Introduction

Why do we need Food?

  • We know that all living things be it plants and animals need food and water to live on.
  • We need food because food gives us energy.
  • The food we eat gives our body essential nutrients to help us grow and heal when we are injured or are ill.
  • Thus food keeps us healthy and provides us with essential nutrients to fight diseases and maintain body functions.

 

Food is a substance eaten by us to do work, growth, maintain our body and remain healthy.

 

  • Food Definition: - It refers to the edible substances consumed by humans and other animals in order to obtain energy for various tasks as well as growth and development.
  • We must NEVER WASTE food in any way.
  • We must consume food four times a day to remain healthy -> Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks, Dinner.

Importance of Food

  • The importance of food for living organisms is as follows:
    1. It helps in the growth of living organisms.
    2. It also helps to repair and replace damaged parts of the body.
    3. This provides the energy required for various activities.
    4. It provides protection from infections and various diseases.
    5. It helps in the overall growth and development of an organism.
  • We must eat different kinds of food at different times for proper Nutrition.
  • Different people eat different types of food according to their habits, lifestyle, taste, region, religion, availability and various other factors.
  • Even in a single-family different people have different choices of food.

Food Variety

Introduction

Why do we need Food?

  • We know that all living things be it plants and animals need food and water to live on.
  • We need food because food gives us energy.
  • The food we eat gives our body essential nutrients to help us grow and heal when we are injured or are ill.
  • Thus food keeps us healthy and provides us with essential nutrients to fight diseases and maintain body functions.

Food is a substance eaten by us to do work, growth, maintain our body and remain healthy.

  • Food Definition: - It refers to the edible substances consumed by humans and other animals in order to obtain energy for various tasks as well as growth and development.
  • We must NEVER WASTE food in any way.
  • We must consume food four times a day to remain healthy -Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks, Dinner.

Importance of Food

  • The importance of food for living organisms is as follows:
    1. It helps in the growth of living organisms.
    2. It also helps to repair and replace damaged parts of the body.
    3. This provides the energy required for various activities.
    4. It provides protection from infections and various diseases.
    5. It helps in the overall growth and development of an organism.
  • We must eat different kinds of food at different times for proper Nutrition.
  • Different people eat different types of food according to their habits, lifestyle, taste, region, religion, availability and various other factors.
  • Even in a single-family different people have different choices of food.

FOOD VARIETY

What are ingredients?

  • Food Ingredients are the materials required to prepare the dish we consume as food.
  • Food Ingredients can be obtained from plant sources and animal sources.
  • To prepare food we need different kinds of ingredients for example - To cook vegetable curry we need different types of vegetables, salt, spices oil and so on. Another example is to prepare vegetable curry, we need different kinds of vegetables, salt, spices, oil

IngredientAny substances or materials that are required to produce a dish are called Ingredients.

Example: Atta (flour) and water are the two ingredients required to make a chapatti.

  • The table given below shows some food items and major ingredients used to prepare them

Food Materials and Sources

Food Materials and Sources

Plant Part As Food

Sources of Food

Let us now learn about food variety and food sources.

  • Plants and animals are the two sources of our food materials. So, we obtain food from plants as well as animals.
  • Milk, egg, meat, chicken, fish, prawn, beef, pork etc. are the food products that we get from animals.
  • Grain, cereals, vegetables and, fruits are the source of food that comes from plants and plants products.

Plant Source

  • For us, several parts of the plant serve as sources of food. We eat fruits, vegetables, cereals, and pulses etc, which are types of food that come from various portions of a plant.
  • For example, we eat leafy vegetable, fruits, and some parts of plants like stem and roots.
  • Green plants -> are called PRODUCERS because they prepare their own food using lightair (carbon dioxide), water, & chlorophyll (green pigment present in trees) by the process of photosynthesis.
  • So, we can say that green plants are the primary source of food.

FigurePlant-parts-as-food.png

  • Table Given below shows various edible plant parts that serve as food sources for us.

  • When the seeds begin to grow (or germinate) by developing tiny roots, they are called Sprouts
  • The food value of seeds can be increased by converting them into sprouts
  • They are a rich source of vitamins like vitamin A, B & C
  • The method of converting seed into sprouts is called Sprouting.

Plant Parts and Animal Products as Food

Plant Parts and Animal Products as Food

Animal Products as Food

  1. Meat – Goat, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Prawns etc. are part of the Non-vegetarian diet.
  2. Egg – Eggs of Hen, Duck, Goose like meat are also part of the Non-vegetarian diet.
  3. Milk – Dairy products obtained from Cow, Buffalo, Camel, Goat in a dairy farm
  4. Honey – Bees collect nectar (sweet juices) from flowers, convert it into honey and store it in their hive.

Plants act as sources of food ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses etc.

Animals are sources of food ingredients such as milk, eggs, meat products etc.

These are shown in the figure above.

