Food Groups

Remember While Cooking

Food Preservation

Food Adulteration

Calorie Chart

E-mail me your suggestions.

FOOD FOR HEALTHY LIVING

This site will develop your food habits to a better living.

Hope you will enjoy surfing!

FOOD GROUPS

• FOOD GROUPS
• MEAL PLANNING
• FOOD FOR THE FAMILY

____________________________________________________________________________________________

FOOD GROUPS

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested a more practical system of food grouping. This is

1. Cereals
2. Pulses
3. Milk, egg, and flesh foods
4. Fruits and vegetables
5. Fats and sugar

1.Cereals

Foods like wheat, rice, maize, bajra, ragi, etc., are placed in this group.
The main nutrient found in these foods is carbohydrates (CHO), proteins, vitamin B and B2, iron and fibre.

Cereals form the bulk of our daily meals.
They are the main and also the cheapest source of energy.

The quality of protein obtained from cereals is not very good but when eaten with
pulses, meat, curds or egg it improves considerably.

Cereals should be eaten in unrefined form.
The refined form of wheat called 'maida' , has no fiber and vitamin B in it.

Home pounded or parboiled rice is better then the polished rice.

Sprouting of cereals helps in improving their vitamin C contents.
Similarly fermenting of dough improves its vitamin B content.

2.Pulses

Pulses are good source of protein, specially for those who are vegetarians.
They also contain vitamin B1, B2, calcium and iron.

When they are teamed with cereals the protein quality improves as germination of
pulses improves their vitamin C content.

3. Milk, Egg and Flesh Foods

Any form of milk - fresh, powdered or condensed - is a good source of protein, fat, vitamin B2 and calcium.

• Skimmed milk contains very little fat.

• Curds contain all the nutrients which milk has, because for making curds we use whole milk.

• Cheese is mainly protein as for making it we take out the water and therefore all other nutrients
  which are soluble in water are left out.

Milk protein is of good quality which is considered good for children.

Eggs are a rich source of all nutrients except vitamin C.
Egg protein is the best and is very suitable for growing children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Flesh foods include meat, poultry and fish.
They are rich in protein, vitamin A, B, and B12.
Protein obtained from this group of foods is much better than protein obtained from pulses.

4. Fruits and Vegetables

Citrus fruits, amla and guava are good sources of vitamin C.
Yellow fruits like mango, papaya contain plenty of carotene which is converted into vitamin A in the body.
Dried fruits like figs, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, etc. are rich in vitamins, iron and calcium.
All fruits contain substances which help in bowel movement.

Green leafy vegetables:-Palak, methi, soya, choulai, mint, etc. are rich in calcium, carotene, iron, folic acid and vitaminC.

Roots and tubers:- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots are rich in carbohydrates which is a source of energy. Carrots are rich in carotene and potatoes in vitamin C.

Other vegetables like brinjal, ladies fingers, beans, gourds, tomatoes, etc. provide variety, some mineral and bulk to the daily meals. Some of these also contain vitamin C.

5. Fats and sugar

Butter, ghee and oil are some commonly used fats which are concentrated source of energy.
They also provide essential fatty acids.

Sugar and jaggery are sweetening agents and supply energy.
Jaggery may contain some iron too.

MEAL PLANING

It is a process of deciding what we should eat each day at each meal.

It is necessary to make sure that all the three meals -
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner include foods which would provide to your body everything that it requires.

Things to keep in mind:-

• The requirements of each family member.

• Preferences -likes and dislikes- of individual members.

• Include dishes which fulfill the nutritional requirement and which are also liked by everyone.

• Plan the day's meal in advance so that it is easy to collect things, cook and serve the meal
  on time in an attractive manner.

Factors influencing meal planning:-

Age:- Age of an individual influences both the intake and the quality of food.

For example:- Infants drink only milk or eat semi liquid foods- dalia or khichri. Young babies and children eat everything but in small quantity. They have to be fed more often as compared to adults.

Adults suffering from diabetes should not eat rice, potatoes, sugar and if suffering from constipation needs more of fibber as compared to other adults.

Sex:- Men are more muscular than women and they can do more manual work as compared to strenuous. Hence they need more protein and energy than the women.

Climate:- We tend to eat more in winter than in summer.This is because in winter our body needs more energy and therefore, we tend to include more of the energy rich foods.

Occupation:- People doing more manual work like farmers, players, labourers need more food which is rich in energy and proteins as compared to those who work while sitting most of the time.

