NCERT Textbook: Dietary Considerations & Food Quality | Health and Physical Education for Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


Food is a basic human need. It is consumed to provide 
nourishment to the body. To achieve optimal level of fitness 
certain dietary considerations are required. Mostly food is 
consumed for its taste or appearance; however, both nutritive 
value and quality of food need attention. Food quality, food 
adulteration, food spoilage and impact of indiscriminate 
use of pesticide and radiation on human health have been 
discussed in this lesson. 
Dietary Planning Dietary planning is an important step in proper food 
selection and preparation of meal to stay healthy and fit.  
Dietary planning is a process of developing meal plans 
for adequate nutrition within the available resources. 
Nutritional requirement and food choices vary with regard to 
their age, sex, activity level and physiological condition. Food 
is planned accordingly to make it enjoyable, satisfying and 
healthy. Planning is a scientific method of saving energy, time 
and money. It makes the tasks of  procuring raw material, 
preparing meals and ensuring food quality simpler. It adds 
variety the meals and reduces wastage. 
You have studied the five food groups in Class IX. Revise 
these and for reference keep these handy. 
Factors a FFecting the Planning Everybody needs a balanced diet irrespective of age but certain 
factors influence the food choices. Consider the following 
factors while planning meal for good health and fitness. 
Age
Body’s need for food and nutrients varies greatly with age.  
An infant needs only mother’s milk initially but needs extra 
Dietary 
ConsiDerations anD 
FooD Quality Activity 9.1
 • Plan a meal (lunch or 
dinner) including some 
food from each food 
group.
 • Record your one day 
diet. Analyse each food 
preparation according 
to the food group. How 
could you improve your 
diet for the missing 
nutrients?
Chap-9.indd   165 8/24/2020   11:43:36 AM
Page 2


Food is a basic human need. It is consumed to provide 
nourishment to the body. To achieve optimal level of fitness 
certain dietary considerations are required. Mostly food is 
consumed for its taste or appearance; however, both nutritive 
value and quality of food need attention. Food quality, food 
adulteration, food spoilage and impact of indiscriminate 
use of pesticide and radiation on human health have been 
discussed in this lesson. 
Dietary Planning Dietary planning is an important step in proper food 
selection and preparation of meal to stay healthy and fit.  
Dietary planning is a process of developing meal plans 
for adequate nutrition within the available resources. 
Nutritional requirement and food choices vary with regard to 
their age, sex, activity level and physiological condition. Food 
is planned accordingly to make it enjoyable, satisfying and 
healthy. Planning is a scientific method of saving energy, time 
and money. It makes the tasks of  procuring raw material, 
preparing meals and ensuring food quality simpler. It adds 
variety the meals and reduces wastage. 
You have studied the five food groups in Class IX. Revise 
these and for reference keep these handy. 
Factors a FFecting the Planning Everybody needs a balanced diet irrespective of age but certain 
factors influence the food choices. Consider the following 
factors while planning meal for good health and fitness. 
Age
Body’s need for food and nutrients varies greatly with age.  
An infant needs only mother’s milk initially but needs extra 
Dietary 
ConsiDerations anD 
FooD Quality Activity 9.1
 • Plan a meal (lunch or 
dinner) including some 
food from each food 
group.
 • Record your one day 
diet. Analyse each food 
preparation according 
to the food group. How 
could you improve your 
diet for the missing 
nutrients?
Chap-9.indd   165 8/24/2020   11:43:36 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
food and nutrients with growing age. Adolescents grow at a 
fast pace and are active, so they need extra nourishment. 
But their food preferences are often influenced by friends 
and media rather than nutritional requirement. They need 
guidance in this regard. Nutritious food preparations can 
be planned in the form they enjoy, like spinach paratha or 
spinach, carrot and potato soup instead of spinach vegetable. 
Elders often have difficulty in chewing, swallowing and 
digestion; they need soft and easily digestible foods, such as, 
well cooked vegetables, idli etc.  
Gender
Nutritional requirements vary with gender. Till the age of 10 
years nutritional requirements are same, thereafter both grow 
at different pace and their body composition is also different. 
