Nutrition
FOOD GROUPS
• Cereals and millets
• Pulses and legumes
• Vegetable and fruits
• Animal food
• Oils and fats
• Nuts and oilseeds
Fruits and vegetables
VEGETABLES
• Vegetables are classed as "protective foods"; their value resides in their high vitamin and
mineral content.
• Some vegetables (e.g., green peas, beans) are also good sources of protein.
• Vegetables usually have a large water content, low energy and protein content and varying
amounts of "dietary fibre".
• Vegetables are divided into three groups
a) green leaves
b) roots and tubers
c) others.
I. Green leaves
• The term "green leaves" designates a number of indigenous leafy vegetables consumed
by the people.
• They include palak (spinach), amaranth, cabbage, fenugreek (methi) etc.
• The darker the green leaves, the greater their nutritive value.
• With the possible exception of vitamin B12, green leaves are rich sources of carotenes,
calcium, iron and vitamin C.
• They are also fairly good sources of riboflavin, folic acid and many other micronutrients.
• The recommended daily intake of green leafy vegetables is about 40 g for an adult.
CABBAGE
• Protein (g) : 1.8
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4.6
• Energy (kcal) :27
• Calcium (mg) :39
• Iron (mg) : 0.8
• Carotene (mcg) :120
• Vitamin C (mg) :124
ii. Roots and tubers
• Included in this group are potato, sweet potato, tapioca, yam, carrots,
onion, and radish.
• They vary widely in composition, some are good sources of
carbohydrates such as potatoes.
• In general roots and tubers are poor in protein, minerals and vitamins.
Carrots are exceptionally high in beta-carotene.
• The recommended daily intake of roots and tubers is 50 to 60 g for an
adult.
POTATO
• Protein (g) : 1.6
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 23
• Energy (kcal) : 97
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) :0.48
• Carotene (mcg) : 24
• Vitamin C (mg) : 17
ONION
• Protein (g) : 1.2
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 11
• Energy (kcal) : 50
• Calcium (mg) : 47
• Iron (mg) : 0.60
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
• Vitamin C (mg) :11
iii. Other vegetables
• There is a wide range of "other" vegetables such as brinjal, tomatoes,
cauliflower, etc.
• They bring variety to the diet.
• Many of them are fairly good sources of minerals and vitamins.
• Some vegetables like cluster beans, drumsticks and green mango contain
fair amounts of iron.
• The daily recommended intake is 60 to 70 grams.
CAPSICUM
• Protein(g) : 1.3
• Fat (g) : 0.3
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4.3
• Energy (kcal) : 24
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 0.56
CAULIFLOWER
• Protein (g) : 2.6
• Fat (g) : 0.4
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4.0
• Energy (kcal) : 30
• Calcium (mg) : 33
• Iron (mg) :1.3
• Carotene (mcg) : 30
TOMATO
• Protein (g) : 0.9
• Fat (g) : 0.2
• Carbohydrates (g) : 3.6
• Energy (kcal) : 20
• Calcium (mg) : 48
• Iron (mg) : 0.64
• Calcium (mcg) : 350
• Vitamin C (mg) : 30
BOTTLE GUARD (LAUKI)
• Protein (g) : 0.2
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 2.5
• Energy (kcal) : 12
• Calcium (mg) : 20
• Iron (mg) : 0.46
PUMPKIN (SITAPHAL)
• Protein (g) : 1.4
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4.6
• Energy (kcal) :25
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 0.44
• Carotene (mcg) : 50
• Vitamin C (mg) : 2
BITTER GOURD
• Protein (g) : 1.6
• Fat (g) : 0.2
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4.2
• Energy (kcal) : 25
• Calcium (mg) : 20
• Iron (mg) : 0.61
• Carotene (mcg) : 126
• Vitamin C (mg) : 88
BRINJAL
• Protein (g) : 1.4
• Fat (g) : 0.3
• Carbohydrates (g) : 4
• Energy (kcal) : 24
• Calcium (mg) : 18
• Iron (mg) :0.38
• Carotene (mcg) : 74
• Vitamin C (mg) : 12
Fruits
• Fruits are protective foods.
