Science Class 6 Notes Chapter 3 Mindful Eating Curiosity

Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body

What Do We Eat?

• Food is essential for daily life. People consume a variety of food items based on availability, region, and culture.
• Activity: Record the food you eat in a week and compare it with friends to observe differences.

Food in Different Regions

Food diversity exists in every part of India due to differences in the crops grown, soil, climate, and traditions.

• Examples:
  • Punjab: Wheat and maize are the main crops, and traditional dishes include Makki di roti, Sarson da saag.
  • Karnataka: Rice and ragi are common crops, and dishes like idli, dosa, and sambhar are widely consumed.

Activity 3.2: Explore the different foods and crops of various states by interacting with friends, family, or reading books

How Have Cooking Practices Changed Over Time?

• Culinary practices have evolved. Earlier, people cooked using traditional methods like the chulha (wood stove), now modern gas stoves and grinders are common.
• Factors like technology and transportation have influenced these changes.

Components of Food

Carbohydrates: Provide energy for our daily activities. Found in cereals like rice, wheat, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Fats: Store energy and help keep the body warm. Common sources include ghee, butter, nuts, and seeds.

Proteins: Help build and repair the body. Found in pulses, milk, eggs, meat, and fish. These are known as body-building foods.

Vitamins and minerals: Essential for overall health, preventing diseases like scurvy and goitre. Found in fruits, vegetables, milk, and meat.

Roughage: Also called dietary fibre, helps in digestion. Found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Deficiency Diseases

Deficiency diseases are caused by a lack of nutrients:

• • Scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency): Causes bleeding gums and slow healing of wounds.
  • Goitre (Iodine deficiency): Causes swelling in the neck.
  • Rickets (Vitamin D deficiency): Leads to soft and weak bones.

Activity 3.4: Conduct a survey to check if people around you show symptoms of deficiency diseases and find ways to improve their diet.

Balanced Diet

A balanced diet includes all the essential nutrients in the right amounts for proper growth and health.

It should consist of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, roughage, and water.

Activity 3.8: Review your weekly food list to check if it contains all the necessary nutrients for a balanced diet. Identify the nutrients that may be missing.

Tests for Nutrients

• Test for Starch: Add iodine solution to food items. A blue-black colour indicates the presence of starch.
• Test for Fats: Wrap the food item in paper and press it. If an oily patch forms, it contains fats.
• Test for Proteins: Add copper sulphate and caustic soda to a food item. If the solution turns violet, the food contains proteins.

Junk Food vs Healthy Food

• Junk food (high in fat and sugar) can lead to obesity and health issues. Examples: potato chips, candy bars.
• Healthy options include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Millets

• Millets (like jowar, bajra, and ragi) are nutritious grains rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. They are easy to grow and good for health.

Food Miles

• Food miles refer to the distance food travels from the farm to the consumer. The shorter the food miles, the fresher and healthier the food, and it also reduces pollution caused by transportation.
• Activity 3.9: Compare nutritional information of two food items (like potato wafers and roasted chana) to understand the benefits of healthier options.

Water and Dietary Fibres

• Water is essential for the body to absorb nutrients and remove waste. We should drink sufficient water daily.
• Dietary fibres help in digestion by making the passage of food through the intestines smoother.

Fortified Foods

• Some food items are fortified with extra nutrients to improve their quality. For example, iodised salt and baby foods are fortified to provide essential vitamins and minerals.
• FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) ensures that packaged foods in India meet quality and safety standards.

Avoid Food Wastage

• Many people waste food by leaving it on their plates. To reduce waste, take only as much as you can eat, remembering the effort farmers and others put in to bring food from farm to plate.

Key Concepts to Remember:

• Balanced diet: Includes all nutrients in the right quantities.
• Carbohydrates and fats: Provide energy.
• Proteins: Help in body growth and repair.
• Vitamins and minerals: Protect from diseases.
• Millets: Nutritious and easy to grow, a healthy food choice.
• Avoid junk food: It lacks essential nutrients and causes health problems.
• Water and dietary fibres: Important for digestion and overall health.
• Food miles: Aim to reduce them by eating locally grown food.