Ch.7: Nutrition and Diet

Nutrition and Diet | Class 6 | Science | Chapter 7 | Maharashtra State Board

In this educational video, we will explore the fascinating world of nutrition and diet. Nutrition is the process of consuming and utilizing food and nutrients to maintain a healthy body and mind. A well-balanced diet is essential for good health and to prevent various health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. In this video, we will cover the essential nutrients that are necessary for a healthy diet. These include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. We will also discuss the food sources of these nutrients and how much of each nutrient should be consumed daily. Additionally, we will cover some common dietary guidelines and tips for healthy eating. These include choosing a variety of foods from different food groups, limiting intake of processed and sugary foods, and staying hydrated by drinking enough water. By the end of the video, students will have a deeper understanding of the role that nutrients play in their overall health and well-being. They will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about what they eat and how it affects their bodies.

Questions & Answers

1. Fill in the blanks.

1. The process of intake of food and utilising it for all life processes is called nutrition .

2. All the substances in our food which are useful for various bodily processes are called nutrients .

3. Carbohydrates and fats provide energy to our body.

4. In a balanced diet, all the nutrients are present in the right proportion.

5. In the food pyramid, cereals are given the maximum space because they fulfil our energy requirement.

6. Intake of more food than necessary causes overnutrition .

2. Spot the following in the table of vitamins and minerals.

(a) The nutrient present in citrous fruits.

Ans. Vitamin C

(b) Vitamins / minerals present in milk.

Ans. Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus.

(c) Causes and symptoms of night blindness, scurvy, rickets, beriberi.

	Diseases	Causes	Symptoms
1.	Night blindness	Deficiency of Vitamin A	Inability to see in dim light.
2.	Scurvy	Deficiency of Vitamin C	Bleeding of gums.
3.	Rickets	Deficiency of Vitamin D	Softening of bones.
4.	Beriberi	Deficiency of Vitamin B1	Nerve disorder, muscle weakness.

(d) Foods required to prevent the above diseases.

	Diseases	Causes	Symptoms	Food for prevention
1.	Night blindness	Deficiency of Vitamin A	Inability to see in dim light.	Carrots, milk, dark green vegetables
2.	Scurvy	Deficiency of Vitamin C	Bleeding of gums.	Amla, kiwi, oranges and citrus fruits
3.	Rickets	Deficiency of Vitamin D	Softening of bones.	Exposure to sunlight, milk, fish, egg, butter
4.	Beriberi	Deficiency of Vitamin B1	Nerve disorder, muscle weakness.	Milk, fish, meat, cereals, nuts, pulses

(e) Causes of anemia.

Ans. Deficiency of Vitamin B12, iron.

(f) Essential mineral for healthy bones and teeth.

Ans. Calcium, phosphorus.

(g) Sensory organ affected due to the deficiency of Vitamin A.

Ans. Eyes, skin.

3. Choose the correct alternative.

(a) Pulses are a very good source of proteins .

(1) carbohydrates (2) proteins (3) fats (4) minerals

(b) Cereals provide maximum energy to the body.

(1) Cereals (2) Leafy vegetables (3) Water (4) Amla

(c) Goitre is caused by a deficiency of the mineral iodine .

(1) iron (2) calcium (3) iodine (4) potassium

(d) Chocolate is a type of junk food.

(1) Orange (2) Milk (3) Bhakri (4) Chocolate

4. Use the food pyramid to select food items of your choice for three days.

Conditions:

(1) The diet for all three days should be balanced.

(2) There should be variety in the items chosen for the three days.

Ans.

• Day 1: Cereal like cornflakes and milk, apple, roti, sabzi, and dal.

• Day 2: Bread and butter with milk, rice/ roti, and chicken, curd, any one type of fruit, salad.

• Day 3: Poha, green vegetable, and dal with rice or roti, raita, one fruit, vegetable sandwich.

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E X T R A

1. Match the column.

Column 'A'	Answer	Column 'B'
Carbohydrates	Energy	Resistance to diseases
Proteins	Growth	Energy
Fibre	Excretion	Growth
Vitamins	Resistance to diseases	Excretion

Column 'A'	Answer	Column 'B'
Iron	Anemia	Goitre
Calcium and phosphorous	Weak bones	Anemia
Iodine	Goitre	Inefficiency of muscles
Sodium and potassium	Inefficiency of muscles	Weak bones

Column 'A'	Answer	Column 'B'
Vitamin A	Night blindness	Scurvy
Vitamin C	Scurvy	Excessive bleeding
Vitamin D	Rickets	Skin disorders
Vitamin E	Skin disorders	Night blindness
Vitamin K	Excessive bleeding	Rickets

2. Answer the following.

(a) Why do living things need food and water?