Individual physical needs of the members:-

• A growing child needs more protein.

• A sick person needs a diet which is light and easily digestible.

• A person suffering from constipation needs more fiber.

• A pregnant woman needs food also for the fetus who is growing in her womb.

• A lactating mother has to feed her baby, hence her need for nutrients increases.

Economic position:-Selection of food items gets limited if a family has limited income.

Items like cheese, meat, fish, milk, nuts etc. are expensive. If a person can not afford to include them in his regular meals, he can still manage to eat a balanced meal.

FOOD FOR THE FAMILY

A Balanced Meal is a meal which contains all the necessary nutrients that are required by the body.

i.e. proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamin A, B1, B12, C and D, iron, calcium, etc.

To include these nutrients in our daily meal planning we should keep in mind the 5 FOOD GROUPS:-

Such a planned meal is called the basic meal or the family pot or the family meal.

REMEMBER WHILE COOKING

• REASONS OF COOKING FOOD
• LOSS OF NUTRIENTS DURING COOKING
• CONSERVATION OF NUTRIENTS
• METHODS OF ENRICHMENT OF NUTRIENTS.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

REASONS OF COOKING FOOD

• Cooking makes food easy to digest.

• Cooking improves the appearance, texture, colour, flavour and taste of the food.

• When foods are cooked you can make a variety of dishes.

• Cooking helps to keep the food longer.

• Cooking makes the food safe and sterile.

LOSS OF NUTRIENTS DURING COOKING

Vitamin A:-

Vitamin A is found in foods like spinach, methi, carrots etc.
When we cook these vegetables not much of vitamin A is lost, but when we fry these foods,
vitamin A gets destroyed because vitamin A dissolves easily in fats and oil.

Vitamin B:-

Vitamin B is water-soluble.
So while cooking rice when you clean it and then wash it, Vitamin B goes out of
rice and washes away with the water.
Cooking soda, which is used to soften foods like rajma and channas also, destroys Vitamin B.

Vitamin C:-

Vitamin C is lost when:-

• When Fruits and vegetables are cut

• When they are washed after cutting

• When cooked for a long time

• When the water is thrown away in which the food was cooked

• When cooking soda is added to the foods

Proteins:-

Proteins get leathery and tough when cooked at very high temperature.
They also become difficult to digest.
Hence all proteins are not available to the body.

Fats:-

When fats (ghee, oil) are heated for long period of time over and over again, its quality becomes poor.
It then destroys vitamin A, which is present in the foods.

Mineral:-

Mineral like sodium, potassium, etc. dissolves in water.
Minerals get loss when food is first cut, then washed
and then the extra water, in which they are boiled, is thrown away.

CONSERVATION OF NUTRIENTS

Wash vegetables before cutting them so that minerals and vitamins are not destroyed.
Do not wash the foods more than necessary.

Peel vegetables thinly as vitamins are found just under the skin.

Cut vegetables into large pieces just before cooking.
Small pieces mean greater loss of nutrients.

If vegetables are to be cooked in water put them into boiling water.

Use just enough water for cooking. Do not throw the extra water.
Use it to cook some other food.

Do not use cooking soda; use tamarind or lemon juice which helps to conserve the vitamins.

Cook rice in just enough water which gets absorbed during cooking.

Cook in a pan which has well fitting lid.
When you cook in an uncovered pan most nutrients are lost.

Do not over cook the food as many nutrients will be destroyed.

METHODS OF ENRICHMENT OF NUTRIENTS

Combination:-

It is the process of combining cheaper and commonly available foods from different groups
to improve the quality of nutrient.

Combination helps to: -

• Eat a diet that has good quality nutrients

• Use cheaper and easily available foods that enhance the nutrient content of food considerably

• Provide balanced diet to all the family

Fermentation:-

Fermentation is a process in which some micro-organisms are added to the food.
They change the nutrients already present in the foods into simpler and better forms
and also make other nutrients.

Example: -Curd, bread, khaman-dhokla, idli.

Fermentation improves: -

• The digestibility of foods.

• The micro-organisms which cause fermentation break the proteins and carbohydrates
  into smaller parts, which are easier to digest.

• During fermentation of cereals and foods like peas, beans etc., the minerals, calcium, phosphorus
  and iron are changed into better quality ones. These are then easily absorbed by the body.

• Fermentation foods become spongy and soft and are liked by all children and adults.

Germination:-

Germination is a process in which small shoots come out of the dal or cereal when these are
kept with small amount of water.