Mostly men are taller and heavier than women. They are more 
muscular while women have more fat cells. Thus, their body 
types are different leading to different nutrient requirements. 
Females need more iron (hemoglobin) due to blood loss during 
menstruation. Lack of iron often puts them at high risk of 
iron deficiency or anemia. Whole grains, seasonal fruits, 
green leafy vegetables and dairy products are healthy for both 
genders. Food preferences may also vary with gender. 
Physical activity
Energy and nutrient requirements vary with physical 
activity. Sitting jobs like reading, computer work, etc., need 
less energy and heavy duty tasks like cycling, carrying heavy 
load, sports, etc., need more energy. Intensity and duration 
of activity also affect the requirements, e.g., a person cycling 
normally needs lesser energy than a person participating in 
a race, need nutrients, like vitamin B, in accordance with 
energy requirement. In general energy from fried foods, extra 
butter or ghee needs to be avoided. Food preparations from 
whole foods, nuts, oilseeds, dairy foods, egg, and fish can 
fulfill the requirement for energy and other nutrients. 
Physiological state
Physiological conditions like infancy, childhood, adolescence, 
pregnancy, lactation impose high demands of food and 
nutrients due to higher rate of growth and development. 
For example, a healthy sedentary woman needs  
1900 kcal/day while the same woman, if pregnant, will need 
2200 kcal. Similarly an adult man needs 0.8 g protein/Kg 
body weight/day. The same person if an athlete requires 
2.0g protein/Kg body weight/day. Foods like laddoo (rich 
in calories) are quite suitable for highly active and growing 
persons while those with sedentary life style should avoid 
them to prevent becoming overweight. Careful selection is 
Chap-9.indd   166 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Page 3


Food is a basic human need. It is consumed to provide 
nourishment to the body. To achieve optimal level of fitness 
certain dietary considerations are required. Mostly food is 
consumed for its taste or appearance; however, both nutritive 
value and quality of food need attention. Food quality, food 
adulteration, food spoilage and impact of indiscriminate 
use of pesticide and radiation on human health have been 
discussed in this lesson. 
Dietary Planning Dietary planning is an important step in proper food 
selection and preparation of meal to stay healthy and fit.  
Dietary planning is a process of developing meal plans 
for adequate nutrition within the available resources. 
Nutritional requirement and food choices vary with regard to 
their age, sex, activity level and physiological condition. Food 
is planned accordingly to make it enjoyable, satisfying and 
healthy. Planning is a scientific method of saving energy, time 
and money. It makes the tasks of  procuring raw material, 
preparing meals and ensuring food quality simpler. It adds 
variety the meals and reduces wastage. 
You have studied the five food groups in Class IX. Revise 
these and for reference keep these handy. 
Factors a FFecting the Planning Everybody needs a balanced diet irrespective of age but certain 
factors influence the food choices. Consider the following 
factors while planning meal for good health and fitness. 
Age
Body’s need for food and nutrients varies greatly with age.  
An infant needs only mother’s milk initially but needs extra 
Dietary 
ConsiDerations anD 
FooD Quality Activity 9.1
 • Plan a meal (lunch or 
dinner) including some 
food from each food 
group.
 • Record your one day 
diet. Analyse each food 
preparation according 
to the food group. How 
could you improve your 
diet for the missing 
nutrients?
Chap-9.indd   165 8/24/2020   11:43:36 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
food and nutrients with growing age. Adolescents grow at a 
fast pace and are active, so they need extra nourishment. 
But their food preferences are often influenced by friends 
and media rather than nutritional requirement. They need 
guidance in this regard. Nutritious food preparations can 
be planned in the form they enjoy, like spinach paratha or 
spinach, carrot and potato soup instead of spinach vegetable. 
Elders often have difficulty in chewing, swallowing and 
digestion; they need soft and easily digestible foods, such as, 
well cooked vegetables, idli etc.  
Gender
Nutritional requirements vary with gender. Till the age of 10 
years nutritional requirements are same, thereafter both grow 
at different pace and their body composition is also different. 
