Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body

All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed over the week in Table 3.1. 

What observations can you make about your food from the data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food eaten by you and your friends. 

Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states of our country.

• Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and the crops grown in various states of India. You may refer to books in your library, search the internet, and interact with your friends, family and neighbours to collect information. 
  
• In Table 3.2, add more states and fill the collected data. A few examples are already given.  
  

Why do we see diversity in traditional food consumed in various states of our country? 

Analyse the data collected by you in Table 3.2. Are there food items that are common across many states? Make a list of those food items. You may find that some food items are common in many states while some are eaten only in a particular state. 

What relation do you find between the traditional food items and the locally grown crops? You must have observed that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the crops grown in that state. India is an agricultural country with diverse soil and climate types. Various crops are grown in its different regions depending on the soil types and climatic conditions. 

 In various regions of India, the choice of food may vary according to the cultivation of food crops in that particular region, taste preferences, culture, and traditions. 

3.1.2 How have cooking practices changed over time?

You have learnt that food habits vary across states. Our food choices as well as practices of food preparation may differ from one another. Have our food habits and cooking practices changed over time? 

Prepare a list of questions for gathering information from elderly people about their food habits and cooking practices. Following are some of the sample questions—  

• What kind of food do you still eat and what is new? 
• What are the changes in cooking practices over time? 
• What has caused these changes?  
  

Conduct interviews with some elderly people based on the questions prepared. 

(a) Chulha (Traditional stove)

(b) Modern gas stove

(c) Sil-batta (Stone grinder)

(d) Electrical grinder

What are your findings from the interviews you conducted? Cooking practices, also called culinary practices, have changed over time. There is a significant difference between traditional and modern culinary practices. Earlier, most cooking was done using a chulha (Fig. 3.1a). Nowadays, most of us cook using a modern gas stove (Fig. 3.1b). Earlier, most grinding was done manually using a sil-batta (Fig. 3.1c). These days, we use an electrical grinder for ease of grinding (Fig. 3.1d). Find out what were the other ways of cooking and grinding. Why have these culinary practices changed over time? These changes may be due to factors such as technological development, improved transportation and better communication.  

Medu and Mishti visit the ‘Traditional Food Festival’ organised in their school. The theme of the festival is ‘Eat Healthy, Live Healthy’. 

The festival features various stalls displaying different kinds of traditional dishes. Dr Poshita, a nutritional expert, explains to students that ʻHealth is the Ultimate Wealthʼ.  

Let us understand what Dr Poshita means by this statement. 

Have you ever missed a meal? How do you feel when you miss a meal? 

We feel tired and less energetic when we do not eat for some time. Why do you think a marathon runner drinks glucose water during and after a race?

Glucose provides instant energy. Glucose is an example of a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are one of the primary sources of energy in our diet. Cereals like wheat, rice, and maize, vegetables like potato and sweet potato, and fruits like banana, pineapple, and mango are some sources of carbohydrates (Fig. 3.2).

Do you know that common sugar is also a type of carbohydrate? 

Why do you think we prefer to have laddoos as a part of our traditional diet in winters? 

 Besan or wheat flour (aata) and ghee are among the main ingredients of laddoos along with goond (edible gum), nuts, and seeds. Ghee and various kinds of oils are grouped under another kind of food component, which is called fat.

Sources of fats can be from plants or animals (Fig. 3.3). Nuts, such as groundnuts, walnuts, coconuts, and almonds, and seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, are some sources of fat. Fat is a source of stored energy. 

 

Carbohydrates and fats provide us energy for performing various activities. Therefore, they are called energy-giving foods. Identify more food items that are rich sources of carbohydrates and fats .  

Proteins are also an important part of our food. Milk products and pulses are good sources of protein. Sportspersons need proteins in larger quantities to build their muscles. People get proteins from plants as well as animals. Some excellent plant sources of protein are pulses, beans, peas and nuts (Fig. 3.4a). Animal sources of protein are milk, paneer, egg, fish and meat (Fig. 3.4b). Protein-rich foods help in growth and repair of our body. These are, therefore, called body-building foods.  

(a) Plant sources

(b) Animal sources

The right amount of protein must be included in the diet of growing children for their proper growth and development. Which of these food components are part of your daily diet?  

Why do you think we are advised to include servings of fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods in our daily diet? Let us understand the importance of some other food components by reading the following two cases—  

What do you interpret by reading Case 1? What cures scurvy? Lemons and oranges help in curing scurvy. Scurvy is caused due to deficiency of Vitamin C. Vitamin C present in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges helps in curing this disease.  

What do you infer from Case 2?