Germination helps to:-

• Increase the digestibility of foods

• Increases the nutritive value of food with no additional cost.

FOOD PRESERVATION

• METHODS OF PRESERVING FOODS AT HOME

____________________________________________________________________________________________

METHODS OF PRESERVING FOODS AT HOME

Dehydration:- The word Dehydration means removing water or moisture from foods.

The home method of Dehydration is sun drying.

Some foods are dried as they are eg. Green leafy vegetables (methi, phodina, corriander etc.),
cauliflower, grapes, amla, onion, rawmango etc.

Some foods are cooked and then dried eg. Potato chips, papad, banana chips etc.

The most appropriate wether to dry fooods is when the air is dry and there is strong sun shine.

Low temperature:-

Low temperature slows microbial and enzyme action. The food is thus prevented from spoilage.

Foods can be preserved at low temperature by:-

• Refrigeration

• Cold storage

• Freezing

Out of the three methods , freezing uses the lowest temperature.

Increasing temperature:-

By Incresing the temperature, enzymes and micro organisms are destroyed, leaving the food safe from spoilage.

There are two methods of preserving foods by using high temperature:-

• Pasteurization

• Sterilization

Using natural preservatives:-

Salt

Increasing the quantity of salt in the food changes its composition due to which micro-organisms
cannot survive. It also reduces the activity of enzymes,thus preventing the food from getting spoilt.

Salt is used as a presrvative in pickles, chatni, sauce, canned food.

It is also rubbed on fish which helps to preserve the fish.

Sugar

The sugar dissolves in the water available in the food item.
This results in the less water being available for growth of micro-organisms.

Sugar is used as a presrvative in jams, jellies, murabbas, squashes.

Acids

Acids increase the acid content of food items, thus preventing the activity and growth of micro-organisms.

• Vinegar is used to preserve onions, tomato ketchup

• Lemon juice is used in pickles

• Citric acid is used in squashes

Oils and spices

Mustard powder prevents the growth of micro-organisms, thus preventing spoilage.

Oil acts as a cover on the pickle of mango, lemon and vegetable so that the micro-organisms
cannot come in contact with the food.

FOOD ADULTERATION

• COMMONLY USED ADULTERANTS
• WAYS OF DETECTING FOOD ADULTERATION AT HOME

__________________________________________________________________________________________

COMMONLY USED ADULTERANTS

WAYS OF DETECTING FOOD ADULTERATION AT HOME

» Ergot seeds are most commonly used to adulterate wheat or bajra

-Put some of the adulterated cereal in water with salt. Ergot seeds float, cereals do not.

» Papaya seeds are used to adulterate black pepper seeds

-Add some of the adulterated sample to a glass of water. Papaya seeds float, pepper seeds do not.

» Kesari dal is an adulterant in Arhar dal and channa dal

-Kesari dal are pointed and wedge shaped. Channa dal/Arhar dal is smooth and round

» Talcum powder (Talc) is used to polish dals.

-On washing adulterated sample in water foam indicates adulteration

» Maida/starch is used as an adulterant in milk

-Put few drops of iodine solution in milk. Blue or black colour indicates starch

» Argemone seeds are mixed with mustard seeds

-Mustard seds are smooth and round.
Argemone seeds have rough suface and are not eaxactly round.

» Old used spices are often mixed with spices sold as fresh

-Smell the spice. No or less smell indicates adulteration

» Sugar can be mixed with fine white sand, suji or chalk powder

-Add sample to a glass of water. Sugar dissolves, leaving other ingredients.

» Used tea leaves are colored, dried and mixed with fresh tea leaves

-Wet a sample of leaves, rub on bltting paper. Colour on blotting paper indicates adulteration.

»Iron filling in tea leaves

-Pass a magnet through the tea leaves. The iron fillings will cling to the magnet.

» Ergot in bajra seeds

- Prepare a 20% salt solution, put some grains in the solution.
Ergot seeds will float while bajra seeds will sink

» Cheap edible oil in vanaspati

-Add a solution of washing soda to vanaspati shake well.
If froth appears on top, cheap oil has been added to vanaspati.

» Artificial dye in tea leaves

-Put tea leaves on moistened blotting paper.
Artificially coloured leaves will impart colour to blotting paper.

» Chicory in coffee powder

-In a glass if water sprinkle coffee powder.
Particles of coffee will float, chicory particles will sink within seconds

» Colour in turmeric and chilly powder

- sprinkle small quantity of powder on the surface of water in a glass.
The colour will dissolve in water.