Class 6 Science Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body easy notes, concepts, NCERT book solutions, food components, balanced diet, millet, food miles and important questions.
Class 6 Science Chapter 3
Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body
Easy Notes, Concepts, Activities and Book Solutions
Chapter at a Glance
This chapter explains what we eat, why our food is different in different regions, the main components of food, nutrients, balanced diet, deficiency diseases, millets and food miles.
- Food gives us energy and helps us grow.
- Different regions have different traditional foods.
- Carbohydrates and fats are energy-giving foods.
- Proteins help in growth and repair of the body.
- Vitamins and minerals protect our body.
- Roughage and water are also important.
- A balanced diet contains all essential nutrients in suitable amounts.
- Millets are nutritious cereals.
- Food miles tell us about the distance food travels from producer to consumer.
3.1 What Do We Eat?
Food is an essential part of our daily life. We eat different kinds of food every day. Our food choices may change from one meal to another and may also differ from those of our friends.
List the food items you have consumed over the week and record them in a table.
3.1.1 Food in Different Regions
Traditional food varies from one state to another. The crops grown locally have an important relationship with the traditional food of that region.
| State | Locally Grown Crops | Traditional Food | Beverages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab | Maize, wheat, chickpea, pulses | Makki di roti, sarson da saag, chhole bhature, parantha, halwa, kheer | Lassi, chhach, milk, tea |
| Karnataka | Rice, ragi, urad, coconut | Idli, dosa, sambhar, coconut chutney, ragi mudde, palya, rasam, rice | Buttermilk, coffee, tea |
| Manipur | Rice, bamboo, soya bean | Rice, eromba, utti, singju, kangsoi | Black tea |
3.1.2 How Have Cooking Practices Changed Over Time?
Cooking practices have changed with time. Earlier, people commonly used a chulha for cooking and a sil-batta for grinding. Today, gas stoves and electrical grinders are commonly used.
Traditional chulha cooking – Wikimedia Commons
- Technological development
- Improved transportation
- Better communication
- Convenience and saving time
3.2 What Are the Components of Food?
Food contains different components that perform different functions in our body. The important nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy.
Examples: wheat, rice, maize, potato, sweet potato, banana, pineapple and mango.
Fats
Fats are another source of energy. They also act as stored energy in our body.
Sources: groundnuts, walnuts, coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, butter, curd and oils.
Proteins
Proteins are important for growth and repair of our body.
Plant sources: pulses, beans, peas, nuts and soya bean.
Animal sources: milk, paneer, eggs, fish and meat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are protective nutrients. They help our body remain healthy and protect us from various diseases and disorders.
| Food Component | Main Function | Some Sources | Deficiency Disease/Disorder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Keeps eyes and skin healthy | Papaya, carrot, mango, milk | Loss of vision |
| Vitamin B1 | Supports heart and body functions | Legumes, nuts, whole grains, seeds, milk products | Beriberi |
| Vitamin C | Helps body fight diseases | Amla, guava, green chilli, orange, lemon | Scurvy |
| Vitamin D | Helps the body absorb calcium | Sunlight, milk, butter, fish, eggs | Rickets |
| Calcium | Keeps bones and teeth healthy | Milk, curd, cheese, paneer | Bone and tooth decay |
| Iodine | Helps physical and mental activities | Seaweed, singhada, iodised salt | Goitre |
| Iron | Important component of blood | Green leafy vegetables, beetroot, pomegranate | Anaemia |
Dietary Fibre and Water
Dietary fibre or roughage does not provide nutrients, but it helps the body get rid of undigested food and supports smooth passage of stools.
Good sources include green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, pulses and nuts.
Water helps the body absorb nutrients and remove waste through sweat and urine.
3.3 How to Test Different Components of Food?
Test for Starch
Iodine solution is used to test for starch.
Test for Fats
Food is pressed on a piece of paper.
Test for Proteins
Food is mixed with water and tested using copper sulfate and caustic soda solutions. This activity should be demonstrated under the guidance of a teacher.
3.4 Balanced Diet
The nutritional requirements of people may vary according to age, gender, physical activity, health condition and lifestyle.
Junk Food
Foods containing high amounts of sugar and fats but low amounts of proteins, minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre are generally called junk foods.
Examples include potato wafers, candy bars and carbonated drinks.
3.5 Millets: Nutrition-rich Cereals
Jowar, bajra, ragi and sanwa are examples of millets. They are nutritious grains and have been part of the Indian diet for centuries.
Indian millets – Wikimedia Commons
Millets provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals including iron and calcium, and dietary fibre. They can contribute to a balanced diet.
Millets can be cultivated in different climatic conditions and include crops such as jowar, bajra, ragi and sanwa.
Ragi millet – Wikimedia Commons
3.6 Food Miles: From Farm to Our Plate
Food goes through several stages before reaching our plate.
- Farmer grows the crop.
- Grains are harvested.
- Threshing and winnowing are carried out.
- Grains are stored.
- Grains may be ground and packed.
- Food is transported to shops.
- Consumers buy and eat the food.
Reducing food miles can help reduce transportation costs and pollution, support local farmers and help keep food fresh.
Chapter Summary
- People across India eat different types of food.
- Food choices may depend on crops, culture, traditions and taste.
- Carbohydrates and fats are energy-giving nutrients.
