Chapter 3: Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body

Many fruits and vegetables provide water to our body in addition to the water we drink directly. Some examples include watermelon, cucumber, orange, tomato, grapes, and milk. These foods have high water content and help keep our body hydrated. Soups, buttermilk, and coconut water are also good sources of water.

Food miles refer to the distance a food item travels from the place it is produced to the consumer. When we eat locally grown food, the distance it needs to travel is very short, which means fewer food miles. This reduces transport costs and pollution caused by vehicles carrying food over long distances. It also keeps food fresher and supports local farmers.

(i) Odd one out: Chana Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi are all millets (nutri-cereals), while Chana is a legume/pulse. Millets are small-seeded grains grown as cereal crops, so Chana does not belong to this group.

(ii) Odd one out: Rice Kidney beans, Green gram, and Soya bean are all legumes (pulses) that are rich in protein. Rice is a cereal grain that is mainly a source of carbohydrates, so it is the odd one out.

Traditional culinary practices in India involved cooking on wood-fired stoves (chulhas), using stone grinders (chakki) for flour, and fermenting foods like idli and dosa batter. People used clay pots for cooking and stored food in natural ways without refrigeration. Traditional methods often preserved more nutrients since food was cooked slowly and with minimal processing.

Modern culinary practices use gas stoves, microwave ovens, electric grinders, and refrigerators. Packaged and processed foods are widely available. While modern methods save time and effort, some nutrients may be lost due to high heat processing. Combining the best of both practices — using fresh, local ingredients with modern cooking tools — is the healthiest approach.

Ravi can ask the following questions:

1. Can eating the right foods actually cure or prevent diseases? For example, can eating vitamin C-rich foods like amla and guava prevent scurvy?
2. Are there specific foods that can help the body heal faster after an injury or illness? For example, do calcium-rich foods like milk and paneer help in faster bone recovery?

These questions explore the connection between nutrition and health, showing how a proper diet can protect the body just like medicine does.

This statement is very true. Many foods that taste delicious, like potato wafers, candy bars, and carbonated drinks, are actually junk foods — they are high in fat and sugar but low in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibres. Eating them frequently can lead to obesity and poor health.

On the other hand, some very nutritious foods like bitter gourd (karela) or certain leafy vegetables may not taste very pleasant to everyone, yet they provide essential vitamins, minerals, and roughage. Millets like ragi or jowar are extremely nutritious but may not be everyone's favourite taste. The key is to make healthy foods tasty by preparing them in different ways, so that we enjoy eating what is good for us.

Medu's stomach problems are caused by the lack of dietary fibres (roughage) in his diet. Biscuits, noodles, and white bread are highly processed foods with very little fibre, which makes it difficult for the digestive system to push undigested food out of the body. Roughage is needed for smooth bowel movements.

Medu should add the following to his diet:

• Green leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage
• Fresh fruits like apples, guavas, and bananas
• Pulses and whole grains like dal, brown rice, and whole wheat chapati
• Nuts like almonds and walnuts

These foods are rich in dietary fibre and will help relieve his constipation and stomach ache.

(i) Deficiency disease: Reshma is suffering from Night Blindness, which is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin A. In this condition, a person has poor vision in dim light or darkness.

(ii) Food component lacking: The food component lacking in her diet is Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for keeping the eyes and skin healthy.

(iii) Food items to include: Reshma should include the following foods in her diet:

1. Carrot — a rich source of Vitamin A
2. Papaya — contains good amounts of Vitamin A
3. Mango — a tasty and nutritious source of Vitamin A
4. Milk — provides Vitamin A along with other nutrients

I would prefer fresh fruit over the other two options. Fresh fruit contains all the nutrients — vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre — in their natural form without any loss due to processing. Canned fruit juice often contains added sugar and preservatives, and many vitamins may be lost during processing and storage. Fresh fruit juice, while better than canned juice, still lacks the dietary fibre that is present in the whole fruit. Therefore, eating fresh fruit is the healthiest choice as it provides complete nutrition including roughage.

(i) Why calcium tablets? Calcium is essential for keeping bones and teeth strong and healthy. Since Gourav had a bone fracture, his body needed extra calcium to help rebuild and strengthen the broken bone. Without sufficient calcium, bones remain weak and healing is slow.

(ii) Why Vitamin D syrup along with calcium? Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from food and medicines. Even if Gourav took calcium tablets, his body could not use the calcium properly without enough Vitamin D. So the doctor added Vitamin D to make the calcium tablets more effective for bone repair.

(iii) Possible question: A question that arises is: Why didn't the doctor give Vitamin D from the very first visit along with calcium, since Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium? This makes us think about whether the doctor first checked Gourav's Vitamin D levels before prescribing it.

The iodine test specifically detects the presence of starch, not all carbohydrates. Starch has a complex chain-like structure in which iodine molecules get trapped, producing the characteristic blue-black colour. Sugar (like glucose or sucrose) has a much simpler and smaller molecular structure that cannot trap iodine molecules in the same way. Therefore, sugar does not turn blue-black with iodine, even though it is a carbohydrate. This shows that not all carbohydrates give a positive iodine test — only starch does.

Raman's statement is correct. Starch is one type of carbohydrate, but carbohydrates include many other forms like sugar (glucose, sucrose), glycogen, and cellulose. So while every starch is a carbohydrate, not every carbohydrate is a starch.

Activity to test this:

• Materials needed: Potato (contains starch), sugar solution, bread, iodine solution, dropper
• Steps:
  1. Place a small piece of potato, a drop of sugar solution, and a small piece of bread on separate dishes.
  2. Add 2–3 drops of iodine solution to each using a dropper.
  3. Observe the colour change.
• Observation: Potato and bread turn blue-black (starch present), but sugar solution does NOT turn blue-black.
• Conclusion: Since sugar is a carbohydrate but does not turn blue-black with iodine, it confirms that not all carbohydrates are starches. The iodine test only identifies starch among carbohydrates.

