Food and its constituents questions and answers
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Constituents of food:
1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins:
3. Fats
4. Vitamins:
5. Minerals
6. Water
7. Roughage:
1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins:
3. Fats
4. Vitamins:
5. Minerals
6. Water
7. Roughage:
Answered by
1
Constituents of food:
1. Carbohydrates:
They are the chief source of energy in our diet. They are chemical compound containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They provide instant energy to our body.
The chief sources of carbohydrates are: rice, wheat, maize, barley, potato, sugarcane, beetroot, banana, etc. Carbohydrates are of three types-
i) Sugars
ii) Starch
iii) Cellulose
Sugars are called simple carbohydrates. They provide instant energy. Sugars are present in milk and fruits like grapes, banana, sugarcane and beetroot.
Starch is found in potato, rice wheat, maize, etc. Starch is the main carbohydrate in out diet, since it is present in cereals, which form the major part of our diet.
Carbohydrates are burnt in our body to release energy, which is used up, by the body to carry out the life processes. Carbohydrates are thus broken down to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy. This process is known as oxidation and can be represented in the form of a chemical reaction:
Oxidation of foodstuffs takes place in our body during the respiration process.
Respiration takes place in our body at the normal body temperature, i.e., 37 0 C. The energy is released during oxidation is stored in the body inside special molecules just as you store money in your money-box. As and when energy iis needed by the body, these special molecules break down to release energy just as you take out money from the money-box whenever you need some.
The energy released by a foodstuff on oxidation can be measured in calories. A calorie is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by 10 C. A calorie, however, is very small to measure the energy requirements of our body. Therefore, energy changes are measured in kilocalories.
1 kcal = 1000 calories.
2. Proteins:
Proteins are body-building food. They are essential for the growth and repair of the body tissues. Proteins are made up of amino acids. Proteins are formed by different combinations of twenty amino acids. Each amino acid contains carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. Some proteins contain elements like sulphur, phosphorus and iron as well.
Proteins can be classified into two groups depending on their source:
i) Animal proteins are obtained from animal products like milk, cheese, egg, fish or meat.
ii) Vegetable proteins are obtained from plants like pulses, soyabeans, nuts like cashew nuts, groundnuts, grains like barley, etc.
Animal proteins are considered to be better than vegetable proteins as they are more easily digested and absorbed by the body. Daily requirement of proteins for adults is about 1 gram per kg body weight. Children may require 2 to 3.5 grams per kg body weight because of their continuous growth.
Proteins act as body-building materials. Muscles, skin, hair and nails are made up of proteins. Wool and fur of sheep, lamb and bear and silk produced by silkworm are chemically proteins. Haemoglobin, the red pigment of red blood cells also contains a protein ‘haeme’.
Enzymes are chemical substances that take part in several chemical reactions. Enzymes are chemically proteins. For example, salivary amylase is an enzyme produced by our salivary glands that breaks down starch into sugar.
Proteins also help to repair damaged body tissues. Proteins can also be utilized to provide energy during starvation. One gram of protein when burnt yields about 4 calories.
3. Fats:
Fats like carbohydrates are energy-giving foods but are greatly concentrated sources of energy. One gram of fat when burnt gives 9 calories of energy. Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. However, compared to carbohydrates, fats contain lesser amount of oxygen, and hence produce larger amount of energy when oxidized.
Fats can be classifies as animal fats and vegetable fats depending on their source. Butter, ghee, milk, fish, meat, etc., are sources of animal fat while nuts and vegetable oils like groundnut oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil and sesame oil are sources of vegetable fats
4. Vitamins:
They are protective foods which are necessary for the well-being of the body. Vitamins are necessary for normal growth and good health of an individual and shortage of one or more vitamins in the body results in deficiency diseases in the individual. Vitamins do not provide energy like the carbohydrates and fats.
Vitamins are required to keep our teeth, gums, eyes, blood, bones, skin, etc., healthy. Deficiency of vitamin A in the body causes poor vision and night-blindness which is a state wherein a person cannot see in the dark. Deficiency of vitamin A can be cured by giving spinach, carrots, butter and yellow-coloured fruits like papaya and mangoes to the patient.