• They are invaluable in human nutrition because they are good sources of vitamins and minerals.
• One special feature which distinguishes fruits from other foods is that they can be eaten raw and
fresh.
• This makes the vitamins and minerals present in fruit easily available.
• Nutrition experts recommend a daily intake of 85 grams or more of fresh fruit for maintenance of
good health.
• Fruits are costly and it may not be within the reach of all to afford them daily. If green leafy
vegetables are included in the daily diet, the need for fruit as an essential item in the diet is
much reduced.
LEMON
• Protein (g) : 1.0
• Fat (g) : 0.9
• Carbohydrates (g) : 11
• Energy (kcal) : 57
• Calcium (mg) : 70
• Iron (mg) : 0.26
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
• Vitamin C (mg) : 39
CARROT
• Protein (g) : 0.9
• Fat (g) : 0.2
• Carbohydrates (g) : 11
• Energy (kcal) : 48
• Calcium (mg) : 80
• Iron (mg) : 1.03
• Carotene (mcg) : 1890
• Vitamin C (mg) : 3
CUCUMBER
• Protein (g) : 0.4
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 2.5
• Energy (kcal) : 13
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 0.60
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
MANGO
• Protein (g) : 0.6
• Fat (g) : 0.4
• Carbohydrates (g) : 17
• Energy (kcal) : 74
• Calcium (mg) : 14
• Iron (mg) : 1.3
• Carotene (mcg) : 2743
• Vitamin C (mg) : 16
POMEGRANATE
• Protein (g) : 1.6
• Fat (g) : 0.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 15
• Energy (kcal) : 65
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 1.8
• Carotene (mcg) : 16
• Vitamin C (mg) : 0
APPLE
• Protein (g) : 0.2
• Fat (g) : 0.5
• Carbohydrates (g) : 13
• Energy (kcal) : 59
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 0.660
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
• Vitamin C (mg) : 5
BANANA
• Protein (g) : 1.2
• Fat (g) : 0.3
• Carbohydrates (g) : 27
• Energy (kcal) : 116
• Calcium (mg) : 17
• Iron (mg) : 0.36
• Carotene (mcg) : 78
• Vitamin C (mg) : 7
WATER MELON
• Protein (g) : 0.2
• Fat (g) : 0.2
• Carbohydrates (g) : 3.3
• Energy (kcal) : 16
• Calcium (mg) : 11
• Iron (mg) : 7.9
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
• Vitamin C (mg) : 1
GUAVA
• Protein (g) : 0.9
• Fat (g) : 0.3
• Carbohydrates (g) : 1.1
• Energy (kcal) : 51
• Calcium (mg) : 10
• Iron (mg) : 0.27
• Carotene (mcg) : 0
• Vitamin C (mg) : 212
ORANGE
• Protein (g) : 0.7
• Fat (g) : 0.2
• Carbohydrates (g) : 11
• Energy (kcal) : 48
• Calcium (mg) : 26
• Iron (mg) : 0.32
• Carotene (mcg) : 1104
• Vitamin C (mg) : 300
Nuts and oil seeds
• Included in this group are groundnut (Peanut), cashewnut, coconut, walnut, almonds,
pistachio, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, cotton seeds, sunflower seeds, maize germ
and many others from which cooking oils are extracted .
• Nuts and oilseeds contain good amount of fat and good quality protein in a relatively
small bulk.
• Among the commonly used nuts, cashewnuts and almonds are good sources of iron,
but pistachio is the richest containing 14 mg of iron per 100 g.
Peanuts for human consumption should be thoroughly dried and properly stored to
avoid the growth of Aspergillus flavus which produces "aflatoxin".
