Chapter 1 :- Basic Aspects

The importance of food in maintaining good health:-

  • What we eat provides all the essential nutrients to our body. This supplies our body with the right amount of energy to do our daily work. And all these nutrients come only from healthy food, not anything and everything we eat.
  • Healthy food is needed to stimulate the growth hormones that will increase our height gradually with age.
  • Healthy food is also needed for the functioning of our system. All the nutrients derived from healthy food trigger body cells and brain cells to actively run and perform their task.
  • Healthy food improves the immune system, preventing you from falling sick easily. A strong immunity fights against all disease bearing bacteria and viruses.
  • It is generally advised to cut out fat from our diet. This is often mistaken as entirely excluding even healthy fats. The unhealthy fats that should not be eaten are called saturated, and trans- fats. Mono unsaturated fats, poly unsaturated fats, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are very important for our health, just like proteins and vitamins. These fats get stored under skin cells which get transformed into energy required for physical and mental activities. It is important that we include these in our diet.
  • Healthy food can help you maintain a well-shaped body without falling into the evil trap of weight gain or obesity.
 (A.) Definition of the terms Health, Nutrition and Nutrients:-

Health:- The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. 
            Health is a positive state of complete well-being and not just the absence of disease. When we are tired or exhausted, we cannot concentrate on our work. To remain healthy a balance between work and rest or recreation is necessary. This improves our work efficiency. 
            A person must look healthy, feel healthy, and have a balanced mind and be a socially responsible individual. 

Nutrition:- It is a combination of processes by which the human body receives and utilizes nutrients which are necessary for carrying out various functions and for the growth and renewal of its components. 
                 Thus, nutrition refers to the various processes in the body for making use of food. It includes eating the right kind and amount of food, absorption of nutrients into the blood stream, use of individual nutrients by the cells in the body, maintenance and growth of cells, tissues, and organs, and elimination of wastes.

Nutrients:- Nutrients are the chemical substances present in food, which the body needs to carry out its functions. Food is the source of all nutrients, except Vitamin D. There are six major groups of nutrients, namely proteins,carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Each group has several nutrients in it, and each nutrient has specific functions in the body.

Food:- Food can be defined as any substance which nourishes the body and is fit to eat. It may be solid or liquid. 
            Food provides the body with materials for providing energy, growth, and maintenance, and regulating various processes in the body. These materials of which food is made up of are termed nutrients. 

Malnutrition:- Malnutrition (mal means faulty) is an impairment of health resulting from a deficiency, excess,or inbalance of nutrients in the diet. It includes both undernutrition or deficiency and overnutrition or excessive consumption. 

Diet:- A diet means the kinds and amounts of food and beverage consumed every day. 

Kilocalorie (kcal) :- It is the unit for measuring the energy value of foods or the energy needs of the body. It is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1,000 g water by 1°C. 
          1 kcal = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ) 



(B.) Importance of Food - (Physiological, Psychological, and Social function of food) in maintaining good health:-


(1.) Physiological Functions:- Each nutrient in food has specific functions to perform in the body. The physiological functions performed by food are as follows :-
  • Providing energy:- The body needs energy to carry out voluntary and involuntary work. Involuntary work includes all processes which are not under the control of our will, such as digestion, respiration, and circulation, and go on continuously irrespective of whether we are asleep or awake. Voluntary activities or activities which we wish to do, such as walking, playing games, and working, require energy, and the amount of energy required will depend on the nature of activity. 
  • Body building or growth:- An infant grows into a healthy adult by consuming the right kinds and amounts of food year after year. Our body is made up of millions of cells and when growth takes place, new cells are added to the existing cells and cells increase in size. 
  • Maintenance or repair:- In the adult body, worn out cells are continuously being replaced by new ones. The daily wear and tear of cells need to be maintained. Proteins, minerals, and water are the main nutrients required for growth as well as maintenance of all cells and tissues in the body. 
  • Regulation of body processes:- Food also regulates numerous activities in the body such as beating of the heart, maintenance of body temperature, clotting of  blood, and excretion of wastes. Each of these processes is controlled and carried out by specific nutrients, e.g., vitamin K and calcium are necessary for clotting of blood. 
  • Protective function:- Nutrients keep body cells in a healthy condition to ward off infection. They help in building up the body’s resistance to disease and help the bosy recover rapidly from any infection. These functions are performed by vitamins and proteins. 
(2.) Psychological Function:- We all have emotional needs such as need for love, attention, and security. Food can play an important role in fulfilling these needs. A mother can express her love for her child by preparing the child's favourite meal. Food can be given as a reward for good behavior or deprived as a punishment for bad behaviour. 
             People feel comfortable and secure when they are served food they have been used to consuming. Many people eat to relieve anxiety and frustration, while some may eat less or refuse food when they are depressed and lonely. 