Ans. Living things take food and water and use them for:

1. Obtaining energy.

2. Growth of the body.

3. Carrying out day to day functions of the body.

4. Fighting against diseases.

(b) Name the main nutrients in our food.

Ans. There are six main nutrients in our food. They are:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Fats

3. Proteins

4. Fibres

5. Vitamins

6. Minerals

(c) How do we get energy from the food?

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

(d) Vitamin C rich food should be eaten raw. Why?

Ans. Vitamin C is very sensitive to heat and light. It is destroyed easily during cooking. Hence, Vitamin C rich food should be eaten raw.

(e) What is balanced diet? Give its significance.

Ans. A diet containing adequate quantities of all nutrients is called as balanced diet. Significance of a balanced diet are:

1. An increased capacity to work.

2. Good physical and mental health.

3. Increased capacity to fight/resist diseases.

4. Helps in proper growth of the body.

(f) What is obesity? How to avoid obesity?

Ans. Obesity is the state of being overweight.

• Junk food eaten frequently causes obesity.

• Obesity is not good for health.

To avoid obesity:

1. Have a balanced diet.

2. Eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables with their skins.

3. Increase use of bicycles.

4. Play more outdoor games.

5. Do not eat if you are not hungry.

6. Do not watch T.V while eating.

7. Avoid precooked, packaged food.

8. Exercise regularly.

(g) Which are the various groups of foodstuff? Which main constituents of food do we get?

Ans. There are six main nutrients in our food:

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibres, vitamins and minerals.

	Nutrients	Foodstuffs
1.	Carbohydrates	Cereals and pulses
2.	Protein	Milk product, meat, fish, eggs
3.	Fats	Butter, oil, ghee
4.	Fibres	Fruits and vegetables
5.	Vitamins	Carrot, milk, Dark green vegetables, fruits, milk, fish, meat, citrus fruits and sunlight, etc.
6.	Minerals	Milk, green vegetables, meat, sea food, salt, fruits, pulses, etc.

(h) What trouble do we have to face if we do not get enough fibre from our daily diet?

Ans. Fibres help in excretion of food, if we do not get enough fibre we will face indigestion and stomach-ache.

(i) What care must be taken to make sure that fibre is not lost or removed from the food we get?

Ans. We must not over-cook the foodstuff containing fibres. Fruits should be eaten raw.

3. Write short notes.

(a) Vitamins:

Ans.

1. Vitamins are vital substances required by our body in small quantities. They help to improve the body’s resistance to diseases. Their deficiency can lead to various diseases, e.g.: deficiency of Vitamin A causes night blindness and that of Vitamin D causes rickets. The sources of vitamins are vegetables, fruits, milk, fish, meat etc.

2. There are two kinds of vitamins – water soluble vitamins and water insoluble vitamins.

3. Vitamin B and Vitamin C are water soluble vitamins because they dissolve easily in water. They are thrown out of the body through the water in sweat and urine. Hence, a regular supply of these vitamins is essential. B17, B2, B3, B6, B9, and Bp are the types of vitamin B.

4. Vitamins A, D, E and K are insoluble in water but are fat soluble vitamins. They get stored in the body.

(b) Probiotics:

Ans.

1. The useful microorganisms which convert milk into yoghurt are present in yoghurt and buttermilk are called probiotics.

2. Lakhs of such useful microorganisms are present in our intestine.

3. They are essential for our health.

Hence, to maintain them in our body we should include food rich in probiotics in our daily diet.

(c) Junk food:

Ans.

1. Foods which gives us energy but do not supply the necessary nutrients are called junk food.

2. Foods like chocolate, pizzas, burgers, noodles, fried foods like pakodas are junk food.

3. These foods contain refined flour, sugar and oil in large proportion.

4. If we consume these foods frequently, our body experiences shortage of proteins, vitamins and minerals.

This may lead to malnutrition and obesity.

3. Give scientific reasons.

(a) Deficiency of vitamin B and C are common in our body.

Ans.

1. Vitamin B and vitamin C are water soluble vitamins.

2. They are thrown out of the body through the water in sweat and urine.

3. Hence, a regular supply of these vitamins is essential.

4. If we don’t intake food rich in these vitamins, deficiency occurs..

(b) Exposure to sunlight is essential.

Ans.

1. On exposure to sunlight our body synthesizes Vitamin D from substances in milk, fish, eggs and butter.

2. Its deficiency causes softening of bones (Rickets).

3. Vitamin D helps in absorbing calcium and phosphorous for healthy bones and teeth.

4. Hence, exposure to sunlight is essential.

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