Mostly men are taller and heavier than women. They are more 
muscular while women have more fat cells. Thus, their body 
types are different leading to different nutrient requirements. 
Females need more iron (hemoglobin) due to blood loss during 
menstruation. Lack of iron often puts them at high risk of 
iron deficiency or anemia. Whole grains, seasonal fruits, 
green leafy vegetables and dairy products are healthy for both 
genders. Food preferences may also vary with gender. 
Physical activity
Energy and nutrient requirements vary with physical 
activity. Sitting jobs like reading, computer work, etc., need 
less energy and heavy duty tasks like cycling, carrying heavy 
load, sports, etc., need more energy. Intensity and duration 
of activity also affect the requirements, e.g., a person cycling 
normally needs lesser energy than a person participating in 
a race, need nutrients, like vitamin B, in accordance with 
energy requirement. In general energy from fried foods, extra 
butter or ghee needs to be avoided. Food preparations from 
whole foods, nuts, oilseeds, dairy foods, egg, and fish can 
fulfill the requirement for energy and other nutrients. 
Physiological state
Physiological conditions like infancy, childhood, adolescence, 
pregnancy, lactation impose high demands of food and 
nutrients due to higher rate of growth and development. 
For example, a healthy sedentary woman needs  
1900 kcal/day while the same woman, if pregnant, will need 
2200 kcal. Similarly an adult man needs 0.8 g protein/Kg 
body weight/day. The same person if an athlete requires 
2.0g protein/Kg body weight/day. Foods like laddoo (rich 
in calories) are quite suitable for highly active and growing 
persons while those with sedentary life style should avoid 
them to prevent becoming overweight. Careful selection is 
Chap-9.indd   166 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Dietary Consi Derations an D Foo D Quality helpful to prevent malnutrition and illnesses. Physiological 
state also affects the food preferences.
Economic considerations 
Some foods are expensive while others are cheap but both 
may provide similar nutritional benefits, e.g., cashew nuts are 
expensive, groundnuts are cheap and both are good sources 
of fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Seasonal, local, fresh 
foods are cheaper and more nutritious. The cost of a food 
item also varies from one place to another. Purchasing from 
whole sale markets, haats, etc., is economical. Homemade 
food is cheaper. 
Time and skill 
The number and types of dishes served in a meal depend 
on the availability of time, ingredients, equipment and skills 
of the person who cooks. Lack of these may influence the 
quality of the meal. Hence, it is necessary to plan in such a 
way that nutritional quality is maintained. Preplanning and 
time management skills are useful in preparing nutritious 
meal in lesser time. All members of the family, including 
children, need to be engaged in food preparation activities in 
an appropriate manner. 
Region, religion and culture
Eating habits are often linked with the foods produced in 
the localily, e.g., people living in coastal areas eat more fish 
or coconut is popular in Kerala. When the same food is 
consumed over a period of time it becomes cultural practice.  
Religion also influences the food habits e.g., the Jain 
community does not eat onion, garlic, eggs, fish, meat, etc., 
However, mobility, technology and various modern factors 
are lessening such impacts. Certain foods are associated 
with festivals like, gujia in Holi. 
Food preferences of individuals
Food preferences vary from person to person and strongly 
affect planning of meals, e.g., a vegetarian cannot eat meat and 
a non-vegetarian will not get satisfaction with only vegetarian 
dishes. People from south India will get satisfaction with idli 
sambhar instead of dal roti. Occasional change is accepted 
but dissatisfaction resulted from less preferred food over a 
long period of time may lead to under-eating,  malnutrition 
and health problems. 
Sensory appeal 
How food satisfies the sensory organs, e.g., tongue, nose, 
eyes, ear, constitute sensory appeal. Good looking and 
aromatic food appeals and attracts everybody. Appearance, 
Chap-9.indd   167 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Page 4


Food is a basic human need. It is consumed to provide 
nourishment to the body. To achieve optimal level of fitness 
certain dietary considerations are required. Mostly food is 
consumed for its taste or appearance; however, both nutritive 
value and quality of food need attention. Food quality, food 
adulteration, food spoilage and impact of indiscriminate 
use of pesticide and radiation on human health have been 
discussed in this lesson. 