(3.) Social Function:- Food carries a lot of social significance. Warmth and friendship are expressed through sharing one's food or inviting people to dine. Preparing social food or one's favourite food is a way of showing respect or affection. 
              Food is a significant part of celebrations for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and other joyous occasions. Festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, Christmas, and Eid have special menus prescribed for the occasions.
             Food also has religious significance. Some foods can be offered to God, while others are avoided on certain days for religious reasons. The type of food prepared and served is a status symbol. Even today, in some communities, adult men are given more and better quality food than women because of their higher social status. 



(C.) Classification of Nutrients:-

Nutrients are the essential constituents of food that are required by the body in suitable amounts. There are approximately 50 nutrients which are placed in six categories, namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. 

Classification on the basis of amounts required everyday:-

Based on their requirement in the body, nutrients are divided into two major groups; the macronutrients and the micronutrients. Most of the weight of the food we eat is that of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and water. These are the macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals are required in minute amounts and are also present in food in very small quantities. They are classified as micronutrients. Both macronutrients and micronutrients are equally important for good health, and one cannot enjoy good health without including all nutrients in the diet. 
         The requirement for macronutrients is in grams, while the requirement for micronutrients is in milligrams and micrograms. 
         Foods vary widely in their nutrient content. The nutrients are elements that are essential for our body’s health. These elements can be classified according to their function, their chemical nature, their essentiality, and the quantity required by the human body. 


Macronutrients:-

Macronutrients are consumed in relatively large amounts, macronutrients are used primarily to generate energy or to incorporate into tissues for growth and repair.

Macronutrients:
Carbohydrates: pasta, rice, cereals, bread, potatoes, milk, fruit, sugar
Proteins: meat, dairy, legumes, nuts, seafood, and eggs
Fats: oils, butter, margarine, nuts, seeds, avocados and olives, meat and seafood
Water: An adult needs about 2–3 liters of water each day.

Micronutrients:-

Micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts they have subtle biochemical and physiological roles in cellular processes, like vascular functions or nerve conduction.

Micronutrients:

Dietary minerals

Minerals are the substances that people need to ensure the health and correct working of their soft tissues, fluids, and their skeleton.
Examples of minerals include calcium, iron, iodine, fluorine, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, and sodium.

Vitamins

Vitamins are also called protective foods.

Vitamins are further classified into two groups:
Fat-soluble vitamins: vitamins A, D, E, and K are soluble in fats and fat solvents. They are insoluble in water. So these are utilized only if there is enough fat in the body.
Water-soluble vitamins: vitamins B and C, and folic acid are soluble in water and so they cannot be stored in the body.



Key Terms:-
  • Cell:- The smallest unit of life which is capable of functioning independently. 
  • Deficiency:- A state or condition caused due to inadequate dietary intake of one or more nutrients in the diet. 
  • Enzyme:- Enzymes are made up of proteins and act as catalysts for chemical reactions in the body. 
  • Hormone :- A secretion of ductless glands into the blood stream which have specific effects on specific organs.
  • Obesity:- A condition of overweight in which body weight is 20 percent or more than desirable weight. 
  • Overweight:- A condition in which weight is 10-19 percent more than desirable weight. 
  • Tissue:- A group of similar cells. 
  • Underweight:- A condition in which weight is 10-20 percent less than desirable weight. 




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