Components of Food

Nutrients:

Each dish is usually made up of one or more Ingredients, which we get from plants or animals. These ingredients contain some components that are needed by our body. These components are called nutrients.

Major Nutrients in our food:

The major nutrients in our food are named carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. In addition, food contains dietary fibres and water which are also needed by our body.

How to check whether food contains all the nutrients?

There are easy methods to find whether food contains all the nutrients.

Items needed:

1. Iodine Solution

2. Copper Sulphate Solution

3. Caustic Soda Solution

To make Iodine Solution:

Add a few drops of tincture Iodine to a test tube half filled with water.

To make Copper Sulphate Solution:

Dissolve 2 grams of Copper Sulphate in 100 ml of water.

To make Caustic Soda Solution:

Dissolve 10 g of caustic soda in 100 ml of water.

Among the following pictures, the first image is iodine solution, the second image is copper sulphate solution and the third image is caustic soda solution.

Presence of starch can be found by dropping 2 to 3 drops of iodine solution on a food item or ingredient. A blue black colour indicates that it contains starch.

Presence of protein can be found by dropping two drops of copper sulphate solution and ten drops of caustic soda solution to the diluted food item. A violet colour indicates the presence of protein in the food item.

Presence of fats can be found by taking the food item or ingredient on a piece of paper. If the paper is oily, then fat is present in the food item or ingredient.

Carbohydrates:

There are many types of carbohydrates in our food. The main carbohydrates found in our food are in the form of starch and sugars. Carbohydrates provide energy to our body. Rice is a carbohydrate rich food. Some other foods containing carbohydrates are wheat, bajra, sweet potato, sugarcane, papaya, melon, maize, potato, mango.

Fats:

Fats provide more energy than carbohydrates. Some sources of fats are groundnut, til, milk, butter, meat, fish, egg, nuts.

Energy giving Foods: Foods containing fats and carbohydrates are called energy giving foods.

Proteins:

Proteins are needed for our growth and repair of our body. Proteins are called Body building foods. Some sources of protein are gram, moong, tuar dal, peas, soy bean, meat, fish, egg, milk, paneer.

Vitamins:

Vitamins help in protecting our body against diseases. Vitamins also help in keeping our eyes, bones, teeth and gums healthy.

Vitamins are of different kinds known by different names. Some of these are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and K. There is also a group of vitamins called Vitamin B-complex. Our body needs all types of vitamins in small quantities.

Vitamin A keeps our skin and eyes healthy. Vitamin C helps the body to fight against many diseases. Vitamin D helps our body to use calcium for bones and teeth.

Some sources of Vitamin A are papaya, mango, fish oil, carrot, milk.

Some sources of Vitamin B are wheat, liver, rice.

Some sources of Vitamin C are orange, guava, tomato, green chili, lemon, Alma.

Some sources of Vitamin D are milk, liver, egg, fish, and butter. Our body also prepares Vitamin D in the presence of sunlight.

Minerals:

Minerals are needed by our body in small amounts. Each one is essential for the proper growth of body and to maintain good health.

Some sources of iodine are ginger, fish, salt.

Some sources of phosphorous are milk, wheat, rice, green chilli, and banana.

Some sources of iron are liver, apple, spinach,

Some sources of calcium are milk, egg.

Dietary Fibers:

Dietary fibers are also known as roughage. Roughage is mainly provided by plant products in our foods. Whole grains and pulses, potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables are main sources of roughage.

Roughage does not provide any nutrient to our body, but is an essential component of our food and adds to its bulk. This helps our body get rid of undigested food.

Water:

Water helps our body to absorb nutrients from food. It also helps in throwing out some wastes from the body as urine and sweat.

Normally, we get most of the water that our body needs from the liquids we drink — such as water, milk and tea. Many foods contain water themselves. In addition, we add water to most cooked foods.

Balanced diet:

The food we normally eat in a day is our diet. For growth and maintenance of good health, our diet should have all the nutrients that our body needs, in right quantities. The diet should also contain a good amount of roughage and water. Such a diet is called a balanced diet.

One can eat a balanced diet without expensive food materials.

Loss of Nutrients:

Eating the right kind of food is not enough. It should also be cooked properly so that its nutrients are not lost.

Some nutrients get lost in the process of cooking and preparations. If the vegetables and fruits are washed after cutting or peeling them, it may result in the loss of some vitamins. The skins of many vegetables and fruits contain vitamins and minerals.

Repeated washing of rice and pulses may remove some vitamins and minerals present in them.

Cooking also results in the loss of certain nutrients. Many useful proteins and considerable amounts of minerals are lost If excess water Is used during cooking and Is then thrown away. Vitamin C gets easily destroyed by heat during cooking.

Obesity:

Eating too much of fat rich foods may end up suffering from a condition called obesity.

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Deficiency:

A person may be getting enough food to eat, but sometimes the food may not contain a particular nutrient. If this continues over a long period of time, the person may suffer from its deficiency. Deficiency of one or more nutrients can cause diseases or disorders in our body.

Deficiency Diseases:

Diseases that occur due to lack of nutrients over a long period are called deficiency diseases. If a person does not get enough proteins In his/her food for a long time, he/she Is likely to have stunted growth, swelling of face, dlscolouratlon of hair, skin diseases and diarrhoea. If the diet is deficient In both carbohydrates and proteins for a long period of time, the growth may stop completely. Such a person becomes very lean and thin and so weak that he/she may not even be able to move.