The blue-black colour with iodine indicates the presence of starch. The teacher's saree likely turned blue-black because it was made of a natural fabric like cotton or silk, which may contain starch (sarees are often starched/ironed with starch to make them stiff and crisp). Mishti's socks, on the other hand, are likely made of synthetic fibres like nylon or polyester, which do not contain starch. Since there was no starch in the sock fabric, the iodine did not change colour on the socks.

Millets are considered healthy because they are rich in vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium), dietary fibres, and proteins. They are also called nutri-cereals because of their high nutritional value. They can be easily grown in different climatic conditions, making them affordable and accessible. They contribute significantly to a balanced diet and help the body function normally.

However, eating only millets cannot fully meet all nutritional requirements of the body. A balanced diet requires a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, pulses, dairy products, and fats to provide all nutrients in the right amounts. Relying on just one food group, even a nutritious one like millets, would lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients. Therefore, millets should be part of a balanced and varied diet.

To check whether the given solution is iodine, I would perform a simple starch test. I would take a small piece of boiled potato or a piece of bread and place it on a dish. Then I would add 2–3 drops of the unknown solution onto the food item using a dropper. If the food item turns blue-black in colour, it confirms that the solution contains iodine. If there is no colour change, the solution is likely not iodine. This works because iodine reacts with starch to produce a distinct blue-black colour.

Activity Guidance:

Fortified foods are those to which extra nutrients have been added during processing to improve their nutritional value. Common examples include iodised salt (fortified with iodine), fortified milk (added Vitamin D and calcium), and fortified baby cereals (added iron and vitamins).

How to analyse: Read the nutritional label on each packet and note the name of the food, nutrients listed (energy, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, minerals), and the fortified nutrients specifically added. Compare the nutrients in similar unfortified products if available.

Conclusion: Fortified foods help address common nutrient deficiencies in the population. For example, iodised salt was introduced in India to reduce goitre caused by iodine deficiency. Reading nutritional labels helps us make informed and healthy food choices.

About Tapyo (Apatani tribal salt):

The Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh produces a traditional plant-based salt called tapyo. This salt is made by burning specific plants (like bamboo or certain grasses and plant materials) and collecting the ash. The ash is then dissolved in water, filtered, and the resulting liquid is evaporated to obtain the salt.

Why they make it: The Apatani people live in remote hilly areas where access to commercial iodised salt was historically limited. Tapyo fulfils their dietary requirement for salt (sodium) using locally available plant resources. It is a remarkable example of indigenous knowledge and self-sufficiency in meeting nutritional needs from nature.

Note: Students should collect pictures from the internet, paste them on chart paper, and write a paragraph as instructed. This activity develops research and documentation skills while appreciating tribal traditions and food knowledge.

Ranbhajis (Maharashtra): Ranbhajis are wild leafy vegetables that grow naturally in forests and fields of Maharashtra. They are consumed by tribal communities and are rich in nutrients like iron, vitamins, and dietary fibre. They form an important part of the local diet especially during monsoon season.

Edible Mushrooms (Himachal Pradesh): Various species of wild edible mushrooms grow naturally in the forests of Himachal Pradesh. They are rich in proteins, vitamins (especially Vitamin D and B vitamins), and minerals, making them nutritious additions to the local diet.

Wild food in your region: Students should discuss with elders, family members, or neighbours about locally known wild edible plants, fruits, or vegetables from their area. Examples from different regions include wild berries, tender bamboo shoots, wild tubers, or forest leaves used as food. This activity builds awareness of local biodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge.

Common junk foods students frequently eat: Potato wafers/chips, carbonated cold drinks, candy bars, noodles, fried snacks, biscuits with cream, and packaged sweets.

Sample Letter:

To, The Principal, [School Name]

Subject: Request to ban junk foods in the school campus

Respected Sir/Madam, We, the students of Class 6, wish to bring to your attention that many students regularly consume junk foods like chips, cold drinks, and candy inside the school. These foods are high in sugar, fat, and calories but very low in essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and dietary fibre. Regular consumption can lead to obesity and other health problems.

We request you to kindly ban junk foods in the school canteen and replace them with healthy options like roasted chana, seasonal fruits, sprouts, milk, and homemade snacks.

Thanking you, Students of Class 6

Healthy alternatives: Roasted chana, fresh fruits, sprouts, poha, idli, and dry fruits.

Nutritional requirements vary based on:

Age: Growing children (6–12 years) need more proteins for growth and development, calcium for bone and teeth formation, and iron for blood production. Elderly people need more calcium and Vitamin D to prevent bone loss, but fewer calories as their physical activity decreases.

Physical activity: A person who does heavy physical work (like a farmer or athlete) needs more carbohydrates and proteins for energy and muscle repair. A person with a sedentary lifestyle (like someone who sits at a desk all day) needs fewer calories to avoid weight gain.

Health conditions: A person suffering from anaemia needs more iron-rich foods. A pregnant woman needs extra folic acid, iron, and calcium. A diabetic person needs to limit sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Conclusion: There is no single diet that fits everyone. A balanced diet must be planned according to individual needs, keeping in mind age, activity level, gender, and health status.

Balanced Diet Chart for a 12-Year-Old Child (One Day)

Key nutrients covered:

• Carbohydrates: Rotis, rice, poha
• Proteins: Dal, milk, curd, egg, paneer, chana
• Fats: Small amount from groundnuts, milk, curd
• Vitamins & Minerals: Seasonal fruits and vegetables
• Dietary Fibre: Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, pulses
• Water: Drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day

This diet uses affordable, locally available, and seasonal food items suitable for most regions in India.