Dietary Planning Dietary planning is an important step in proper food 
selection and preparation of meal to stay healthy and fit.  
Dietary planning is a process of developing meal plans 
for adequate nutrition within the available resources. 
Nutritional requirement and food choices vary with regard to 
their age, sex, activity level and physiological condition. Food 
is planned accordingly to make it enjoyable, satisfying and 
healthy. Planning is a scientific method of saving energy, time 
and money. It makes the tasks of  procuring raw material, 
preparing meals and ensuring food quality simpler. It adds 
variety the meals and reduces wastage. 
You have studied the five food groups in Class IX. Revise 
these and for reference keep these handy. 
Factors a FFecting the Planning Everybody needs a balanced diet irrespective of age but certain 
factors influence the food choices. Consider the following 
factors while planning meal for good health and fitness. 
Age
Body’s need for food and nutrients varies greatly with age.  
An infant needs only mother’s milk initially but needs extra 
Dietary 
ConsiDerations anD 
FooD Quality Activity 9.1
 • Plan a meal (lunch or 
dinner) including some 
food from each food 
group.
 • Record your one day 
diet. Analyse each food 
preparation according 
to the food group. How 
could you improve your 
diet for the missing 
nutrients?
Chap-9.indd   165 8/24/2020   11:43:36 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
food and nutrients with growing age. Adolescents grow at a 
fast pace and are active, so they need extra nourishment. 
But their food preferences are often influenced by friends 
and media rather than nutritional requirement. They need 
guidance in this regard. Nutritious food preparations can 
be planned in the form they enjoy, like spinach paratha or 
spinach, carrot and potato soup instead of spinach vegetable. 
Elders often have difficulty in chewing, swallowing and 
digestion; they need soft and easily digestible foods, such as, 
well cooked vegetables, idli etc.  
Gender
Nutritional requirements vary with gender. Till the age of 10 
years nutritional requirements are same, thereafter both grow 
at different pace and their body composition is also different. 
Mostly men are taller and heavier than women. They are more 
muscular while women have more fat cells. Thus, their body 
types are different leading to different nutrient requirements. 
Females need more iron (hemoglobin) due to blood loss during 
menstruation. Lack of iron often puts them at high risk of 
iron deficiency or anemia. Whole grains, seasonal fruits, 
green leafy vegetables and dairy products are healthy for both 
genders. Food preferences may also vary with gender. 
Physical activity
Energy and nutrient requirements vary with physical 
activity. Sitting jobs like reading, computer work, etc., need 
less energy and heavy duty tasks like cycling, carrying heavy 
load, sports, etc., need more energy. Intensity and duration 
of activity also affect the requirements, e.g., a person cycling 
normally needs lesser energy than a person participating in 
a race, need nutrients, like vitamin B, in accordance with 
energy requirement. In general energy from fried foods, extra 
butter or ghee needs to be avoided. Food preparations from 
whole foods, nuts, oilseeds, dairy foods, egg, and fish can 
fulfill the requirement for energy and other nutrients. 
Physiological state
Physiological conditions like infancy, childhood, adolescence, 
pregnancy, lactation impose high demands of food and 
nutrients due to higher rate of growth and development. 
For example, a healthy sedentary woman needs  
1900 kcal/day while the same woman, if pregnant, will need 
2200 kcal. Similarly an adult man needs 0.8 g protein/Kg 
body weight/day. The same person if an athlete requires 
2.0g protein/Kg body weight/day. Foods like laddoo (rich 
in calories) are quite suitable for highly active and growing 
persons while those with sedentary life style should avoid 
them to prevent becoming overweight. Careful selection is 
Chap-9.indd   166 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Dietary Consi Derations an D Foo D Quality helpful to prevent malnutrition and illnesses. Physiological 
state also affects the food preferences.
