In this unit, we will learn how to stay healthy and happy by eating the right food, exercising, and getting enough rest.
We will explore the different types of food that help our bodies grow, give us energy, and protect us from diseases.
We will also learn about the six important tastes called Shad Rasa, like sweet, sour, salty, and others.
Healthy Eating
This unit will teach us about balanced food, the need to drink clean water, and the importance of eating mindfully. We will understand how exercise keeps us fit, and why rest is important for our health.
We will also learn to appreciate all the hard work of people, animals, and nature that helps grow food and crops. It’s important to care for every grain and never waste food.
Finally, the unit will give examples of fun exercises and games for keeping our bodies healthy. We will also see how different communities take care of their crops and respect all the hard work that goes into producing food.
Introduction: Food for Health
The day of the food festival has finally arrived! Students and their parents have brought a wide variety of food items to share.
Food Festival
The stalls were filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, and tasty treats like dhokla, litti-chowkha, dal-baati-churma, and bajre-ki-khichdi.
There were also dishes like chhena-poda, kadhi-pakoda, ker-sangri, siddu, and roasted corn.
You could also enjoy spicy chutney, hot dosa, crispy vada, jowar upma, ragi laddu, and many other yummy foods!
The children were excited to taste everything and visited the stalls one by one.
Mystery Masala
At the food festival, students taste Ugadi Pachadi at the “Mystery Masala” stall. This dish is a traditional food from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, made with six distinct taste elements:
Mystery Masala
Sweet (jaggery)
Sour (tamarind)
Salty (salt)
Pungent (green chilli)
Bitter (neem)
Astringent (raw mango)
Combining these flavours creates a unique and enjoyable dish. According to Ayurveda, eating a balanced diet that includes shad rasa is beneficial for health.
Did you know? The six tastes—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent—are called ‘shad rasa’ in Ayurveda. Ayurveda suggests that eating balanced food with all six tastes is good for your health.
Try yourself:
What are the six distinct taste elements in Ugadi Pachadi?
A.Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent
B.Spicy, sweet, sour, salty, bland, rich
C.Sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, tangy, bland
D.Salty, sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, astringent
View Solution
A Stall of ‘Super Food’
Surbhi and her friends visited a stall that offered millet foods.
Millet Foods
When Surbhi looked at the menu, she remembered that her grandmother used to eat jowar and bajra roti in winters, and jau roti in summers.
Millets are healthy and full of nutrients.
The children were happy to order jowar upma and enjoy eating millet-based foods.
How Does Food Help Us?
Children were attracted towards a banner which said—“Colours on Plate, Wellness in Life”.
Why do we need different kinds of food?
Our bodies need a variety of foods to stay healthy, energetic, and strong.
Food is needed for the balanced growth of our body.
Since no single food has all the nutrients our bodies need, it is important to eat a variety of foods.
Food Groups
Our body requires different types of food to maintain health:
Energy-giving foods: Rice, wheat, potatoes, bananas, millets, butter, and oil provide the energy we need for daily activities.Energy Giving Food
Body-building foods: Pulses, beans, milk, eggs, chicken, and nuts support growth and strengthen our muscles.Body Building Food
Protective foods: Fruits and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, oranges, and amla shield us from illnesses. It’s not enough to eat just one food group; we need all three for a healthy body.Protective Food
Try yourself:
What do body-building foods help support?
A.Energy production
B.Growth and muscle strength
C.Illness protection
D.Weight loss
View Solution
Say ‘No’ to Junk Food
Junk foods such as chips, soft drinks, burgers, and packaged foods are high in oil, salt, and sugar. Regularly eating these is not healthy.
Junk Food
Examples of junk food include:
Soft drinks
Chips
Bread pakoda
Burgers
Pizza
Over-processed, packaged food
Fresh home-cooked food is healthier than packaged options as it has more nutrients.
A Balanced Food Plate
A balanced plate includes the right amounts from all food groups:
Balanced Food Plate
Lots of protective foods (fruits and vegetables)
Some body-building foods (pulses, milk)
A little energy-giving foods (rice, oil)
Eating a variety of foods is key for balanced growth.
This helps us stay healthy, active, and happy.
Water for Health
Water is an essential part of our diet.
It aids in digestion and keeps our skin and body healthy.
Water helps in removing waste from our body through urine, sweat, and faeces.
Eating fruits like watermelon and cucumber can help maintain hydration.
Drinking sufficient water should be a key part of our healthy habits.
Different Methods of Cooking
Surbhi and her friends had a great time tasting various food items at the food festival.
Different Methods of Cooking
They were curious about how these delicious dishes were made.
There are certain food items that can be enjoyed without the need for cooking.
Examples of these include fruit chaat, which is a mixture of various fruits, often seasoned with spices and herbs.
Another example is vegetable salads, made from fresh vegetables, which can be served with dressings or dips.
These types of foods are not only easy to prepare but also healthy options for quick meals or snacks.
They provide a refreshing and nutritious choice, especially during hot weather or when you want something light.
Did you know? A chef is a professional cook who is skilled in all parts of food preparation. The word ‘Chef’ in French means the head or director of the kitchen.
Did you know? We can cook food in a solar cooker using sunlight instead of fire from a gas stove or electricity. It doesn’t pollute the environment because it doesn’t produce any smoke or ash.
Solar Cooker
Difficult Words
Nutrients: Important parts of food that give us energy and help our bodies grow and stay healthy.
Millets: Small grains like jowar, bajra, and jau that are full of nutrients and very good for health.
Ayurveda: An old Indian health system that helps people stay healthy with special diets, herbs, and breathing exercises.
Shad Rasa: In Ayurveda, there are six tastes called ‘Shad Rasa’—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. These tastes are important for a balanced diet.
Pungent: A sharp or spicy taste, like green chilli.
Astringent: A dry or tangy taste, like raw mango.
Balanced Plate: A plate with the right amount of food from all three food groups: protective foods, body-building foods, and energy-providing foods.
Hydrated: When your body has enough water to stay healthy.
Energy Giving Food
Body Building Food
Protective Food
