NCERT Notes for Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Class 6 Science

Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Revision Notes Class 6 Science

Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Notes Class 6 Science is provided by studyrankers. We have included all the important points from the chapter in this note. This chapter, Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body is curated in such a way that it will help the students is understanding the concepts easily. NCERT Solutions for Chapter 3 Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body is also give on this website which provide students with in depth knowledge of the chapter.

Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body Chapter Notes Class 6

• Introduction
• Food habits and culinary practices
• Traditional Food and Beverages in Different States of India
• Nutrients in food
• Deficiency diseases
• How to Test Different Components of Food?
• Balanced diet
• Terminology
• Keywords

Introduction

Healthy Eating is essential for maintaining good health and overall well-being. A healthy diet includes a variety of foods that provide essential nutrients in the right quantities. This includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Eating wholesome food in moderate quantities and considering factors like season, time, and place is crucial for a healthy lifestyle.

Food habits and culinary practices

People in different parts of India eat different kinds of food. This depends on the crops grown in that area, the culture, and the traditions.

The way we cook food has changed over time. In the past, people used traditional methods like cooking on a chulha (traditional stove). Now, many people use modern methods like cooking on a gas stove.

The factors driving these changes include:

• Technological Development: Innovations in kitchen appliances and cooking technology.
• Improved Transportation: Easier access to a variety of ingredients and cooking tools.
• Better Communication: Better communication allows people to easily share and learn new recipes and cooking tips from around the world.

Traditional Food and Beverages in Different States of India

Punjab

• Locally Grown Crops: In Punjab, they grow crops like maize, wheat, chickpea, and pulses.
• Traditional Food Items: Some popular traditional foods in Punjab are Makki di roti (a type of bread made from maize), Sarson da saag (a curry made from mustard leaves), Chhole bhature (a spicy chickpea dish with fried bread), Parantha (stuffed flatbread), Halwa (a sweet dish), and Kheer (a sweet rice pudding).
• Beverages: Common drinks in Punjab include Lassi (a yogurt-based drink), Chhach (buttermilk), milk, and tea.

Karnataka

• Locally Grown Crops: In Karnataka, they grow crops like rice, ragi (finger millet), urad (black gram), and coconut.
• Traditional Food Items: Traditional foods in Karnataka include Idli (steamed rice cakes), Dosa (crispy pancakes), Sambhar (a spicy lentil soup), Coconut chutney, Ragi mudde (ragi balls), Palya (vegetable stir-fry), Rasam (a tangy soup), and rice.
• Beverages: Popular drinks in Karnataka include buttermilk, coffee, and tea.

Manipur

• Locally Grown Crops: In Manipur, they grow crops like rice, bamboo, and soybean.
• Traditional Food Items: Some traditional foods in Manipur are Eromba (a spicy chutney), Utti (a curry made with yellow peas and green onion), Singju (a salad), and Kangsoi (a vegetable stew).
• Beverages: A common drink in Manipur is black tea.

These examples show how different states in India have their own unique foods and drinks, which are made using the crops grown locally in their regions.

Nutrients in food

Nutrients are substances in food that our body needs to grow, repair, and stay healthy.

The main nutrients are:

 1. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for our body. They are essential for performing daily activities and bodily functions.
Carbohydrates can be found in:

• Cereals: Wheat, rice, maize
• Vegetables: Potato, sweet potato
• Fruits: Banana, pineapple, mango

These foods provide the necessary fuel for our muscles and brain to function efficiently.

2. Fats

Fats provide stored energy and are crucial for the absorption of vitamins. They also help in maintaining healthy skin and hair.
Sources of fats include:

• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, sunflower seeds
• Dairy Products: Ghee, butter, curd, milk
• Oils: Olive oil, sunflower oil

While fats are essential, consuming them in moderation is important to avoid health issues like obesity and heart disease.

3. Proteins

Proteins are vital for growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. They are the building blocks of muscles, skin, and bones.
Proteins can be obtained from:

• Plant Sources: Pulses, beans, peas, nuts
• Animal Sources: Milk, paneer, eggs, fish, meat

Proteins also play a key role in producing enzymes and hormones that regulate various body functions.

4. Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that support various bodily functions. They are required in small amounts but are crucial for maintaining health.

Vitamins and Minerals: Functions, Sources, Deficiency Diseases, and Symptoms

Vitamin A

• Functions: Keeps eyes and skin healthy.
• Sources: Found in foods like papaya, carrots, mangoes, and milk.
• Deficiency Disease: Loss of vision (night blindness).
• Symptoms: Poor vision, especially in the dark, and sometimes complete loss of vision.

Vitamin B₁ (Thiamine)

• Functions: Keeps the heart healthy and helps the body perform various functions.
• Sources: Found in legumes, nuts, whole grains, seeds, and milk products.
• Deficiency Disease:
• Symptoms: Swelling, tingling, or burning sensation in feet and hands, trouble breathing.