Economic considerations 
Some foods are expensive while others are cheap but both 
may provide similar nutritional benefits, e.g., cashew nuts are 
expensive, groundnuts are cheap and both are good sources 
of fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Seasonal, local, fresh 
foods are cheaper and more nutritious. The cost of a food 
item also varies from one place to another. Purchasing from 
whole sale markets, haats, etc., is economical. Homemade 
food is cheaper. 
Time and skill 
The number and types of dishes served in a meal depend 
on the availability of time, ingredients, equipment and skills 
of the person who cooks. Lack of these may influence the 
quality of the meal. Hence, it is necessary to plan in such a 
way that nutritional quality is maintained. Preplanning and 
time management skills are useful in preparing nutritious 
meal in lesser time. All members of the family, including 
children, need to be engaged in food preparation activities in 
an appropriate manner. 
Region, religion and culture
Eating habits are often linked with the foods produced in 
the localily, e.g., people living in coastal areas eat more fish 
or coconut is popular in Kerala. When the same food is 
consumed over a period of time it becomes cultural practice.  
Religion also influences the food habits e.g., the Jain 
community does not eat onion, garlic, eggs, fish, meat, etc., 
However, mobility, technology and various modern factors 
are lessening such impacts. Certain foods are associated 
with festivals like, gujia in Holi. 
Food preferences of individuals
Food preferences vary from person to person and strongly 
affect planning of meals, e.g., a vegetarian cannot eat meat and 
a non-vegetarian will not get satisfaction with only vegetarian 
dishes. People from south India will get satisfaction with idli 
sambhar instead of dal roti. Occasional change is accepted 
but dissatisfaction resulted from less preferred food over a 
long period of time may lead to under-eating,  malnutrition 
and health problems. 
Sensory appeal 
How food satisfies the sensory organs, e.g., tongue, nose, 
eyes, ear, constitute sensory appeal. Good looking and 
aromatic food appeals and attracts everybody. Appearance, 
Chap-9.indd   167 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
taste, flavor, texture, temperature, also play a crucial role 
in food acceptance. For example, papad has to be crisp and 
bread soft; ice cream chilled and soup hot. This has to be 
given due consideration.
Related concepts
Taste is a sensation perceived in the mouth and throat. There are four 
tastes, i.e., sweet, salt, bitter, sour. The fifth taste is referred to as 
umami which is similar to the taste of monosodium glutamate (MSG). 
Ayurveda describes six tastes namely, sweet, salt, bitter, 
sour, pungent and astringent which can easily be linked with the 
tastes of sugar, salt, neem, lemon, chilli and amla respectively. 
Flavour is sensed by both nose and tongue together. It 
includes both aroma and taste. Lemon has lemony flavor and 
sour taste. Specific compounds when present in a certain food 
give them distinct flavor and can also be modified by processing. 
Satiety value 
Satiety value implies a sense of pleasure and satisfaction that 
a person gets from eating food. While planning meals, it is 
important to take care that it keeps one satisfied for sufficient 
time and does not lead to hunger pangs soon. This in turn will 
affect the working capacity, efficiency and health of a person. 
Media and advertisement 
Many persons, particularly children, choose food tempted by 
advertisements. Further they choose a certain food because 
it is available on discount or as a free gift. Such practice is 
common with some processed, packaged and ready to eat 
foods. These items may initially attract, appear cheap but on 
regular use they may turn out to be costly, less nutritious 
and unhealthy. Hence it is necessary to see nutrition facts 
on the label of the packing to make healthy food choices. 
Using the same concept to advertise nutritious foods will 
encourage people to choose and consume healthy diets. 
Accessibility and transport 
Foods available nearby are usually selected. It commonly 
happens with people living in remote areas, elders, handicaps 
and persons not having requisite transport facilities. Famines, 
droughts, heavy rainfall, cyclones and road blockages further 
limit the food supply. Big bazaars, home delivery system and 
online purchase have improved the access to food. Local 
haats are organised which are also good sources of cheap 
and fresh food items. 
Dietary c onsi Derations For s Ports Persons In Class IX you have studied the dietary considerations for 
different life stages of humans for their health and wellbeing.  