You may have learnt about iodised salt through newspapers, advertisements or by reading about it on a salt packet. What does it mean? Iodised salt is simply common salt mixed with required quantities of salts of iodine.  

How would you find out more about other food components that protect our body from various diseases?  

• Study the chart given in Fig. 3.5 to explore the functions and sources of various food components. Find out more sources of vitamins and minerals. Also, understand the symptoms of the diseases caused by the lack of these food components. 
• Visit your neighbourhood, interact with people and find out if any individual shows the symptoms listed on the chart (an investigatory project of this kind can be taken by the students under the guidance of a teacher). 
• Correlate these symptoms with their diet and identify the deficiency disease(s) or disorder(s). 
• Suggest the possible cause(s) for the symptoms observed and changes required in the diet for improvement. 
• Suggest them to visit a doctor for further advice  
  

From Fig. 3.5, you have learnt that vitamins (A, B1 , C and D) and minerals (calcium, iodine, and iron) are two groups of food components that protect our body from various diseases. But, how can we overcome vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases or disorders? 

(a) Some sources of Vitamin A

(b) Some sources of Vitamin B1

(c) Some sources of Vitamin C

(d) Some sources of Vitamin D

Food components that provide energy, support growth, help repair and protect our body from diseases, and maintain various bodily functions are called nutrients. The major nutrients in our food include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. 

Vitamins and minerals are also called protective nutrients. These nutrients protect our body from diseases and keep us healthy. Your parents may have advised you to have milk, green vegetables, fruits and wholegrains regularly. These food items are some sources of vitamins (Fig. 3.6) and minerals. Although vitamins and minerals are required in small amounts, they are essential to keep our body healthy.

What differences do you observe in raw and cooked vegetables? Have you ever noticed that vegetables sometimes lose their bright colour, or become softer and less crisp when cooked? Some nutrients like vitamin C and others are lost during cooking due to high heat. Would it not be wise to include fruits and uncooked vegetables into our diet? Washing cut or peeled vegetables and fruits may also result in the loss of some vitamins. However, it is highly recommended that all fruits and vegetables be thoroughly washed before consumption.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fibres. Let us see how dietary fibres are beneficial for us. In addition to the essential nutrients, our body needs dietary fibres and water. Dietary fibres, also known as roughage, do not provide any nutrients to our body. However, they are an essential component of our food. They help our body get rid of undigested food and ensure smooth passage of stools. Roughage in our food is provided mainly by suitable plant products .

Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, wholegrains, pulses and nuts are good sources of roughage. Eating food that is locally grown and plant based, to the extent possible, is not only healthy for the body but is also good for our environment and our planet. 

Water is also an essential part of our diet. It helps the body absorb nutrients from food. It removes waste from the body through sweat and urine. We should drink sufficient water regularly to keep ourselves healthy.  

Let us find out which nutrients are present in various food items. 

Some nutrients like starch (a type of carbohydrate), fat and protein can be detected using fairly simple tests, while others can be detected only in a well-equipped laboratory. Let us explore how we can detect the presence of starch, fat and protein in some food items.  

• Take a small quantity of the food items such as a slice of potato, cucumber, bread, some boiled rice, boiled gram, crushed peanuts, oil, butter and crushed coconut. You can take other food items too for testing. 
  

• Place a small piece of each item on a separate dish. 
•  With the help of a dropper, put 2–3 drops of diluted iodine solution on each food item (Fig. 3.7).  
• Observe if there are any changes in the colour of the food items. Have they turned blue-black? Record your observations in Table 3.3.  
  

A blue-black colour indicates the presence of starch.  

• Take a small part of the food items that you tested for the presence of starch in Activity 3.5.  
• Place each food item on a separate piece of paper.  
• Wrap the paper around the food and press it. Be careful not to tear the paper. 
• If a food item contains a little water, allow the paper to dry. 
  

Does the paper develop an oily patch? What do you think is the reason for this patch? If oil or butter is present in the food item, it leaves an oily patch on the paper. Now, hold the paper against light. Can you see the light faintly shining through this patch? An oily patch on the paper shows that the food item contains fat. Which of these items contain fats? Record your observations in Table 3.3.  

This activity may be demonstrated by the teacher. 

• Take the food items tested in previous activities. 
• Make a paste or powder of the food item using pestle and mortar (Fig. 3.8).  
• Put about half teaspoon of each food item in a separate clean test tube. 
  

• Add 2–3 teaspoons of water to each test tube and shake them well.  
• Add two drops of copper sulphate solution to each test tube using a dropper.  
• Now, take another dropper and add 10 drops of caustic soda solution to each tube (Fig. 3.8). 
• Shake well and leave the test tubes undisturbed for a few minutes.  
  

