Mystery of Food

What is the main lesson a chapter on food and nutrition wants students to understand?

1. That only expensive foods are nutritious
2. That food provides energy and nutrients essential for growth, repair, and health, and a varied, balanced diet is the best way to stay healthy
3. That eating any large quantity of food is automatically healthy
4. That only one type of food is needed throughout life

Which statement correctly explains why water, although it contains no calories, is considered essential for the body?

1. Water has no real function and can be skipped safely
2. Water aids digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, and removal of waste from the body
3. Water is only needed by athletes
4. Water replaces the need for all other nutrients

Why do people in different regions of a country often eat very different staple foods, such as rice in the east and wheat in parts of the north?

1. Because nutrients work differently in different regions
2. Because climate, soil, and local farming traditions determine which crops grow well in each area
3. Because only some regions are allowed to eat carbohydrates
4. Because taste buds differ by region

A shopkeeper mixes chalk powder into wheat flour to increase its weight before selling it. What is this practice called, and why is it harmful?

1. Food fortification, which improves nutrition
2. Food adulteration, which can harm health and reduces nutritional value
3. Food preservation, which extends shelf life safely
4. Food processing, which is always safe

Which of the following food items would be classified mainly as 'junk food' rather than a nutritious everyday food?

1. Boiled dal
2. Fried potato chips with high salt and fat
3. Steamed vegetables
4. Fresh fruit

Which of the following best describes 'malnutrition'?

1. A condition caused only by eating too little food
2. A condition of poor health caused by eating either too little or an unbalanced excess of certain nutrients
3. A disease spread by contaminated water only
4. A condition found only in wealthy countries

Why should vegetables ideally be cooked for a short time rather than boiled for very long, and eaten with the water they were cooked in when possible?

1. Long cooking destroys taste buds
2. Overcooking and discarding the water causes loss of heat-sensitive vitamins like Vitamin C
3. Long cooking makes vegetables heavier
4. It has no real effect on nutrients

Which of the following is an example of a deficiency disease caused by a lack of a specific vitamin in the diet?

1. Night blindness, caused by lack of Vitamin A
2. Fever, caused by too much water
3. Toothache, caused by lack of oxygen
4. Fracture, caused by too much protein

Which component of food is not digested by the human body but is still important because it aids bowel movement and prevents constipation?

1. Roughage (dietary fibre)
2. Sugar
3. Salt
4. Oil

Which of these meals best represents a balanced diet for a growing child?

1. Only rice and pickle
2. Chapati, dal, vegetables, curd, and a fruit
3. Only chips and a cold drink
4. Only boiled water and salt

Ravi's doctor says his diet lacks calcium and Vitamin D. Which health problem is he most at risk of developing?

1. Weak and brittle bones
2. Loss of taste
3. Faster digestion
4. Improved eyesight

Why are fruits and fresh vegetables often called 'protective foods'?

1. They contain vitamins and minerals that help the body resist disease
2. They are the only foods with taste
3. They provide the most calories per gram
4. They contain no water

A child who eats very little milk, eggs, or pulses over a long period is most likely to show slow growth and weak muscles because of a shortage of which nutrient?

1. Water
2. Proteins
3. Roughage
4. Vitamin C

Which nutrient is broken down by the body into glucose to provide quick, usable energy?

1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins
3. Fats
4. Minerals

From where does the human body get most of the ingredients used in cooking, apart from plants?

1. Insects only
2. Animals
3. Rocks
4. Air