Some examples of edible plant parts are shown in the image above and their examples are given below:

  • Roots: beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, ginger,
  • Stems: broccoli stem, bamboo shoots, sugar cane, potato
  • Leaves: spinach, lettuce etc.
  • Fruits: apple, pear, tomatoes, grapes, cherries, oranges
  • Edible Flowers: broccoli heads, cauliflower heads
  • Seeds: sunflower seeds

Plant parts as food

Table Given below shows various edible plant parts that serve as food sources for us.

  • When the seeds begin to grow (or germinate) by developing tiny roots, they are called Sprouts
  • The food value of seeds can be increased by converting them into sprouts
  • They are a rich source of vitamins like vitamin A, B & C
  • The method of converting seed into sprouts is called Sprouting.

Important Definitions

Nectar: The juicy sweet liquid secreted by within flowers which is sucked by bees and is made into honey by them

Sprouting: The process by which seeds shoot out small white structures as way of growth is called Sprouting.

Cellulose: It is a substance that is found in the cell walls of a number of plants. It is an indigestible fiber and is found in grass.

Enzymes: It is defined as a chemical substance that helps in bringing about changes to certain other substances without undergoing any changes in themselves.

What do Animals Eat?

What do Animals Eat?

Animals can be classified into three broad categories in terms of what they eat as can be seen in the image above,

Different Type of Animals

Herbivores

Animals which eat only plants and plant products are called herbivores. For example: Elephant, rabbit, horse, Cow etc.

Carnivores

Animals which eat other animals are called carnivores. For example: Lizard, Lion, tiger, crocodile etc.

Omnivores

These animals eat both plants and animals. For example: Dog, cat, crow, etc.

First we have the Herbivores i.e. plant eaters. They only consume plant parts. Examples: Cows, goats, deer, giraffe etc.

Next we have the Carnivores i.e. meat eaters. They only consume meat of other animals. Examples: Lions, tigers, vultures etc.

Last we have Omnivores i.e. animals who eat both plant parts and meat products. Examples: Humans, bears etc.

  • Animals are unable to produce their own food by the process of photosynthesis, they only consume food made by others, and hence called CONSUMERS.
  • Animals are grouped into 3 categories based on their food habits.
    1. Herbivores - Herbivores Animals are those animals that feed on plants i.e, these are animals that eat only plants or plant products.
    2. Carnivores - Carnivorous animals are those animals who eat other animals. So, carnivores Animals that feed on other animals are called carnivores.
    3. Omnivores - animals that eat both plants and animals.
  • Table given below shows examples of different types of animals

Special characteristics of Herbivores

  1. Herbivores like a cow, horse, and goat have wide, blunt teeth which are suitable for pulling plants off the ground and grinding them.
  2. Herbivores like cow and camel have the ability to bring back previously swallowed food to the mouth for chewing it the second time. This helps them to absorb most of the nutrients from hard-to-digest food like grass.
  3. Squirrels have a pair of broad, sharp-edged front teeth (incisors) in each jaw They use these teeth to gnaw food items like nuts.
  4. Butterfly and hummingbird do not need to worry about chewing their food. They have mouth parts shaped like a straw to suck nectar from flowers.

Special Characteristics of Carnivores

  1. The diet of carnivores is rich in fats and proteins
  2. Carnivores animals like lion and tiger have sharp and pointed front teeth (canines). They also have sharp claws and powerful jaws which help them to tear flesh.
  3. Carnivorous birds like eagle have curved, pointed beaks that allow them to tear flesh.
  4. Carnivores like chameleon and frog have a long, sticky tongue that they use to catch insects.
  5. Carnivorous fish like a shark has several small, sharp teeth that help them bite off chunks of flesh.
  6. Carnivores such as snakes swallow their prey (prey are animal that is hunted or killed for food) whole.

Special Characteristics of Omnivores

  1. Omnivores like a bear and human beings have different types of teeth that help them to eat both plants and the flesh of other animals.
  2. Omnivorous birds like crow have a sharp and pointed beak to help them eat a
    variety of food.

Scavengers and Decomposers:

  1. Scavengers are birds and animals which eat the flesh of other dead animals. Eg: Vulture.
  2. Decomposers are organisms that feed on and destroy (or decompose) dead plants and animals. E.g.: Fungi and bacteria
  3. Both scavengers and decomposers play a very important role in cleaning the environment. Without them, our planet would be covered with dead plants and animals.

There are five major components of food namely vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. While the diet of carnivores is rich in fats and proteins, there are some necessary vitamins and minerals in plant-based foods that their diet lacks. Similarly, an all plant-based diet lacks in a good amount of protein and certain minerals.

It is important to know that there is difference between vegetarians and herbivores. While vegetarians make a conscious decision to not eat meat, herbivores on the other hand are incapable of eating meat and dairy products. Similarly, carnivores lack the necessary enzymes in their stomachs to digest cellulose which is a major component of green food like grass. 

Related Chapter Name