These are our vitamins and minerals. They are called protective nutrients because they protect our body from diseases and keep us healthy. When our body doesn't get enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, it can lead to a deficiency disease.

Let's look at two real-life examples:

• Case 1 (Scurvy): During a long sea voyage in 1746, a Scottish physician named James Lind observed that many sailors suffered from bleeding gums. He discovered that giving them lemons and oranges cured the problem! This disease, called scurvy, is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C, which is found in citrus fruits.
• Case 2 (Goitre): In the past, many people living in the Himalayan region developed a swelling in their neck, a condition called goitre. Scientists found this was because the local soil and water lacked iodine, an important mineral. The government introduced iodised salt, and the problem was greatly reduced.

Here is a helpful chart detailing some key vitamins and minerals:

Nutrient (Vitamin/Mineral)	Function	Some Sources	Deficiency Disease	Symptoms
Vitamin A	Keeps eyes and skin healthy	Papaya, carrot, mango, milk	Loss of vision	Poor vision, loss of vision in darkness (night blindness), sometimes complete loss of vision
Vitamin B1	Keeps heart healthy and supports body functions	Legumes, nuts, whole grains, milk products	Beriberi	Swelling, tingling/burning in feet and hands, trouble breathing
Vitamin C	Helps body to fight diseases	Amla, guava, green chilli, orange, lemon	Scurvy	Bleeding gums, slow healing of wounds
Vitamin D	Helps body absorb calcium for bones and teeth	Exposure to sunlight, milk, butter, fish, eggs	Rickets	Soft and bent bones
Calcium	Keeps bones and teeth healthy	Milk/soya milk, curd, cheese, paneer	Bone and tooth decay	Weak bones, tooth decay
Iodine	Helps to perform physical and mental activities	Seaweed, water chestnut (singhada), iodised salt	Goitre	Swelling at the front of the neck
Iron	Important component of blood	Green leafy vegetables, beetroot, pomegranate	Anaemia	Weakness, shortness of breath

It's also important to know that some nutrients can be lost during cooking. For instance, Vitamin C gets destroyed easily by high heat. Washing vegetables after you've cut or peeled them can also wash away some vitamins. That's why it's a great idea to include some raw fruits and vegetables (after washing them thoroughly!) in your diet.

2.4 Dietary Fibres and Water: The Essential Helpers💧

Dietary Fibres Dietary fibres, also known as roughage, are a special component of our food. They don't provide any nutrients, but they are still essential for our health. Their main job is to help our body get rid of undigested food and ensure the smooth passage of stools, preventing constipation.

• Sources: Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, wholegrains, pulses, and nuts.

Water Water is an essential part of our diet. It helps our body in two major ways:

1. It helps the body absorb nutrients from the food we eat.
2. It helps remove waste from our body in the form of sweat and urine.

3. How to Test for Nutrients in Food 🧪

Did you know you can be a food detective right in your science lab? We can use simple tests to check for the presence of starch (a type of carbohydrate), fats, and proteins in different food items.

Precautions:

• The chemicals used in these tests are harmful and should be handled with care.
• If any chemical spills on you, wash the area immediately with water.
• Do not taste or smell any of the chemicals.

3.1 Test for Starch

1. Take a small quantity of the food item (like a slice of potato or a piece of bread).
2. Add 2-3 drops of diluted iodine solution to it.
3. Observe the color.

Result: A blue-black color indicates that the food contains starch.

3.2 Test for Fats

1. Place the food item (like a crushed peanut) on a piece of paper and wrap it.
2. Press the food item gently, being careful not to tear the paper.
3. Unwrap and observe the paper.

Result: An oily patch on the paper, which becomes translucent (lets light pass through faintly) when held against a light source, shows the food contains fat.

3.3 Test for Proteins

1. Make a paste or powder of the food item and put a small amount in a test tube.
2. Add two drops of copper sulphate solution.
3. Add 10 drops of caustic soda solution.
4. Shake the test tube well and let it stand for a few minutes.

Result: A violet color indicates that the food contains proteins.

Key Insight: Did you know a single food item can contain more than one nutrient? For example, peanuts contain both protein and fat!

4. Balanced Diet: The Key to Good Health 🥗

So, what should we eat to stay healthy? The answer is a balanced diet.

The definition is simple: "A diet that has all essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amount for proper growth and development of the body is known as a balanced diet."

It's important to remember that everyone's nutritional needs are different. They can vary based on your age, gender, and how much physical activity you do.

What About Junk Food? Junk foods are foods that are high in calories from sugar and fat, but have very low amounts of essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Examples include potato wafers, candy bars, and carbonated drinks. Eating junk food frequently can cause health problems like obesity. For instance, a packet of potato wafers is very high in fat, while a packet of roasted chana is high in protein and dietary fibre, making it a much healthier choice.

✨ Did You Know? / Fun Facts ✨

• 💡 Polar Bear Power: Polar bears store a lot of fat under their skin. This fat acts as an energy source during their long winter sleep (hibernation), allowing them to survive for months without eating!
• 💡 Mighty Mushrooms: Edible mushrooms are a very good source of protein.
• 💡 The Salt Farmers: The Agariyas, a tribal community, are traditional salt farmers who practice salt farming in the Little Rann of Kutch and other parts of Gujarat.
• 💡 India's Nutrition Pioneer: Scientist Coluthur Gopalan did groundbreaking research on the nutritional value of Indian foods. His work helped identify common deficiencies and led to the creation of the Mid Day Meal Programme (now PM POSHAN) in schools to provide children with a balanced meal.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are nutrients? Name the five major types. Nutrients are components in food that provide energy, support growth, and protect our body from diseases. The five major nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

2. Why are carbohydrates and fats called 'energy-giving foods'? They are called 'energy-giving foods' because they are the primary sources of energy that our body uses to perform various activities.

3. What is the function of proteins in our body? Why are they called 'body-building foods'? The function of proteins is to help in the growth and repair of our body. They are called 'body-building foods' because they are essential for building muscles and repairing damaged tissues.

4. What is a balanced diet? Why is it important? A balanced diet is a diet that contains all the essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amounts. It is important for the proper growth and development of the body and to stay healthy and disease-free.

5. What are deficiency diseases? Give two examples from the chapter. Deficiency diseases are illnesses caused by the lack of certain nutrients in our diet over a long period. Two examples are Scurvy (caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C) and Goitre (caused by a deficiency of iodine).

6. What is roughage and why does our body need it? Roughage, also known as dietary fibre, is a component of plant-based foods. Our body needs it to help get rid of undigested food and ensure the smooth passage of stools.

Conclusion & Exam Tips 🏆

We've learned so much about the food we eat! The most important lesson is that eating a balanced diet with all the necessary components is the secret to good health. And as we were reminded, good health is essential for leading a happy life. Never forget Dr. Poshita's powerful statement: ‘Health is the Ultimate Wealth.’

To help you prepare for your exams, here are a few key tips:

• Focus on the five major nutrients and be able to name their primary function (e.g., carbohydrates are energy-giving, proteins are body-building, vitamins are protective).
• Memorize at least two food sources for each nutrient type (e.g., rice and potato for carbohydrates; milk and pulses for protein).
• Learn the names of the deficiency diseases mentioned (Scurvy, Goitre, Beriberi, Rickets, and Anaemia) and which vitamin or mineral deficiency causes them.
• Understand the simple food tests for starch, protein, and fat, including the final color or result that confirms their presence.

Keep eating healthy, stay curious, and you'll do great!