We eat different types of vegetables, fruits, cereals and pulses. We all eat food to obtain energy for our daily activities. There are different components of food and each of these components is required by our body to perform different cellular activities.
Food
Food is a basic requirement for all living organisms. It provides energy for carrying out normal physiological activities. There are different components and they have different nutrients. They all come together to provide wholesome nourishment to us.
For Example:
- Dal, eggs, meat etc contain proteins.
- Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins.
- Cereals, pulses, and oats contain predominantly carbohydrates.
- Oil, ghee, butter, cheese, pork, chocolates, lard and cream contains fat.
Components of Food (Tabular Representation)
Food Sources
Vitamins
- Vitamins are the essential nutrients that help us in maintaining normal body functions and also to fight off infections.
- Fruits and vegetables are the major sources of vitamins.
- Vitamins also keep our eyes, bones, teeth, gums and skin healthy.
- A, B complex, C, D, E and K are the vitamins we get from different foods.
| Vitamin | Functions of Vitamin |
| Vitamin-A | Keeps eyes and skin healthy |
| Vitamin-B1 | Helps the body use energy from the food we eat |
| Vitamin-C | Help heal wounds, maintains healthy gums and blood vessels, fights infections |
| Vitamin-D | Keeps teeth and bones healthy |
| Vitamin E | Maintains healthy skin and hair, slows down ageing, a powerful antioxidant |
| Vitamin-K | An important factor in blood clotting, bone healing and body repair |
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are present mostly as starch. They provide us with energy and are thus energy-giving food.
Wheat, Potato, Rice etc. are good sources of carbohydrates.
Iodine Test for Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates present in all food items are tested by the Iodine test. A few drops of dilute iodine solution are added to the sample food item. If the colour changes from brown to blue-black, the presence of starch is confirmed.
Proteins
Proteins are bodybuilding nutrients. They are needed to build every single part and organ of the body. They help in the growth and repair of our body.
Eggs, Meat, Lentils etc are good sources of proteins.
Test for Proteins
Proteins in the food sample are tested by copper sulfate and caustic soda solutions. The sample food item is made into very dilute paste and the above solutions are added to it. If the colour of the resulting solution changes to purple, the presence of protein is confirmed.
Fats
Fats are high-energy nutrients. They are needed in a moderate amount by the body. Fats are the reserved food material of our body.
Oils, ghee, butter etc are the sources of fat.
Test for Fats
Fats in the food are tested by a simple paper test. A little amount of sample food is wrapped in a paper and crushed. If the paper gets an oily patch, the presence of fat in the food is confirmed.
Fibres
- Fibres are materials that add bulk to the food.
- Humans cannot use fibres as a nutrient.
- But they help in the easy movement of the food along with the digestive system.
Minerals
- Minerals are important substances that help your body form and function on many different levels.
- Minerals are essential for various metabolic functions including growth and organ functioning.
- Important minerals required for our body are sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, magnesium etc.
To stay fit, for optimal health and for well-being, having a healthy or balanced diet is a must for the human body. A balanced diet includes all the basic requirements of nutrients, including carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, fats, fibre and minerals. A healthy diet provides all the essential nutrients for survival, and growth and for our body organs to function accurately.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet could be simply defined as the food that gives our body the nutrients it needs to function properly. In order to avail truly balanced nutrition, one must obtain the major share of the daily calories from fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
Calories are a measure of units of energy. Calories in a diet or a meal could be defined as the amount of energy conserved in food which is in turn used by the body to perform several activities. Three meals that are consumed by a person in a day should be 650 to 700 calories each. Again the total intake of calories varies between men and women, children and adults, etc.
Consume a diet based on carbohydrate-rich food such as potatoes, bread and rice; with plenty of fruits and vegetables; foods that are rich in proteins such as fish, lentils and meat; milk and food made of dairy products; and not too many fatty, oily, salt or sugar, and rest assured it would give all the nutrients needed. One should eat a wide variety of food in the right proportions and consume plenty of water to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Deficiency Diseases
Deficiency diseases occur in our body due to a lack of nutrient supply over a long period of time. Listed below are a few deficiencies caused as a result of a lack of nutrients.
- Deficiency diseases are caused by the lack of certain nutrients.
- These diseases can be treated by a properly balanced diet.
- If the body is deficient in vitamins we get vitamin deficiency diseases.
- E.g. scurvy, pellagra, Rickets etc.
- If minerals are deficient, then we get mineral deficiency diseases.
- E.g. iron deficiency leads to anaemia, phosphorus deficiency leads to weak bones and teeth.
| Vitamins and Minerals | Deficiency Diseases | Symptoms |
| Vitamin-A | Night blindness | Poor vision or complete loss of vision in darkness |
| Vitamin-B1 | Beri-beri | Weight loss and weak muscle |
| Vitamin-C | Scurvy | Bleeding gums |
| Vitamin-D | Rickets | Soft, tender and weak bones |
| Vitamin E | Crohn’s disease | Pale skin and Rapid aging |
| Vitamin-K | Haemorrhage | Excessive bleeding with delay in clotting |
| Calcium | Osteomalacia and osteoporosis | Brittle bones |
| Phosphorus | Bad teeth, and Rickets | Twisted limbs, unformed teeth |
| Iron | Anaemia | Low red blood cell count |
| Iodine | Goitre | Enlarged thyroid gland |
0 Comments