Introduction:
Food is required for getting energy, for being healthy and for growth and maintenance of the tissues. Our meal contains at least; one kind of grain, a vegetable, pulses/meat, salad and other things like; ghee curd etc.
Our body need s different kinds of food for some special purpose. Therefore, we eat more than one food items at a time.
What Do Different Food Items Contain?
Each dish is made of one or more ingredients which we get from either plants or animals.
The ingredient of the food contains some components that are needed by our body. These components are called nutrients.
Do all foods contain all these nutrients?
Most food items, usually, have more than one nutrient. but one nutrient may be present in much larger quantity than in others. For example, rice has more carbohydrates than other nutrients. Thus, we say that rice is a “carbohydrate rich” source of food.
Why do we need all these nutrients?
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- All these nutrients play important role in our body.
- Carbohydrates and fats provide us energy.
- Proteins are building components. These are main structural component.
- Vitamins and minerals protect us from diseases.
- Water is essential as it is part of protoplasm and other body fluids. It is also required for absorption of nutrients and removal of waste through urine and sweat.
- Dietary fibers are essential as they provide bulk for removal of undigested food and satisfy appetite.