Chapter 3. Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body-NCERT Text Book Questions With Answers Science Curiosity Class 6 In English

Chapter 3. Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body

This section contains solutions to the NCERT textbook exercise based on the latest NCERT Science textbook (2025–26). The answers are written in simple, student-friendly language to help learners understand the concepts clearly.

NCERT Textbook Exercise

Question 1. Pick the odd one out and give reasons:

(i) Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Chana

Answer:

Odd one: Chana

Reason: Jowar, Bajra and Ragi are millets (cereals), whereas Chana is a pulse (legume). Millets mainly provide carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, while Chana is a rich source of proteins.

(ii) Kidney beans, Green gram, Soya bean, Rice

Answer:

Odd one: Rice

Reason: Kidney beans, Green gram and Soya bean are pulses rich in proteins, whereas Rice is a cereal and mainly provides carbohydrates.

Question 2. Discuss traditional versus modern culinary practices in India.

Answer:

Traditional culinary practices involved cooking food on clay stoves (chulhas) using firewood or cow dung cakes and grinding grains or spices with a sil-batta. These methods required more time and manual effort.

Modern culinary practices use LPG stoves, induction cooktops, microwave ovens, pressure cookers and mixer grinders. These methods save time, reduce physical effort, improve hygiene and make cooking faster and more convenient. However, many traditional cooking methods are still valued because they help preserve the authentic taste and cultural heritage of Indian food.

Question 3. A teacher says that good food may act as medicine. Ravi is curious about this statement and has some questions for his teacher. List at least two questions that he can ask.

Answer:

• How does healthy food help prevent diseases?
• Which nutrients strengthen our immune system?
• Can a balanced diet reduce the need for medicines?
• Which foods should we eat regularly to stay healthy?

Question 4. Not all delicious foods are necessarily healthy, while not all nutritious foods are always enjoyable. Share your thoughts along with a few examples.

Answer:

I agree with this statement. Many tasty foods such as burgers, pizzas, chips, chocolates and soft drinks contain excess sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, so they should be eaten only occasionally. On the other hand, foods such as green leafy vegetables, sprouts, fruits, millets and salads are rich in nutrients, although some people may not find them very tasty. Therefore, we should choose foods based on their nutritional value rather than taste alone.

Question 5. Medu does not eat vegetables but enjoys biscuits, noodles and white bread. He often has stomach ache and constipation. What changes should he make in his diet to get rid of these problems? Explain your answer.

Answer:

Medu should reduce the intake of biscuits, noodles and white bread because they contain very little dietary fibre. He should include green leafy vegetables, fruits, salads, whole grains, sprouts and plenty of water in his daily diet. Foods rich in roughage improve digestion, prevent constipation and help maintain a healthy digestive system.

Question 6. Reshma had trouble seeing things in dim light. The doctor tested her eyesight and prescribed a particular vitamin supplement. He also advised her to include a few food items in her diet.

(i) Which deficiency disease is she suffering from?

Answer: She is suffering from Night Blindness.

(ii) Which food component may be lacking in her diet?

Answer: Vitamin A.

(iii) Suggest some food items that she should include in her diet to overcome this problem (any four).

Answer:

• Carrot
• Spinach
• Mango
• Papaya

Question 7. You are provided the following:

• Canned fruit juice
• Fresh fruit juice
• Fresh fruit

Which one would you prefer and why?

Answer:

I would prefer fresh fruit because it contains natural vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre without added sugar or preservatives. Fresh fruit is healthier than both canned fruit juice and fresh fruit juice.

Question 8. Gourav got a fracture in his leg. His doctor aligned the bones and put on a plaster. The doctor also gave him calcium tablets. On the second visit, the doctor gave Vitamin D syrup along with calcium tablets. Refer to Fig. 3.5 and answer the following questions.

(i) Why did the doctor give calcium tablets to Gourav?

Answer: Calcium is essential for the formation and repair of bones. It helps the fractured bone heal faster.

(ii) On the second visit, why did the doctor give Vitamin D syrup along with calcium tablets?

Answer: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium efficiently. Therefore, it was given along with calcium tablets to support proper bone healing.

(iii) What question arises in your mind about the choices made by the doctor in giving the medicines?

Answer: Why is Vitamin D necessary for the proper absorption and utilisation of calcium in our body?

Question 9. Sugar is an example of carbohydrates. Sugar is tested with iodine solution but it does not change to blue-black colour. What can be a possible reason?

Answer:

Iodine solution gives a blue-black colour only in the presence of starch. Although sugar is a carbohydrate, it is not starch. Therefore, iodine solution does not change colour when added to sugar.

Question 10. What do you think of Raman's statement, "All starches are carbohydrates but not all carbohydrates are starches." Describe the design of an activity to test your answer.

Answer:

Raman's statement is correct.

Activity:

• Take two test tubes.
• Put starch solution in one test tube and sugar solution in the other.
• Add a few drops of iodine solution to both test tubes.
• The starch solution turns blue-black, while the sugar solution shows no colour change.
• This proves that starch is a carbohydrate, but all carbohydrates are not starches.

Question 11. While using iodine in the laboratory, a few drops of iodine fell on Mishti's socks and a few fell on her teacher's saree. The drops of iodine on the saree turned blue-black while the colour on the socks did not change. What can be a possible reason?

Answer:

The teacher's saree was probably starched, whereas Mishti's socks did not contain starch. Since iodine reacts only with starch, the saree turned blue-black while the socks showed no colour change.

Question 12. Why are millets considered a healthy choice of food? Can eating just millets suffice for the nutritional requirements of the body? Discuss.

Answer:

Millets are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are highly nutritious and help maintain good health. However, eating only millets cannot fulfil all the nutritional requirements of the body. A balanced diet should also include pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk, healthy fats and other protein-rich foods.

Question 13. You are given a sample of a solution. How would you check the possibility of it being an iodine solution?

Answer:

Add a few drops of the given solution to a starch solution or a slice of boiled potato. If the starch turns blue-black, the given sample is likely to be iodine solution.