📘 Class 6 Science – Nutrients

📌 Nutrients

👉 Nutrients are useful substances needed by our body for energy, good health, and proper growth.

👉 Five basic nutrients in our food: Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, and Minerals.

👉 Along with these, roughage (dietary fibre) and water are also important.

Overview of nutrients — Overview: Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, Roughage & Water.

📌 Balanced Diet

👉 A diet that has all essential nutrients, roughage, and water in the right amounts is called a balanced diet.

👉 We should eat a balanced diet for good health and proper growth.

📌 Components of a Balanced Diet

Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Dietary fibre (roughage) and Water

📌 Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the primary sources of energy. Example: Glucose provides instant energy.

Why we need them: Necessary for daily activities and body functions.

Sources: Cereals (wheat, rice, maize), tubers (potato, sweet potato), fruits (banana, mango).

Carbohydrate sources — Carbohydrate-rich foods: cereals, tubers and fruits.

📌 Fats

Fats are energy-giving foods and provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates. They store energy and help keep the body warm.

Examples: Ghee, cooking oils, butter.

Sources: Plant-based (groundnuts, coconut, almonds), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), animal-based (fish oil, meat fat).

Q. Why are carbohydrates and fats called energy-giving foods?

Answer: They provide energy needed to perform various activities.

Sources of fats: oils, nuts, dairy, fish oil.

📌 Proteins

Function: Help in growth and repair of body tissues — called body-building foods.

Sources: Pulses, beans, peas, nuts, milk, paneer, egg, fish, meat.

Note

⭐ Sports persons and growing children need more proteins for muscle building and repair.

Protein sources — Protein-rich foods: pulses, dairy, eggs, meat.

📌 Vitamins

Vitamins keep the body healthy and protect it from diseases. We need only small amounts daily.

Types include: A, B, C, D, E, K. Sources: Green vegetables, fruits, milk, fish, eggs.

Vitamins sources — Fruits and vegetables are major sources of vitamins.

Vitamin A

Functions: Keeps eyes and skin healthy

Sources: Papaya, carrot, mango, milk

Deficiency disease: Night blindness / Loss of vision

Symptoms:

Poor vision
Loss of vision in darkness (night blindness)
Sometimes complete loss of vision

Vitamin B1

Functions: Keeps the heart healthy

Sources: Legumes, nuts, whole grains, seeds, milk products

Deficiency disease: Beriberi

Symptoms:

Swelling
Tingling or burning sensation in feet and hands
Difficulty in breathing

Vitamin C

Functions: Helps the body fight disease

Sources: Amla (gooseberry), citrus fruits (lemon, orange), guava

Deficiency disease: Scurvy

Symptoms:

Bleeding gums
Slow healing of wounds

Vitamin D

Functions: Helps body absorb calcium for bone and teeth health

Sources: Sunlight exposure, milk, eggs, fish

Deficiency disease: Rickets

Symptoms:

Soft and bent bones

📌 Minerals

Minerals keep us fit and help fight diseases. Foods rich in minerals are protective foods.

Iron

Function: Needed for formation of blood

Sources: Green leafy vegetables, beetroot, pomegranate

Deficiency disease: Anaemia

Symptoms:

Weakness
Shortness of breath

Calcium

Function: Keeps bones and teeth healthy

Sources: Milk, soya milk, curd, cheese, paneer

Deficiency: Weak bones, tooth decay

Iodine

Function: Helps physical and mental development

Sources: Seaweed, water chestnut (singhada), iodized salt

Deficiency disease: Goitre

Symptoms:

Swelling at front of neck

🔔 Dietary Fibre and Water

Dietary fibre (roughage) helps remove undigested food and ensures smooth passage of stools.

Sources: Green leafy vegetables (spinach), fruits (apples, oranges, berries), whole grains (brown rice, oats), pulses and nuts.

Water

Water helps absorb nutrients and removes waste through sweat and urine. Drink sufficient water regularly.

Foods that provide water: watermelon, orange, cucumber, tomato, spinach, milk, soups, juices.

🧪 How to Test Different Components of Food?

Food tests — Simple tests you can do at home for starch, fats and proteins.

Test for Starch (Carbohydrate)

Add iodine solution to the food; a blue-black color indicates presence of starch.

Test for Fats

Rub food on paper. If an oily patch appears (visible when held to light), fat is present.

Test for Proteins

Add mixture of copper sulphate and caustic soda; a violet color indicates proteins.

❤️ Junk Food and Good Health

🚨 Foods with too much sugar and fat and very little protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre are called junk foods — eat them only sometimes.

Examples: potato chips, candy bars, pizza, burger, cold drinks (soda).

Health Tip

👩‍⚕️ Eat a balanced diet and avoid junk food — good health helps us live a happy life.

🩺 Millets: Nutrition-rich Cereals

Millets such as jowar, bajra, ragi and sanwa are nutritious and provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.

📌 Food Miles: From Farm to Our Plate

Food miles are the distance a food item travels from farmer to consumer. Reducing food miles saves transport cost, reduces pollution, supports local farmers and keeps food fresh.

🍽️ Food Wastage

Some people leave food uneaten — respect farmers' hard work.
Take only as much as you can eat to reduce food wastage.

🎯 Quick Quiz

Q1. Which nutrient is the main source of instant energy?

(a) Protein (b) Carbohydrate (c) Vitamin

Q2. Which vitamin helps in calcium absorption and bone health?

(a) Vitamin A (b) Vitamin C (c) Vitamin D

Q3. Which mineral is needed for formation of blood?

(a) Calcium (b) Iron (c) Iodine