Science · Class 6 · Chapter 3

Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body

• Nutrients — Parts of food that give energy, growth, and protection.
• Carbohydrates & Fats — Energy-giving nutrients.
• Proteins — Body-building nutrients.
• Vitamins & Minerals — Protective nutrients.
• Roughage — Fibre that helps digestion, without nutrients.
• Deficiency disease — Illness caused by lack of a nutrient.
• Millets — Nutrient-rich native Indian grains.
• Food miles — Distance food travels to reach us.

Chapter 3 · Concept 1 of 9

Food Across India

• Food choices differ from person to person and place to place, shaped by locally grown crops and traditions.
• Punjab — Wheat and maize form the base of many traditional dishes.
• Karnataka — Rice-based dishes are common, reflecting the region's staple crop.
• Manipur — Rice and bamboo shoots feature widely in everyday cooking.

Chapter 3 · Concept 2 of 9

Changing Culinary Practices

• Then — Cooking on a chulha (wood-fired stove), and grinding spices on a sil-batta (stone grinder).
• Now — Gas stoves and electric grinders — changes driven by technology, transport, and communication.

Chapter 3 · Concept 3 of 9

Carbohydrates and Fats

• Carbohydrates and fats together are called energy-giving foods.
• Carbohydrates — A primary energy source — cereals (wheat, rice, maize), vegetables (potato, sweet potato), fruits (banana, mango), and common sugar.
• Fats — A source of stored energy — nuts and seeds (plant sources), ghee and oils, and animal sources.

Chapter 3 · Concept 4 of 9

Proteins

• Proteins help in growth and repair of the body, so they are called body-building foods. Growing children especially need the right amount.
• Plant sources — Pulses, beans, peas, and nuts.
• Animal sources — Milk, paneer, egg, fish, and meat.

Chapter 3 · Concept 5 of 9

Vitamins and Minerals

• Nutrient | Some sources | Deficiency disease
• Vitamin A — Papaya, carrot, mango, milk — Night blindness
• Vitamin B1 — Wholegrains, pulses — Beriberi
• Vitamin C — Citrus fruits (lemon, orange) — Scurvy
• Vitamin D — Sunlight, milk, egg yolk — Rickets
• Iodine — Iodised salt — Goitre
• Iron — Green leafy vegetables, jaggery — Anaemia

Chapter 3 · Concept 6 of 9

Roughage and Water

• Roughage (dietary fibre) — Found in green leafy vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, and pulses. It provides no nutrients itself, but helps remove undigested food and keeps bowel movement smooth.
• Water — Helps the body absorb nutrients and removes waste through sweat and urine. Drinking enough water every day is essential for health.

Chapter 3 · Concept 7 of 9

Testing Food for Nutrients

• Test | What you add | Positive result
• Starch test — Iodine solution — Turns blue-black
• Fat test — Rub on paper — Leaves an oily, translucent patch
• Protein test — Copper sulfate + caustic soda — Turns violet

Chapter 3 · Concept 8 of 9

Balanced Diet vs Junk Food

• Balanced diet — Has all essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amounts. Requirements vary by age, gender, activity, and health.
• Junk food — High in sugar, fat, and calories, but low in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibre (e.g. wafers, candy, carbonated drinks). Frequent eating can cause obesity and health problems.

Chapter 3 · Concept 9 of 9

Millets and Food Miles

• Millets (nutri-cereals) — Jowar, bajra, ragi, and sanwa are native Indian grains, easily grown in varied climates, and rich in vitamins, iron, calcium, and fibre.
• Food miles — The distance a food item travels from producer to consumer. Shorter food miles cost less, pollute less, support local farmers, and stay fresher.

Quick Recap

Check Your Understanding

1. 1Pick the odd one out and give reasons: (i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana (ii) Kidney beans, Green gram, Soya bean, Rice
2. 2Discuss traditional versus modern culinary practices in India.
3. 3A teacher says good food may act as medicine. Ravi wants to ask his teacher some questions about this. List at least two he could ask.