1. Carbohydrates:
They are the chief source of energy in our diet. They are chemical compound containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They provide instant energy to our body.
The chief sources of carbohydrates are: rice, wheat, maize, barley, potato, sugarcane, beetroot, banana, etc. Carbohydrates are of three types-
i) Sugars
ii) Starch
iii) Cellulose
Sugars are called simple carbohydrates. They provide instant energy. Sugars are present in milk and fruits like grapes, banana, sugarcane and beetroot.
Starch is found in potato, rice wheat, maize, etc. Starch is the main carbohydrate in out diet, since it is present in cereals, which form the major part of our diet.
Carbohydrates are burnt in our body to release energy, which is used up, by the body to carry out the life processes. Carbohydrates are thus broken down to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy. This process is known as oxidation and can be represented in the form of a chemical reaction:
Oxidation of foodstuffs takes place in our body during the respiration process.
Respiration takes place in our body at the normal body temperature, i.e., 37 0 C. The energy is released during oxidation is stored in the body inside special molecules just as you store money in your money-box. As and when energy iis needed by the body, these special molecules break down to release energy just as you take out money from the money-box whenever you need some.
The energy released by a foodstuff on oxidation can be measured in calories. A calorie is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by 10 C. A calorie, however, is very small to measure the energy requirements of our body. Therefore, energy changes are measured in kilocalories.
1 kcal = 1000 calories.
2. Proteins:
Proteins are body-building food. They are essential for the growth and repair of the body tissues. Proteins are made up of amino acids. Proteins are formed by different combinations of twenty amino acids. Each amino acid contains carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. Some proteins contain elements like sulphur, phosphorus and iron as well.
Proteins can be classified into two groups depending on their source:
i) Animal proteins are obtained from animal products like milk, cheese, egg, fish or meat.
ii) Vegetable proteins are obtained from plants like pulses, soyabeans, nuts like cashew nuts, groundnuts, grains like barley, etc.
Animal proteins are considered to be better than vegetable proteins as they are more easily digested and absorbed by the body. Daily requirement of proteins for adults is about 1 gram per kg body weight. Children may require 2 to 3.5 grams per kg body weight because of their continuous growth.
Proteins act as body-building materials. Muscles, skin, hair and nails are made up of proteins. Wool and fur of sheep, lamb and bear and silk produced by silkworm are chemically proteins. Haemoglobin, the red pigment of red blood cells also contains a protein ‘haeme’.
Enzymes are chemical substances that take part in several chemical reactions. Enzymes are chemically proteins. For example, salivary amylase is an enzyme produced by our salivary glands that breaks down starch into sugar.
Proteins also help to repair damaged body tissues. Proteins can also be utilized to provide energy during starvation. One gram of protein when burnt yields about 4 calories.
3. Fats:
Fats like carbohydrates are energy-giving foods but are greatly concentrated sources of energy. One gram of fat when burnt gives 9 calories of energy. Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. However, compared to carbohydrates, fats contain lesser amount of oxygen, and hence produce larger amount of energy when oxidized.
Fats can be classifies as animal fats and vegetable fats depending on their source. Butter, ghee, milk, fish, meat, etc., are sources of animal fat while nuts and vegetable oils like groundnut oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil and sesame oil are sources of vegetable fats
4. Vitamins:
They are protective foods which are necessary for the well-being of the body. Vitamins are necessary for normal growth and good health of an individual and shortage of one or more vitamins in the body results in deficiency diseases in the individual. Vitamins do not provide energy like the carbohydrates and fats.
Vitamins are required to keep our teeth, gums, eyes, blood, bones, skin, etc., healthy. Deficiency of vitamin A in the body causes poor vision and night-blindness which is a state wherein a person cannot see in the dark. Deficiency of vitamin A can be cured by giving spinach, carrots, butter and yellow-coloured fruits like papaya and mangoes to the patient.
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