What did you observe? Did the content of some test tubes turn violet? This violet colour indicates the presence of proteins in the food item. Write your observations in Table 3.3. 

What conclusions can you draw from Table 3.3? Which food items show the presence of more than one nutrient? Which food items show the presence of both proteins and fats? Peanuts show the presence of both proteins and fats. This indicates that any food which we eat may contain multiple nutrients. Is there a food item that lacks any of these nutrients? Which of these foods do you consume daily? Try to find out other foods that are good sources of starch, fats, and proteins

 

Are nutritional requirements the same for everyone? Do you and your grandparents need the same type or the same amount of nutrients? Requirements of the type and amount of nutrients in a diet may vary according to age, gender, physical activity, health status, lifestyle, and so on.  

You have listed food consumed by you during the week in Activity 3.1. Check whether your food contains all the nutrients and other essential components necessary for growth and development. If not, check which nutrients or other food components need to be added. A diet that has all essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amount for proper growth and development of the body is known as a balanced diet. What changes would you make in your diet to make it a balanced diet?  

Read the nutritional information given below for a packet of potato wafers and a packet of roasted chana shown here.  

(a) Potato wafers

(b) Roasted chana

Based on the nutritional information on the food packets given above, which food would you choose? Why? 

Some foods have high calories due to high sugar and fat content. Moreover, they contain very low amounts of proteins, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibres. These foods are called junk foods. These foods include potato wafers, candy bars and carbonated drinks. Consuming these foods frequently is not good as these are not healthy for our body. They make a person obese. Such a person may suffer from several health problems. You should always remember Dr Poshita’s statement that ʻHealth is the Ultimate Wealth.ʼ We should take care of our body to stay healthy. Eating a balanced diet and avoiding junk food contribute towards a healthy body. Good health is essential for leading a happy life. 

Which of the two foods you studied in Activity 3.9 could be labelled as junk food?

You may have heard of jowar, bajra, ragi, and sanwa (Fig. 3.9). These are native crops of India (Fig. 3.9). These can be easily cultivated in different climatic conditions. These highly nutritious grains are also called millets. Have you ever had food items made from these millets?  

Millets are small-sized grains and have been an integral part of the Indian diet for centuries. They have regained popularity due to their numerous health benefits. They are good sources of vitamins, minerals like iron and calcium, and dietary fibres as well. That is the reason they are also called nutri-cereals. They contribute significantly to a balanced diet required for the normal functioning of our body.  

How does food reach from a farm to our plate? What are the steps involved in this process? Who are the people involved in this process? Do you know how much time and effort is required to get the wheat flour once seed grains germinate in the farm? Let us look at Fig. 3.10 to understand the entire process of making the chapati that we eat. 

The entire distance travelled by a bag of wheat or any other food item, from the producer to the consumer, is known as its food miles. Reducing food miles is important because it helps to cut down the cost and pollution during its transport, it helps support local farmers, and it also keeps our food fresher and healthier. 

Many people waste food, leaving it unconsumed on their plates. One must remember the time and effort put by our farmers and other community members in getting the food from the farm to our plate. We must take only as much food as we can consume. It would reduce food wastage. Try to find the timeline for the various processes involved in getting the food from farm to plate (Fig. 3.10).

• People across India eat diverse types of food, containing various food components.
• Choice of food may vary according to the cultivation of food crops in a region, taste preferences, culture and traditions, and so on.
• Culinary practices have changed over time. There is a significant difference between traditional and modern methods of cooking food.
• Food provides us energy, support growth, repairs our bodies and protects us from diseases. 
• The major nutrients in our food are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, food also contains dietary fibres and water.
• Carbohydrates and fats are primary energy sources, while proteins are body-building nutrients.
• Vitamins and minerals strengthen our body, protect us from infections, and keep us healthy.
• A balanced diet provides all the essential nutrients in the right quantities, along with adequate roughage and water.
• Deficiency of one or more nutrients in our diet for a long time can lead to deficiency diseases and disorders. Junk foods are unhealthy as they contain high levels of sugar and fats but little protein, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibres.
• Millets are known as nutri-cereals as they provide most of the nutrients required for the normal functioning of our bodies. They can be easily cultivated in different climatic conditions.
• Eating food that is locally grown and plant based, to the extent possible, is not only healthy for our bodies but is also good for our environment and our planet.
• The distance travelled by a food item, from the place of its production to the consumer, is called food miles. We must aim to minimise food miles.
• We should never waste food and only take as much as we can consume.