Vitamin C

• Functions: Helps the body fight diseases.
• Sources: Found in amla, guava, green chilies, oranges, and lemons.
• Deficiency Disease:
• Symptoms: Bleeding gums, slow healing of wounds.

Vitamin D

• Functions: Helps the body absorb calcium for bone and teeth health.
• Sources: Found in sunlight, milk, butter, fish, and eggs.
• Deficiency Disease:
• Symptoms: Soft and bent bones.

Calcium

• Functions: Keeps bones and teeth healthy.
• Sources: Found in milk, curd, cheese, and paneer.
• Deficiency Disease: Bone and tooth decay.
• Symptoms: Weak bones, tooth decay.

Iodine

• Functions: Helps the body perform physical and mental activities.
• Sources: Found in seaweed, water chestnut (singhada), and iodised salt.
• Deficiency Disease:
• Symptoms: Swelling at the front of the neck.

Iron

• Functions: Important for making blood in the body.
• Sources: Found in green leafy vegetables, beetroot, and pomegranate.
• Deficiency Disease:
• Symptoms: Weakness, shortness of breath.

5. Dietary Fibres 

Dietary fibres are essential for digestion and excretion. They help in maintaining a healthy digestive system by promoting regular bowel movements.
Sources of dietary fibres include:

• Green Leafy Vegetables: Spinach, kale
• Fresh Fruits: Apples, oranges, berries
• Whole Grains: Brown rice, oats
• Pulses and Nuts: Lentils, almonds

6. Water 

Water is vital for all bodily functions. It helps absorb nutrients and remove waste from the body. Drinking adequate water daily is essential to stay hydrated and maintain bodily functions.

Deficiency diseases

When we don't eat enough of certain nutrients, we can get sick. These sicknesses are called deficiency diseases.

Some examples are:

• Not eating enough Vitamin A can cause night blindness (difficulty seeing in the dark).
• Not eating enough Vitamin C can cause scurvy (bleeding gums and slow healing of wounds).
• Not eating enough iron can cause anaemia (weakness and tiredness).

Deficiency of nutrients leads to diseases like:

• Vitamin A deficiency - Night blindness
• Vitamin B₁ deficiency - Beriberi
• Vitamin C deficiency - Scurvy
• Vitamin D deficiency - Rickets
• Calcium deficiency - Bone and tooth decay
• Iodine deficiency - Goitre
• Iron deficiency - Anaemia

How to Test Different Components of Food?

1. Test for Starch

• To test for starch in food, an iodine solution can be used. 
• When iodine is added to a food sample, a blue-black colour indicates the presence of starch. 
• This is a simple way to identify foods that are rich in carbohydrates.

2. Test for Fats

• To test for fats, place a food sample on a piece of paper and press it. 
• If an oily patch appears, it indicates the presence of fats.
• This test helps in identifying foods that contain significant amounts of fat.

3. Test for Proteins

• To test for proteins, a mixture of copper sulphate and caustic soda solutions is used. 
• A violet colour in the mixture indicates the presence of proteins. 
• This test is useful for identifying foods that are rich in protein.

Balanced diet

A balanced diet is one that has all the nutrients our body needs. It should also have enough roughage and water. Eating a balanced diet keeps us healthy and helps us grow properly.

A balanced diet should include:

• Carbohydrates: For energy
• Proteins: For growth and repair
• Fats: For energy and vitamin absorption
• Vitamins and Minerals: For overall health
• Dietary Fibres: For digestion
• Water: For hydration

Junk food

• Junk foods are unhealthy because they have a lot of fat and sugar but not enough of other important nutrients.
• Eating too much junk food can make us gain weight and fall sick.
• We should eat junk food only sometimes and in small amounts.

Millets

• Millets are special kinds of grains that are very good for our health.
• Examples of millets are jowar, bajra, and ragi.
• They have lots of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
• Eating millets can help us stay healthy.

Food miles

• Food miles mean how far the food has travelled from where it is grown to where it is eaten.
• We should try to eat food that is grown nearby.
• This helps reduce pollution from transporting the food and supports our local farmers.

Avoid wasting food

• We should not waste food because a lot of hard work goes into growing and cooking it.
• We should take only as much food as we can eat.
• Wasting food is not good for the environment.

Terminology

1. Health

• A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.

2. Culinary practices

• Culinary practices are the ways in which we prepare and cook food.
• This includes the ingredients we use, the utensils and stoves we cook on, and the recipes we follow.
• Different regions have different culinary practices based on their culture and traditions.

3. Nutrients

• Nutrients are the parts of food that our body needs to grow, repair itself, and stay healthy.
• They are like the building blocks of our body.
• The main nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

4. Diseases

• Diseases are conditions that affect the normal functioning of the body, causing symptoms like fever, pain, weakness, or difficulty in performing daily activities.
• They can be caused by various factors like infections, nutrient deficiencies, genetic disorders, or unhealthy lifestyle choices.
• Examples of diseases include the common cold, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

5. Deficiency diseases

• Deficiency diseases are illnesses that happen when we don't eat enough of certain nutrients.
• For example, if we don't eat enough Vitamin C, we might get a disease called scurvy which causes bleeding gums and slow healing of wounds.

