What are the main components of food? In this blog, we learn about the main components of food we eat, the various nutrients, their importance and methods to test their presence.
The food is based on its function for the body, a balanced diet and its importance. The various deficiency diseases and foods that help overcome them.
What are the main components of food?
Food is essential for all living beings to survive. Different food items provide essential substances for our body. Have you ever thought why do your parents insist that you should take enough milk and fruits? Why do the dieticians suggest that we should regularly eat green leafy vegetables, fruits, a lot of water, and a balanced diet?
What is a balanced diet? Why is it essential to have good eating habits? This blog will help you get answers to all these questions. What are the main components of food? and many more. Some food items are shown below that can be taken during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
COMPONENTS OF FOOD
The food we eat consists of more than one ingredient. For example, the popular dish kheer contains rice, milk and sugar. Similarly, dosa is made up of rice, dal, oil and salt. The ingredients of all such food items contain different components that are needed by our body. These useful components are called nutrients. Hence.
nutrients are the chemical substances needed by our body for its proper growth and functioning. The main nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. In addition to these nutrients, our body also requires roughage and water. Let us learn more about What are the main components of food?
Carbohydrates
We need energy to do work or perform various activities. Carbohydrates are the source of energy for our body. Some of the common foods that contain carboydrates are rice, wheat, potatoes, bananas, sugar, glucose and more. Plants are the main source of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are present in our foods in the form of sugar and starch. Sugars are simple carbohydrates, whereas starch has a comparatively complex structure. For example, glucose and fruit juices contain sugars, whereas potatoes and rice are rich in starch.
Let us do a simple activity to test the presence of sugar and starch (carbohydrates) in a food item.
Test for Starch
Take a small piece of chapati or a slice of bread or potato (cut it). Cursh it and add some water to make a solution. Add a few drops of iodine solution to it. What do you observe? The change in color of the solution from brown to blue black indicates the presence of starch.
Test for Sugar :
Crush the food item given in the previous activity. Then, put it in atest tube and make a solution by adding water, Add Benedict’s solution to it. Heat it for some time and observe the colour. change of colour to reddish orange indicates the presence of sugar in the food item.
Proteins
Protiens are needed by our body for its proper growth and repair of worn-out tissues. Hence, they are called the building blocks of a human body. Growing children, pregnant women and sick people need more proteins as compared to others. We get proteins from plants as well as animals. However, animal proteins are known to be better than plant proteins. Some common foods rich in proteins include pulses, soyabeans, milk, cheese, eggs and fish.
Test for Protien
Take some food samples, like egg whites or beans, and cush or grind them. Put a small quantity in a test tube and add 5 ml of water. Now add a few drops of copper sulphate solution and 10 drops of caustic soda solution to it. Shake it well. What do you observe? After some time, a violet color appears, which indicates the presence of protein.
Fats
Fats are also energy giving nutrients which keep our body warm. The same amount of fat provides twice/double as much energy as carbohydrates. We get fat from animal as well as plants Ghee, oil, butter, milk, and meat are some common foods containing fats. Nuts and some seeds also contain fat. Fats are stored in our body under the skin and help keep us warm. They protect internal organs against shock and also contain many important hormones to regulate our body’s activities.
Test for Fat
Take a food sample, such as walnuts, wrap it in paper, and press it. Take care that the paper does not tear. Now hold the paper against the light. If you see an oily patch on the paper, it shows that the food item contains fat.
Vitamins
Vitamins are needed for the proper functioning of our body. However, these nutrients are required by the body in minute quantities. In addition to keeping our eyes, teeth, skin and bones healthy, vitamins protect our body against many diseases. The absence or deficiency of vitamins in our regular diet may result in diseases called deficiency diseases.
Different kinds of vitamins are known by different names, such as vitamin A, C, D, E and K. In addition, there is a group of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12 known as the vitamin B-complex. Different vitamins have different vital functions in the body. These are shown in the table given below.
Minerals
Besides vitamins and other nutrients mentioned in the previous sections, our body also requires some elements like iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, chlorine and iodine for proper growth and functioning. These are called minerals and are found in different foods in the form of their salts.
These minerals are needed by the body in very small quantities but are extremely essential to maintaining good health. The deficiency of these minerals also leads to deficiency diseases.
Roughage
Undigestibe fibrous material of food is known as roughage. It is an important part of our diet. It helps in the proper functioning of digestive system of our body. However, roughage does not provide any nutrient to our body. All plant products contain cellulose, which is a kind of roughage. It is not digested by our body but helps in smooth movement of waste, keeps digestive system normal and prevents constipation . Food items like apples, oranges, pears, cabbage, whole grain flour and whole pulses, contain a high amount of roghage. Roughage retains water in the body by absorbing it in large quantities.
Water
Water is essential for human survival. It makes up almost 70% of our body weight. Although, water does not provide any nutrient, it helps our body absorb nutrients from food. Water helps to keep our body cool and healthy, keeps our skin smooth and glowing and helps in the removal of waste in the form of water and urine. We get water through milk, tea, juices, fruits and vegetables. Excessive loss of water leads to dehydration, which is dangerous for life. Doctors recommend drinking 6–8 glasses of water per day.
Test for Water
Take some food material like a potato, onion or apple. Weigh them on a balance initially. Keep them in the sum for 3–4 days, and then again weigh them. Compare the weights of the food items on the first and fifth days. What do you observe? The decrease in weight is due to the loss of water. Hence, the above-mentioned food items contain water.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have learned about What are the main components of food? hoping that we have fulfilled your requirements. If you have any queries, please comment to us, we will try to reply to you as soon as possible.
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