CBSE Notes Class 6 Science Chapter 1 Components of Food
We know the importance of food, it is required for growth, maintenance of the body and also to protect us from diseases. We eat a large variety of food, and people from different parts of our country have different food habits. Some people prefer rice, others take chapatis or meat and fish.
1.0Download CBSE Class 6 Science Chapter 1 Components of Food Notes : Free PDF
Download CBSE Class 6 Science Chapter 1 – Components of Food Notes in a free and easy-to-access PDF format. These notes provide a clear summary of essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, along with their functions and importance.
2.0Components of Food
- Nutrients are the substances in the food that every living organism needs to make energy, grow, develop and reproduce.
- There are seven essential components or substances called nutrients in our food.
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Proteins
- Mineral salts
- Vitamins
- Water
- Fiber (also called roughage)
There are two main types of nutrients.
- Macronutrient : It consists of carbohydrates, fats and proteins which are required in large amounts.
- Micronutrient : It consists of vitamins and minerals which are required in small amounts.
- Carbohydrates
- Carbohydrates are as important to the body as fuel is to cars.
- These are the common energy-giving compounds.
- There are two major types of carbohydrates in food : sugar and starch. Sugar is used to provide energy immediately. Starch releases energy more slowly than sugar..
- Foods rich in carbohydrates are potato, sweet potato, bread, rice, wheat, honey, common sugar, jaggery (gur) and milk.
- Fats
- Fats too provide us energy, producing more energy than carbohydrates. Fat- rich foods are
- milk products such as butter and cheese
- vegetable oils such as coconut oil, groundnut oil
- nuts,
- milk
- animal fat from meat.
- Fats provide more than double the energy provided by carbohydrates or proteins but still carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy because fats make energy available at a slower pace.
Functions of fat
- Efficient source of energy
- Forms an insulating layer beneath the skin to prevent excessive heat loss. e.g. Blubber in whales
- Formation of fat soluble vitamins and various hormones.
- Proteins
- These are body-building foods.
- Proteins help the body in its growth, repair of body cells and tissues, protect and help the body to fight against infections and regulate body functions.
- Protein sources of plant origin include pulses, soybeans, peas, and to a lesser extent cereals.
- Meat, eggs, cheese, milk and fish provide proteins of animal origin.
- Mineral salts
- Mineral salts are important for various body functions.
- They are required in small quantities and are obtained from the food we take in. Minerals have no energy value.
- Rich sources are milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables (like spinach), pulses, meat and eggs.
- Vitamins
- Vitamins are neither body building nor energy giving food, but are very important for proper functioning of our bodies.
- Some vitamins can be produced by our body, but most have to be supplied through food. Vitamins are classified into two types
- Fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E, K.
- Water soluble vitamins - B and C
- Water
- Water is indispensable.
- About 70 percent of our body weight is that of water.
- It helps the body in various functions.
- It is a means of transporting substances in the organism.
- It helps to maintain a constant body temperature.
- Water helps in the absorption of food and excretion of waste products from the body in the form of urine and sweat.
- Our body needs 2-3 liters of water every day.
- Dietary fibers / Roughage
- Roughage is the fibrous indigestible material in food that promotes the elimination of wastes from the large intestine.
- Fibers come from plants.
- Fiber is the substance that gives plants their form.
- The fibers that we eat are known as dietary fibers.
- Whole grains and pulses, potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables are main sources of roughage.
3.0Balanced Diet
- A diet that contains an adequate amount of different components of food required for the healthy functioning of our body is called a balanced diet.
- According to scientists, a balanced diet must include foodstuffs from the following four basic food groups:
- Milk group : Includes milk and milk products.
- Meat group: Includes meat (chicken, fish, lamb, etc.) and meat substitutes (beans, peas, nuts, and seeds).
- Fruit and vegetable group: Includes fruits and vegetables.
- Grain group: Includes breads and cereals.
Effect of Cooking on Nutrients
- Selecting and eating the right kind of food is not enough.
- It should be cooked properly.
- Cooking improves the taste of food and makes it easily digestible.
- Cooking results in loss of certain nutrients.
- For example, Vitamin C gets easily destroyed by heat during cooking.
- It is, therefore, advised to include fruits and raw vegetables in our diet. In the case of rice, it is a common practice to use excess water during cooking and then throw off the extra water.
- This results in loss of nutrients.
4.0Diseases due to Imbalance in the Diet
- Many diseases are known to occur just because of imbalances in the diet. Imbalances in the diet may be due to following three reasons :
- Inadequate quantity of food (under-nourishment or undernutrition)
- Excess of food (overnutrition)
Frequently Asked Questions
Join ALLEN!
(Session 2025 - 26)
Choose class
Choose your goal
Preferred Mode
Choose State