Components of Food
The main components of foods are carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. These are called nutrients.
Carbohydrates-
Carbohydrates are also called energy giving food. It is the main
sources of energy. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There
are three types of carbohydrates.
(a) Sugars-
It is a simple carbohydrate having sweet taste. Sources of sugar are
glucose, Sugarcane, milk and fruits; such as banana, apple, grapes, etc.
(b) Starch- It is a complex carbohydrate. It is a tasteless, colourless, white power. Sources of starch are: Wheat, maize, potato and rice.
(c) Cellulose- It is present in plant cell wall. It is a complex carbohydrate. Humans cannot digest cellulose.
Protein- protein
helps in body growth and repairs the tissues so it is also called body
building food. We get protein from milk, eggs, meat, fish and all kinds
of pulse. Protein molecule is made of a large number of smaller
molecules called amino acid. The daily requirement of protein for adults
is 1 gram per kilogram of the body weight. When the body is building
new tissue, more proteins are required, so growing children and pregnant
lady need more protein.
Fat-
Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Butter, ghee, milk,
egg-yolk, nuts and cooking oils are the major sources of fat in our
food. An adult needs about 35 g fat everyday. Our body stores the excess
energy in the form of fat. This stored fat is used by the body for
producing energy as and when required so fat is considered as energy
bank in our body. Fats are essential for the absorption of vitamins A,
D, E and K in the body. Fat in our body also prevents heat loss from the
body surface.
Vitamins-Vitamins
are complex organic compounds which are essential for the growth and
maintenance of our body. It does not provide energy. Our body requires
vitamins A, C, D, E, K and B-complex. Our body can make only two
vitamins, Vitamins D and K so other vitamins must be present in our
food. The B complex vitamin is a mixture of several water- soluble
vitamins. The important vitamins of this group are the vitamin B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B9 and B12.
Minerals-minerals
are required by our body in very small quantities. Iron, Iodine,
calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium are common minerals. The
sources of these animals are plants and animals.
Some diseases caused by deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
| Vitamins | Deficiency disease | Symptoms |
| Vitamin - A | Loss of Vision | Poor vision, loss of vision in darkness |
| Vitamin - B1 | Beriberi | Weak muscles and very little energy to work. |
| Vitamin - C | Scurvy | Bleeding gums. |
| Vitamin - D | Rickets | Bones are bent. |
| Calcium | Weak bone & tooth decay | Weak bone and tooth decay |
| Iodine | Goiter | Gland in neck |
| Iron | Anaemia | Weakness |
Dietary fibers-The fibrous indigestible material present in any food is termed as dietary fibre or roughage.
It
helps in preventing constipation. It adds bulk to the food and gives a
sense of fullness after the meal. Salad, vegetables, sprouted grains and
fruits are the sources of roughages.
Balance Diet-The
diet which contains all the essential nutrients in the right proportion
is called a balanced diet. The food we eat must have all the nutrients.
It should provide the required energy. Deficiency of one or more
nutrients in our food for a long time may cause certain diseases or
disorders.
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