- Proteins help in growth and repair of the body.
- Vitamins and minerals protect our body.
- Roughage and water are also important.
- A balanced diet contains all essential nutrients in the right quantities.
- Deficiency of nutrients can cause diseases and disorders.
- Millets are nutritious cereals.
- Junk food should not be consumed frequently.
- Food miles refer to the distance food travels from producer to consumer.
- We should avoid wasting food.
Book Solutions
Page 57(i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana
(ii) Kidney beans, Green gram, Soya bean, Rice
(i) Chana is the odd one out because jowar, bajra and ragi are millets, while chana is a pulse.
(ii) Rice is the odd one out because kidney beans, green gram and soya bean are pulses, while rice is a cereal.
Traditional cooking often used tools such as a chulha and sil-batta. Modern cooking commonly uses gas stoves, electrical grinders and other appliances. Modern methods are usually faster and more convenient, while traditional methods are connected with older practices and local culture.
1. Which foods can help prevent deficiency diseases?
2. How can a balanced diet help us stay healthy?
3. Which foods are rich in vitamins and minerals?
Some foods may taste delicious but contain too much sugar or fat. For example, candy and potato wafers may taste good but should not be eaten frequently. Some healthy foods, such as green vegetables or certain millets, may not be liked by everyone. We should try to choose healthy foods and develop healthy eating habits.
Medu should include more vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, pulses and nuts in his diet. He should also drink enough water. These foods provide dietary fibre, which helps in the smooth passage of stools and may help reduce constipation.
(i) Which deficiency disease is she suffering from?
(ii) Which food component may be lacking in her diet?
(iii) Suggest some food items that she should include in her diet to overcome this problem (any four).
(i) She may be suffering from night blindness.
(ii) Her diet may be lacking in Vitamin A.
(iii) She can include carrot, papaya, mango and milk in her diet.
(i) Canned fruit juice
(ii) Fresh fruit juice
(iii) Fresh fruit
Which one would you prefer and why?
I would prefer fresh fruit. It provides nutrients and dietary fibre and does not usually contain the added sugar or processing associated with many packaged drinks.
(i) Why did the doctor give calcium tablets to Gourav?
(ii) On the second visit, why did the doctor give Vitamin D syrup along with calcium tablets?
(iii) What question arises in your mind about the choices made by the doctor in giving the medicines?
(i) Calcium helps keep bones healthy and supports bone formation and repair.
(ii) Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Therefore, it was given along with calcium.
(iii) A possible question is: Why does the body need Vitamin D to use calcium properly?
Iodine turns blue-black in the presence of starch, not all carbohydrates. Sugar is a carbohydrate but it is not starch, so it does not turn blue-black.
Raman’s statement is correct. Starch is one type of carbohydrate, but carbohydrates also include sugars.
Activity: Take starch, sugar and another carbohydrate-containing food. Add a few drops of iodine solution. Starch should turn blue-black, while sugar should not. This shows that not all carbohydrates are starches.
The saree may contain starch, while the socks may not contain starch. Iodine turns blue-black when it comes in contact with starch.
Millets are healthy because they provide vitamins, minerals such as iron and calcium, and dietary fibre. However, eating only millets is not enough. Our body needs different nutrients, so we should eat a varied and balanced diet containing cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk or suitable alternatives and other nutritious foods.
Take a small amount of starch-containing food, such as potato or cooked rice. Add a few drops of the given solution. If it turns blue-black, the solution may be iodine solution. The test should be carried out carefully under appropriate supervision.
Learning Further – Easy Guidance
Read the nutrition labels of at least three fortified food products. Note the amounts of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Compare the products.
Find information about the traditional salt-making process of the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Prepare a short paragraph and add suitable pictures to your project.
Find out about naturally growing edible foods in your region. Discuss examples such as wild vegetables, fruits or mushrooms and learn how local communities use them.
Make a list of junk foods commonly eaten by you and your friends. Suggest healthier alternatives.
Write a polite letter requesting healthy food options in the school campus and suggesting that frequently consumed junk foods be reduced.
Compare the nutritional requirements of people of different ages and activity levels. Record your observations.
Prepare a simple, affordable balanced diet chart for a twelve-year-old child using foods commonly available in your area.
Important Keywords
Carbohydrate · Culinary Practices · Deficiency Diseases · Scurvy · Fats · Food Components · Rickets · Food Miles · Minerals · Nutrients · Millets · Proteins · Roughage · Vitamins · Iodised Salt · Balanced Diet
Quick Revision
| Food Component | Main Role |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | Provide energy |
| Fats | Provide and store energy |
| Proteins | Growth and repair |
| Vitamins | Protect the body and support body functions |
| Minerals | Help maintain healthy body functions, bones, blood and more |
| Roughage | Helps in proper removal of undigested food |
| Water | Helps absorb nutrients and remove waste |
Looking for a practice worksheet?Try this easy and useful worksheet for chapter 3 to practise what you have learned. It includes important questions and activities to help you check your understanding, strengthen your concepts and prepare better for exams
Download Class 6 Science Chapter 3 WorksheetClass 6 Science Chapter 3, Mindful Eating A Path to a Healthy Body, Class 6 Science notes, NCERT Class 6 Science, Curiosity Chapter 3, food components, balanced diet, nutrients, millet, food miles, Class 6 Science solutions, NCERT solutions