Classification of food:
Food is classified in four different ways:
- Classification by the origin of food: Depending on the origin, food is classified as
1.Animal origin food: Milk and milk products, egg, fish, meat, poultry etc
2.Plant origin food: Cereals, pulses, vegetables and fruits, sugars etc.
- Classification by chemical compounds: Depending upon the chemical compounds present in food is classified as:-
1.Carbohydrates- carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
2.Proteins – amino acids.
3. Fats – glycerol, phosphates.
4.Vitamins – Vitamin A (alcohol /acid /Ester) vitamin D,E,K, B – complex and C.
5. Minerals – calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine etc.
- Classification by predominant functions:
1.Energy yielding: carbohydrates and fats.
2.Bodybuilding: proteins
3.Protective food: vitamins and minerals.
1. Energy yielding: This group includes foods rich in carbohydrate, fat and protein. One gram of carbohydrate gives 4 kilo calories. One gram of protein gives 4 kilo calories. One gram of fat gives 9 calories. This group may be broadly divided into two groups
a. Serials, pulses, nuts and oilseeds, roots and tubers.
b. Pure carbohydrates like sugars and fats and oils.
2. Bodybuilding: foods rich in protein are called body building foods they are classified into two groups:
Milk, meat, fish, egg: They are written proteins of high biological value. These proteins have all the essential amino acids in correct proportion for the synthesis of body tissues.
ii. Pulses com oil seeds and nuts: They are rich in protein that may contain all the essential amino acids required by the human body.
3. Protection and regulation: Foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals have regulatory functions in the body example maintaining the heartbeat, water balance, temperature. Protective foods are broadly classified into two groups
-> Foods rich in vitamins and minerals and proteins high biological value example: milk, egg, fish, liver.
-> Foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals only
Example: Green leafy vegetables and fruits.
- Classification by nutritive value: Foods have been classified into different groups depending upon their nutritive value.
| Food groups | Nutrients |
| Basic four Cereals, millets and pulses vegetables and fruits milk, milk products and animal foods oils, fats, nuts and oilseeds II. Basic 5 (a.)cereals, grains add products : rice, wheat, ragi, maize bajra, jawar, rice flakes, puffed rice. (b) pulses and legumes: Bengal gram, black gram, copy, peas dry, rajma, soybeans (c) milk and meat products: milk, curd, skimmed milk, cheese, chicken, liver, fish, egg and meat. (d) Fruits and vegetables: mango, guava tomato, orange, sweet lime, watermelon Green leafy vegetables: amaranth spinach, gogu, drumstick leaves, coriander leaves, fenugreek. (e) Fats and sugars: butter, ghee, hydrogenated fat, cooking oils. Sugar and jaggery | energy, protein, b vitamins vitamins, minerals and fiber protein, calcium, b vitamins energy, protein (nuts and oilseeds) Energy, protein, invisible fat, thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, iron and fiber. Energy, protein, invisible fat, thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, Calcium, iron and fiber. protein, fat, riboflavin, calcium. carotenoids, vitamin C, riboflavin, folic acid, iron, fiber. Folic acid, calcium, fiber, Iron, carotenoids. Energy, essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. energy, jaggery contains iron. |