The diets of sportpersons should be managed to help them 
Activity 9.2
 • Ramesh plans to make 
chapatti, dal, spinach 
vegetable, raita and a 
sweet for himself and 
his wife; while Mahima 
consumes missi roti, 
mint chutney and 
buttermilk as she 
has go to work as a 
labor in an industry. 
Compare and evaluate 
their meals.
 • Name five food 
items you started 
eating after seeing 
the advertisements. 
Explain good and bad 
features about each 
of them. What feature 
in the advertisement 
attracted you the 
most?
Fig. 9.1: Taste
Chap-9.indd   168 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Page 5


Food is a basic human need. It is consumed to provide 
nourishment to the body. To achieve optimal level of fitness 
certain dietary considerations are required. Mostly food is 
consumed for its taste or appearance; however, both nutritive 
value and quality of food need attention. Food quality, food 
adulteration, food spoilage and impact of indiscriminate 
use of pesticide and radiation on human health have been 
discussed in this lesson. 
Dietary Planning Dietary planning is an important step in proper food 
selection and preparation of meal to stay healthy and fit.  
Dietary planning is a process of developing meal plans 
for adequate nutrition within the available resources. 
Nutritional requirement and food choices vary with regard to 
their age, sex, activity level and physiological condition. Food 
is planned accordingly to make it enjoyable, satisfying and 
healthy. Planning is a scientific method of saving energy, time 
and money. It makes the tasks of  procuring raw material, 
preparing meals and ensuring food quality simpler. It adds 
variety the meals and reduces wastage. 
You have studied the five food groups in Class IX. Revise 
these and for reference keep these handy. 
Factors a FFecting the Planning Everybody needs a balanced diet irrespective of age but certain 
factors influence the food choices. Consider the following 
factors while planning meal for good health and fitness. 
Age
Body’s need for food and nutrients varies greatly with age.  
An infant needs only mother’s milk initially but needs extra 
Dietary 
ConsiDerations anD 
FooD Quality Activity 9.1
 • Plan a meal (lunch or 
dinner) including some 
food from each food 
group.
 • Record your one day 
diet. Analyse each food 
preparation according 
to the food group. How 
could you improve your 
diet for the missing 
nutrients?
Chap-9.indd   165 8/24/2020   11:43:36 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
food and nutrients with growing age. Adolescents grow at a 
fast pace and are active, so they need extra nourishment. 
But their food preferences are often influenced by friends 
and media rather than nutritional requirement. They need 
guidance in this regard. Nutritious food preparations can 
be planned in the form they enjoy, like spinach paratha or 
spinach, carrot and potato soup instead of spinach vegetable. 
Elders often have difficulty in chewing, swallowing and 
digestion; they need soft and easily digestible foods, such as, 
well cooked vegetables, idli etc.  
Gender
Nutritional requirements vary with gender. Till the age of 10 
years nutritional requirements are same, thereafter both grow 
at different pace and their body composition is also different. 
Mostly men are taller and heavier than women. They are more 
muscular while women have more fat cells. Thus, their body 
types are different leading to different nutrient requirements. 
Females need more iron (hemoglobin) due to blood loss during 
menstruation. Lack of iron often puts them at high risk of 
iron deficiency or anemia. Whole grains, seasonal fruits, 
green leafy vegetables and dairy products are healthy for both 
genders. Food preferences may also vary with gender. 
Physical activity
Energy and nutrient requirements vary with physical 
activity. Sitting jobs like reading, computer work, etc., need 
less energy and heavy duty tasks like cycling, carrying heavy 
load, sports, etc., need more energy. Intensity and duration 
of activity also affect the requirements, e.g., a person cycling 
normally needs lesser energy than a person participating in 
a race, need nutrients, like vitamin B, in accordance with 
energy requirement. In general energy from fried foods, extra 
butter or ghee needs to be avoided. Food preparations from 
whole foods, nuts, oilseeds, dairy foods, egg, and fish can 
fulfill the requirement for energy and other nutrients. 
Physiological state
Physiological conditions like infancy, childhood, adolescence, 
pregnancy, lactation impose high demands of food and 
nutrients due to higher rate of growth and development. 
