Maharashtra Board Class 6 Science Chapter 7 Nutrition and Diet PDF Download

Nutrition And Diet

Living things take food and water and use them for a variety of purposes such as:

Obtaining energy

Growth of the body

To carry out day to day functions of the body

To fight diseases

Nutrients And Foodstuffs

There are six main nutrients in our food: Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibre, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are present in the different food items we eat in differing proportions. Let us learn more about some of them.

In living things, the process of taking in food and water and using it for growth and other purposes is called 'nutrition', and the constituents of food useful for these purposes are called 'nutrients'.

Energy-Giving Nutrients- Carbohydrates

Our main need is of energy. It is fulfilled by carbohydrates. Hence, our diet includes a large proportion of cereals in the form of rice, chapatti or roti, bhakri and bread which contain carbohydrates. Cereals are our staple food.

Teacher's Note

In India, rice and roti are our main foods because they have lots of carbohydrates. Just like a car needs petrol for energy, our body needs carbohydrates for energy.

Exam Trick

Remember: Cereals = Carbohydrates = Energy. Think of rice, wheat, and roti. These three words always go together in exams.

Points To Remember

Carbohydrates give us energy to work and play.
Cereals like rice, wheat, and roti have carbohydrates.
Children need energy from food to grow and study.
Carbohydrates are found in bread, bhakri, and pulses.

Fats

Some part of our energy requirement is also fulfilled by fatty foods such as oil, ghee and butter.

We get energy in the form of heat from the food we eat. Heat is measured in kilocalories. Hence, the energy in food items is also measured in kilocalories (Calories).

Children of growing age need to get approximately 2000 to 2500 Calories from the food they eat.

Teacher's Note

Oil and ghee give us heat energy. In winter, we need more oil and ghee. In India, we use ghee in cooking, which is very good for energy.

Exam Trick

Remember: Fats = Heat energy = Calories. Oil, ghee, and butter are fats. They keep us warm and give us power to play.

Points To Remember

Fats give us heat energy and warmth in cold weather.
Oil, ghee, and butter are sources of fats.
Energy in food is measured in calories.
Growing children need 2000 to 2500 calories daily.

Proteins

We need proteins for the purposes of growth, repairing the wear and tear of the body and for other life processes. We get proteins from the sprouts, milk and milk products, meat and eggs in our food.

Teacher's Note

Proteins help our body grow strong and repair broken muscles. Milk, eggs, and dal are good sources of protein that all Indian children eat every day.

Exam Trick

Remember: Proteins = Grow strong = Muscles. Think of milk, eggs, and dal. These make your body tall and strong like a sports player.

Points To Remember

Proteins help our body grow and become strong.
Proteins repair broken or damaged body parts.
Milk, eggs, sprouts, and meat have proteins.
Growing children need more proteins than adults.

Minerals And Vitamins

To improve the body's resistance to disease and for other life processes the body needs vitamins, minerals and fibre in the diet. We obtain these nutrients mainly from vegetables and fruits.

We require vitamins and minerals in small quantities, but their deficiency can lead to various diseases. Let us learn more about them.

The body needs several inorganic substances. They are called minerals. The table below gives examples of some minerals and provides information about their functions in the body, the various sources of the minerals as well as the diseases caused by their deficiency.

Teacher's Note

Minerals like iron, calcium, and iodine are very important. In India, we add salt with iodine to prevent goitre disease. Milk and leafy vegetables give us calcium for strong bones.

Exam Trick

Remember: Iron = Blood, Calcium = Bones, Iodine = Growth. Match each mineral with what it does. This will help you answer questions fast.

Points To Remember

Iron in spinach and meat helps carry oxygen in blood.
Calcium and phosphorus from milk make strong bones and teeth.
Iodine salt helps us grow and prevents goitre.
Sodium and potassium from fruits keep muscles working properly.

Vitamins

Water soluble vitamins: Vitamin B and Vitamin C dissolve easily in water. So they are called water soluble vitamins. They are thrown out of the body through the water in sweat and urine. Hence, a regular supply of these vitamins is essential. B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12 are the important types of Vitamin B.

Water insoluble vitamins: These vitamins are insoluble in water but are soluble in fatty substances. They get stored in the body. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble vitamins.

Teacher's Note

Vitamin C from amla and oranges keeps us healthy but goes away through sweat. Vitamin A from carrots stays in our body and helps our eyes see well at night.

Exam Trick

Remember: Water vitamins (B and C) = Go out with sweat, need daily. Fat vitamins (A, D, E, K) = Stay in body, stored. Think of water washing away and fat staying in body.

Points To Remember

Vitamin B and C dissolve in water and leave our body.
Vitamin A, D, E, and K are stored in body fat.
We need to eat vitamin B and C foods every day.
Fat-soluble vitamins stay in body longer than water-soluble vitamins.

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