6. Scurvy

• Scurvy is a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C in the diet.
• It can cause symptoms like weakness, fatigue, joint pain, and bleeding gur
• In the past, sailors on long sea voyages often suffered from scurvy because they didn't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Today, scurvy is rare because most people get enough Vitamin C from their diet.

7. Goitre

• Goitre is a condition where the thyroid gland in the neck becomes enlarged, causing a swelling in the front of the neck.
• It is often caused by a lack of iodine in the diet.
• Iodine is important for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. In many countries, iodine is added to table salt to prevent goitre.

8. Balanced diet

• A balanced diet is a way of eating that includes all the different nutrients our body needs, in the right amounts.
• It's like having a team of different players, each doing their part to keep our body healthy.
• A balanced diet should have carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, roughage, and water.

9. Roughage

• Roughage, also called dietary fibre, is the part of plant foods that our body can't digest.
• It's like a broom that cleans our stomach and intestines, helping to keep our digestive system healthy.
• Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are good sources of roughage.

10. Junk foods

• Junk foods are foods that have a lot of fat, sugar, or salt, but not much of other nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
• They might taste good, but eating too much of them is not good for our health. Examples of junk food are candy, chips, and soda.

11. Fortification

• Fortification means adding extra nutrients to food to make it healthier.
• It's like giving food a nutrient boost.
• For example, milk can be fortified with Vitamin D, and salt can be fortified with iodine to prevent iodine deficiency.

12. Macronutrients

• Macronutrients are nutrients that our body needs in large amounts.
• They provide energy and help in growth and development.
• The three main macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
• We need to eat a balance of these macronutrients to stay healthy.

13. Micronutrients

• Micronutrients are nutrients that our body needs in small amounts, but they are still very important for our health.
• Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients.
• They help in various body functions and protect us from diseases.
• Examples of micronutrients are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium.

14. Anaemia

• Anaemia is a condition where our blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
• This makes us feel weak and tired. Iron deficiency is a common cause of anaemia.
• Eating iron-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, meat, and eggs can help prevent anaemia.

15. Dietary fibres

• Dietary fibres are the parts of plant foods that our body can't digest or absorb. They are important for keeping our digestive system healthy.
• There are two types of dietary fibres soluble and insoluble.
• Soluble fibres dissolve in water and help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
• Insoluble fibres don't dissolve in water and help prevent constipation.

16. Nutrient-dense foods

• Nutrient-dense foods are foods that have a lot of nutrients compared to the number of calories they have.
• They provide a lot of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients without adding too many calories.
• Examples of nutrient-dense foods are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.

17. Processed foods

• Processed foods are foods that have been changed from their original form for convenience and safety reasons.
• They are usually packaged in boxes or bags, ready to eat or heat, and have a list of ingredients on the label.
• Some processed foods have added sugars, salt, and fats, and may not be as nutritious as whole, unprocessed foods.

18. Obesity

• Obesity is a condition where a person has excessive body fat that may negatively impact their health.
• It can increase the risk of various diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and certain cancers. 
• Obesity often results from eating more calories than the body burns, combined with lack of physical activity.
• Maintaining a healthy weight through balanced diet and regular exercise is important.

19. Starch

• Starch is a type of carbohydrate found in many plant-based foods like grains, potatoes, and peas.
• It is an important source of energy for the body.
• When we eat foods containing starch, our digestive system breaks it down into simpler sugars, which our body can then use for energy.

20. Malnutrition

• Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when a person doesn't get enough nutrients or gets too much of certain nutrients.
• It can lead to health problems like stunted growth, weak immune system, and poor cognitive development in children.
• Malnutrition can result from not eating enough food, not eating a variety of foods, or having an underlying health condition that affects nutrient absorption.

21. Food pyramid

• The food pyramid is a visual guide that helps us understand how much of each food group we should eat for a balanced diet.
• The base of the pyramid includes foods that we should eat the most, like whole grains and vegetables. 
• The top of the pyramid includes foods that we should eat in moderation, like fats and sweets.
• Following the food pyramid guidelines can help ensure we get all the nutrients our body needs.

Keywords

• Carbohydrate: Primary source of energy.
• Culinary practices: Methods of cooking and preparing food.
• Deficiency diseases: Health problems caused by a lack of essential nutrients.
• Fats: Provide stored energy and aid in vitamin absorption.
• Food components: Essential nutrients in food.
• Food miles: Distance food travels from farm to consumer.
• Minerals: Essential nutrients for various bodily functions.
• Nutrients: Substances that provide nourishment.
• Millets: Nutritious cereals like jowar, bajra, ragi.
• Proteins: Essential for growth and repair.
• Roughage: Dietary fibres that aid digestion.
• Vitamins: Essential nutrients for various bodily functions.
• Iodized salt: Salt fortified with iodine to prevent deficiency diseases.