For example, a healthy sedentary woman needs  
1900 kcal/day while the same woman, if pregnant, will need 
2200 kcal. Similarly an adult man needs 0.8 g protein/Kg 
body weight/day. The same person if an athlete requires 
2.0g protein/Kg body weight/day. Foods like laddoo (rich 
in calories) are quite suitable for highly active and growing 
persons while those with sedentary life style should avoid 
them to prevent becoming overweight. Careful selection is 
Chap-9.indd   166 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Dietary Consi Derations an D Foo D Quality helpful to prevent malnutrition and illnesses. Physiological 
state also affects the food preferences.
Economic considerations 
Some foods are expensive while others are cheap but both 
may provide similar nutritional benefits, e.g., cashew nuts are 
expensive, groundnuts are cheap and both are good sources 
of fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Seasonal, local, fresh 
foods are cheaper and more nutritious. The cost of a food 
item also varies from one place to another. Purchasing from 
whole sale markets, haats, etc., is economical. Homemade 
food is cheaper. 
Time and skill 
The number and types of dishes served in a meal depend 
on the availability of time, ingredients, equipment and skills 
of the person who cooks. Lack of these may influence the 
quality of the meal. Hence, it is necessary to plan in such a 
way that nutritional quality is maintained. Preplanning and 
time management skills are useful in preparing nutritious 
meal in lesser time. All members of the family, including 
children, need to be engaged in food preparation activities in 
an appropriate manner. 
Region, religion and culture
Eating habits are often linked with the foods produced in 
the localily, e.g., people living in coastal areas eat more fish 
or coconut is popular in Kerala. When the same food is 
consumed over a period of time it becomes cultural practice.  
Religion also influences the food habits e.g., the Jain 
community does not eat onion, garlic, eggs, fish, meat, etc., 
However, mobility, technology and various modern factors 
are lessening such impacts. Certain foods are associated 
with festivals like, gujia in Holi. 
Food preferences of individuals
Food preferences vary from person to person and strongly 
affect planning of meals, e.g., a vegetarian cannot eat meat and 
a non-vegetarian will not get satisfaction with only vegetarian 
dishes. People from south India will get satisfaction with idli 
sambhar instead of dal roti. Occasional change is accepted 
but dissatisfaction resulted from less preferred food over a 
long period of time may lead to under-eating,  malnutrition 
and health problems. 
Sensory appeal 
How food satisfies the sensory organs, e.g., tongue, nose, 
eyes, ear, constitute sensory appeal. Good looking and 
aromatic food appeals and attracts everybody. Appearance, 
Chap-9.indd   167 8/24/2020   11:43:37 AM
Healt H and PHysical e ducation - c lass X
taste, flavor, texture, temperature, also play a crucial role 
in food acceptance. For example, papad has to be crisp and 
bread soft; ice cream chilled and soup hot. This has to be 
given due consideration.
Related concepts
Taste is a sensation perceived in the mouth and throat. There are four 
tastes, i.e., sweet, salt, bitter, sour. The fifth taste is referred to as 
umami which is similar to the taste of monosodium glutamate (MSG). 
Ayurveda describes six tastes namely, sweet, salt, bitter, 
sour, pungent and astringent which can easily be linked with the 
tastes of sugar, salt, neem, lemon, chilli and amla respectively. 
Flavour is sensed by both nose and tongue together. It 
includes both aroma and taste. Lemon has lemony flavor and 
sour taste. Specific compounds when present in a certain food 
give them distinct flavor and can also be modified by processing. 
Satiety value 
Satiety value implies a sense of pleasure and satisfaction that 
a person gets from eating food. While planning meals, it is 
important to take care that it keeps one satisfied for sufficient 
time and does not lead to hunger pangs soon. This in turn will 
affect the working capacity, efficiency and health of a person. 
Media and advertisement 
Many persons, particularly children, choose food tempted by 
advertisements. Further they choose a certain food because 
it is available on discount or as a free gift. Such practice is 
common with some processed, packaged and ready to eat 
foods. These items may initially attract, appear cheap but on 
regular use they may turn out to be costly, less nutritious 
and unhealthy. Hence it is necessary to see nutrition facts 
on the label of the packing to make healthy food choices. 