GROUNDNUT
• Protein (g) : 25.3
• Fat (g) : 40.1
• Carbohydrates (g) : 26.1
• Energy (kcal) : 567
• Calcium (mg) : 90
• Iron (mg) : 2.5
• Rich in niacin, iron, calcium, phosphorus
Peanuts for human consumption should be thoroughly dried and properly
stored to avoid the growth of Aspergillus flavus which produces "aflatoxin".
MUSTARD AND ARGEMONE
• Argemone Mexicana (Prickly Poppy) : adulterant for mustard seeds or oil
• Contamination of mustard oil or other oil with Argemone may be accidental or deliberate
• Toxin : Sanguinarine; It interferes with the oxidation of pyruvic acid leading to its accumulation
• Causes Epidemic Dropsy; Bilateral pedal edema, CCF
• Mortality rate : 5-50%
• Paper chromatography is a test with much higher sensitivity, detecting Argemone oil even at
0.0001%
• All edible oils are to be tested for presence of Argemone oil and labeled free from Argemone oil
under Food Safety and Standards Act
• Mustard oil is rich in Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)
Fats and oils
• Good cooking demands liberal use of oils and fats.
• Fats which are liquid at room temperature are called oils.
• Fats and oils are good sources of energy and fat-soluble vitamins.
• Fats of animal origin are poor sources of essential fatty acids.
• Those of vegetable origin are rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids,
excepting coconut and palm oils.
• The vegetable oils contain no vitamin A and D, except for red palm oil
which is extremely rich in carotene.
OILS
• COCONUT OIL
• 1 tbs of coconut oil contains:
• 121 calories
• 0 g protein
• 13.5 g of fat, of which 11.2 g is saturated
• 0 mg of cholesterol
• VANASPATI (Hydrogenated Oil)
• Per 100 gm contains:
• Saturated fatty acid 63 g
• Trans fatty acid 5 g
• GHEE
• 1 tbs of Ghee contains:
• Saturated fat 3.2 g
• Trans fat 0.2 g
• Cholesterol 13 mg
Animal Food
• Foods of animal origin include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products.
• They provide high quality protein (containing all the essential amino acids) and good
amounts of fat, besides some vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12 is one of the rare
nutrients found only in animal foods.
• Since they are expensive, animal foods are consumed in small amounts in most
developing countries.
• Even small amounts of animal foods add considerably to the nutritive value of the
diet.
• Among animal foods, cow's milk and hen's egg are perhaps nature's two most
"nearly perfect" foods.
Meat
• Protein in 100g meat is 20g
• High concentration of saturated fatty
acids, hence has to be moderated
• Low fat chicken is preferred over
mutton or beef
• Rich in Vitamins like Nicotinic Acid,
minerals like phosphorous, iron and
zinc
• Poor source of calcium
Fish
• Rich in omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
• Easily digestible protein
• Protein: 15-25g
• Rich in vitamin A & D
• Sea food is rich in iodine
Milk & Milk Products
• Protein: 3-4g / 100ml
• Energy: 67kcal / 100ml
• Vitamin C: 2mg / 100ml - decreases on heating
• Calcium: 1200mg in 1L of cow’s milk
• Rich in Vitamin A and D
• Poor in nicotinic acid and iron
o Milk proteins – lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, casein = Rich in A balanced diet
tryptophan and cysteine recommends 300 ml of milk
o Milk fats – Oleic acid and linoleic acid and milk products per day.
o Milk sugars – 30 types, most important is lactose
Curd
• Milk derivative and has same nutritive value as milk
• Lactobacilli present in milk break down lactose into lactic acid
Milk derived Fats
• Cream, butter, Ghee
• Cream – centrifugation of unboiled milk Butter is 80% fat.
729kcal in 100g
• Butter – fat extracted from buttermilk
• Ghee – clear fat obtained by boiling butter Ghee is 100% fat.
