Science

GARDE VIII
How to maintain index?
Food and digestion
Chapter # 1
Nutrients in food
The different types of nutrients in food may be classified as
follows

Fibre
F
Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates supply our bodies with most of the energy that we need.
Carbohydrates are compounds made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Carbohydrates include sugar and complex carbohydrates.
Sugar include simple sugar such as glucose and fructose
Complex sugar such as lactose (milk), maltose and sucrose (cane sugar)
Starch:

Starch is found
in food such as
rice, potatoes,
bread, cereals,
noodles, yam,
beans and grains
testing for starch:

The presence of starch in food can be tested by the use of iodine solution. A
blue black colour is obtained if iodine solution is added to starch.
Sugars:

Sugars are found naturally in fruits, sugar cane and milk.

Food or drinks made from refined sugar such as candies and soft drinks provide us with a lot of
energy but little of other nutrients.
testing for glucose:
The presence of the simple sugar, glucose can be tested by using Benedict’s solution,
which is light blue in colour . When an equal amount of Benedict’s solution and glucose
solution are mixed and heated, an orange red precipitate is formed.
Fats:
Fats are compound made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Fats give
more than twice the energy as the same amount of carbohydrates.
Fats serve as reserve supply of energy.
Too much fat in our body can lead to health problem like heart diseases.

Fats from animals can be found in butter,

meat cheese and milk
Fats from plants can be found in margarine,
nuts, cooking oil, palm oil and olive oil.
testing for fats:

The presence of fats in food can be tested by using ethanol.

When little ethanol is added to a drop of oil and mixed well a clear solution is formed. If some water
is added to this clear mixture, a white emulsion is formed.
Proteins:
Proteins consist of long chains of amino acids which are made up of the elements carbon,
hydrogen and nitrogen.
There are about 20 different type of amino acids, which link up and combine in various
ways to form millions of different type of proteins.
Main function of proteins is to build body cells, tissues, enzymes and hormones.
They are essential for growth and repair of worn-out parts of our bodies.
Deficiency in protein results in a disease called Kwashiorkor, which is characterised by
loss of body fat, distended belly and wasting of muscles.
Testing for proteins:
biuret solution

The presence of soluble protein in food can be tested by using a Biuret solution. Which is a
mixture of sodium hydroxide solution and small amount of copper sulphate solution. A change to
violet colour is observed when the blue Biuret solution is mixed with a soluble protein.
Fibre:
Fibre is made up of cellulose which cannot be broken down by our bodies. It
passes right through the body and leave as solid waste in the form of faeces.
The right amount of fibre in our diet keep our intestines healthy and working
properly.
Vitamins
Vitamins are needed in small amount by our bodies for health and
growth. Lack of vitamins in the diet can lead to deficiency diseases such
as SCURVY (bleeding gums) and RICKETS (stunted growth and
softening of bones and teeth).
Minerals
Minerals are substances needed by the body in tiny amounts for proper growth and
development. They are needed in some body tissues and are used in some chemical
reactions of the body.
Water
Water does not provide us with energy, but it plays vital role in many life
processes. Without water we would die very quickly. Water makes up
about 70% of our body mass. It is needed for breaking down food,
dissolving nutrients and transporting them around our bodies.
We lose a lot of water daily through our perspiration, urine and the air we
breathe out. An average person needs about 2 to 3 liters of water per day.
Workbook work:
Do page no 5 and 12
Learn carbohydrates, testing for starch, testing
for glucose, fats, testing for fats, proteins and
testing for proteins.
Test will be taken on Saturday.
energy value of carbohydrates fats and proteins
A balanced diet
A varied diet consists of different type of food which supply us with energy
and different type of nutrients which our bodies need.
A balance diet contains the right amount of energy, carbohydrates, proteins,
fats, fibre, vitamins, minerals and water to meet the requirements of the
body.
Base on the healthy eating pyramid, a healthy diet should include:
* More carbohydrates from Whole grain food such as brown rice, oatmeal
and whole wheat bread
• Healthy fats, such as plant oils and those from fatty fish.
• More vegetables and fruits to provide vitamins, minerals and fiber
• A suitable amount of nuts and beans to provide vitamins, minerals and
proteins
• A suitable amount of meat such as fish, poultry and eggs and little of
red meat.
If the amount of energy taken in is more than what is used up, the extra energy will be
stored as fats. This can lead to obesity. Obese people are more likely to suffer from heart
diseases than people of normal weight. To much sugar int diet can also cause obesity and
tooth decay while too much salt can cause high blood pressure.
While overeating is unhealthy for us,
not eating enough can lead us to malnutrition.
Digestion
Food provides us with energy and nutrients. Most of the food we eat consists of large and
insoluble molecules such as starch, fats and proteins which cannot diffuse through the cell
membrane into the cells. These large and insoluble molecules have to be broken down into
smaller, soluble molecules which can then be absorbed by the bloodstream into the cells.
The process of breaking down food into soluble molecules is called digestion.

Physical Digestion
Big pieces of food are broken down into smaller pieces. There is no chemical reaction take place.

Chemical Digestion
Is the breakdown of large food molecules into smaller ones. Chemical digestion involves chemical reaction.
Chemical digestion is speed up by the action of ENZYMES.
Enzymes are special type of protein produced by the body for speeding up specific chemical reaction in
the body.
Enzymes that help in digestion are called Digestive Enzymes.
Different type of digestive enzymes help to break down different nutrients into smaller and soluble
molecules during digestion.
The human digestive system
Mouth
Digestion of food starts in the mouth. The food that we put into our mouth is
broken down into smaller pieces by action of our teeth. Breaking up food into
smaller pieces increases the surface area of the food for the digestive enzymes to
act on. The food is then mixed with saliva and its enzyme, salivary amylase.
Oesophagus (gullet)
The Oesophagus (gullet) is narrow tube with strong muscles in its wall. These muscles contract
and relax, producing a wave like pattern which pushes the food along the oesophagus to the
stomach. The involuntary wave like muscular contraction by which food is moved through the
alimentary canal is called peristalsis.
No digestive enzymes are produced here.
Stomach
Stomach is a muscular organ. Its wall secreted a juice called gastric juice which is made up of
hydrochloric acid, digestive enzyme called proteases and water.
The proteases in the stomach digest long chain pf protein molecules into shorter protein chain. The
hydrochloric acid, which activates the proteases and gets them working, also killed unwanted bacteria
that may have been swallowed.
When food leaves the stomach, it has become a semi liquid mass called chyme, which is released in
small amounts at different intervals of time into the small intestines.