Using the same concept to advertise nutritious foods will 
encourage people to choose and consume healthy diets. 
Accessibility and transport 
Foods available nearby are usually selected. It commonly 
happens with people living in remote areas, elders, handicaps 
and persons not having requisite transport facilities. Famines, 
droughts, heavy rainfall, cyclones and road blockages further 
limit the food supply. Big bazaars, home delivery system and 
online purchase have improved the access to food. Local 
haats are organised which are also good sources of cheap 
and fresh food items. 
Dietary c onsi Derations For s Ports Persons In Class IX you have studied the dietary considerations for 
different life stages of humans for their health and wellbeing.  
The diets of sportpersons should be managed to help them 
Activity 9.2
 • Ramesh plans to make 
chapatti, dal, spinach 
vegetable, raita and a 
sweet for himself and 
his wife; while Mahima 
consumes missi roti, 
mint chutney and 
buttermilk as she 
has go to work as a 
labor in an industry. 
Compare and evaluate 
their meals.
 • Name five food 
items you started 
eating after seeing 
the advertisements. 
Explain good and bad 
features about each 
of them. What feature 
in the advertisement 
attracted you the 
most?
Fig. 9.1: Taste
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Dietary Consi Derations an D Foo D Quality exhibit their best performance and maintain endurance. 
They are constantly indulged in intense physical exercises, 
training, matches and competitions and other sports-related 
activities. Hence their energy and nutritional requirements 
are also very high.  Besides age, gender, body composition, 
types of sports, intensity and duration of the event, the 
environmental factors also greatly affect their nutritional 
requirements. Adequate nutrition is of utmost importance for 
their health, physical fitness, endurance, peak performance 
and prevention of dehydration, injury and infection. The 
right kind of food given at the right time in right proportion 
is of paramount importance for sportpersons to prolong their 
sporting life. 
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are major sources of energy for sportpersons. 
For general fitness, 3-5 g carbohydrate per Kg body weight per 
day is sufficient. For intensive sport like football, gymnastic, 
weight lifting, 5-10 g carbohydrate per Kg body weight per 
day may be required. Body stores of carbohydrate (glycogen) 
must be sufficient before and during exercise. Glycogen 
stores determine the stamina and performance. For one 
hour of exercise, no extra intake except water is needed. 
Carbohydrate requirement increases with increasing duration 
of workout. Timing of carbohydrates intake is vital.  Intake 
of high carbohydrate, easily digestible food, 2-4 hours before 
training and event are advisable for quick energy release 
and replenishment in the body. Food preparations having 
potato (baked), bread, rice, semolina (suji), and banana 
along with liquid food are suggested. Excessive consumption 
of carbohydrates may lead to weight gain, cause digestive 
discomfort, muscle stiffness, diarrhea, lethargy, etc., and 
eventually hamper the performance.
Protein 
Depending upon the intensity of the sport, protein requirement 
can range from 1.2 -2.0g per kg body weight per day. Sufficient 
intake of carbohydrates ensures that protein is used for 
building and repairing of muscles and tissues; for formation 
of hormones, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters; 
preventing damage; and not for giving energy. For better 
utilisation of protein, consume carbohydrate and protein 
food sources in appropriate proportion, preferably 3:1 or 4:1 
for better performance in endurance events.
Foods like egg, whey protein, soy and milk (casein), 
low fat dairy products, grains, nuts, seeds and beans 
provide good quality protein. Readymade protein powders 
should be avoided or taken under expert supervision only. 
Low protein intake makes sportpersons susceptible to fatigue, 
Activity 9.3
 • Make a diet plan 
for your team 
participating in football 
in Meghalaya, giving 
suitable justifications.
 • Your physical 
education teacher 
must be planning 
events for sports day. 
Note down the diets 
he or she suggests to 
you. Relate all in terms 
of food groups and 
give your suggestions 
in terms of suitability 
to the game you are 
playing.
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