900kcal in 100g
Skimmed Milk
• Fat has been removed from the milk
• Diets of low fat consumption
Toned Milk
• = Skimmed milk + Skimmed milk powder + water + buffalo milk
• Pasteurized and bottled
• Very similar to cow’s milk with advantage of
• Reduced fat content
• Toning up of nonfat solids
• Increased quanitity of milk
• More widely available at low cost
Eggs
It is considered the standard protein to which other proteins are compared
o Energy: 70kcal
o Protein: 6g
o Fat: 6g
o Cholesterol: 250mg
o Egg white - NPU of 100
o Egg yolk – fats, minerals like calcium, phosphorous and vitamins A and D
o Rich in riboflavin, Lacks carbohydrates and Vitamin C
Food Toxicity
1. Neurolathyrism
• The cause of neurolathyrism is a toxin, Beta oxalyl amino alanine (BOAA) which is found in the
seeds of the pulse, L.satiuus (Khesari dhal).
• Neurolathyrism is a public health problem in certain parts of the country where this pulse is
eaten
• The disease affects mainly young men between the age of 15 to 45 years
• Removal of toxin
a) Steeping method : soaking in hot water for 2 hrs
b) Parboiling :better, done on large scale
c) Genetic approach : Certain strains of lathyrus contain very low levels of toxin (0.1%).
2. Aflatoxins
• Aflatoxins are a group of mycotoxins produced by certain fungi, Aspergillus flauus and A
parasiticus.
• These fungi infest food grains such as groundnut, maize, parboiled rice, sorghum, wheat, rice,
cotton seed and tapioca under conditions of improper storage, and produce aflatoxins of which
81 and G1 are the most potent hepatotoxins, in addition to being carcinogenic.
• The most important factors affecting the formation of the toxin are moisture and temperature.
• Control and preventive measures : A crucial factor is to ensure their proper storage after
drying. Moisture content should be kept below 10 per cent.
Aspergillus flavus
3. Ergot
• Unlike Aspergillus, ergot is not a storage fungus, but a field fungus.
• Foodgrains such as bajra, rye, sorghum, and wheat have a tendency to get infested during
the flowering stages by the ergot fungus (Claviceps purpurea). Fungus grows as a blackish
mass and the seeds become black and irregular and are harvested along with food grains.
• Consumption of ergot infested grain leads to ergotism.
• The symptoms are acute but rarely fatal and include nausea, repeated vomiting, giddiness
and drowsiness
• Ergot-infested grains can be easily removed by floating them in 20 per cent salt water.
Chronic cases, painful cramps in limbs and peripheral gangrene
due to vasoconstriction of capillaries
4. Epidemic dropsy
• Cause : Sanguinarine a toxic alkaloid.
• The symptoms of epidemic dropsy consist of sudden, non-inflammatory,
bilateral swelling of legs, often associated with diarrhoea.
• Dyspnea, cardiac failure and death may follow. Some patients may develop
glaucoma.
• The contamination of mustard or other oils with argemone oil may be
accidental or deliberate.
• Seeds of Argemone mexicana (prickly poppy) closely resemble mustard seeds.
4. Endemic ascites
In 1976 An outbreak of rapidly developing ascites and jaundice was reported among the
Nagesia tribals.
• Cause : Millet Panicum miliare (known locally as Gondhli) which gets contaminated with
weed seeds of Crotalaria (locally known as jhunjhunia). On chemical analysis.
• Jhunjhunia seeds were found to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are hepatotoxins.
• The preventive measures comprise
• Educating the people in the affected areas about the disease
• Deweeding of the Jhunjhunia plants
4. Fusarium toxins
• Fusarium species of field fungi are known to contaminate food crops and
pose health hazards to livestock and man.
• The problem of fusarium contamination of sorghum is believed to be on the
increase.
• Rice is also known to be a good substrate for fusarium.
• Studies going on for toxin identification.
