NCERT Textbook: Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body | Science Class 6 PDF Download

 Page 1


Mindful Eating: A Path  
to a Healthy Body 3 Chapter
?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? 
????
?? ? ????
?? ? ??
??
?? ? (?
??????)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One 
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, 
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)
Medu and Mishti read 
‘thought of the day’ on the 
school noticeboard every 
day. Today’s thought, 
‘annena jatani jivanti’, 
makes them curious. 
Mishti tells Medu that it is 
a Sanskrit saying which 
means ‘food gives life to 
living beings.’ 
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.
3.1 What Do We Eat? 
Activity 3.1: Let us record 
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component 
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed 
over the week in Table 3.1.
?????? ?? ??????? ??????
 
annena jatani jivanti
Chapter 3.indd   35 10-07-2024   17:10:55
Page 2


Mindful Eating: A Path  
to a Healthy Body 3 Chapter
?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? 
????
?? ? ????
?? ? ??
??
?? ? (?
??????)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One 
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, 
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)
Medu and Mishti read 
‘thought of the day’ on the 
school noticeboard every 
day. Today’s thought, 
‘annena jatani jivanti’, 
makes them curious. 
Mishti tells Medu that it is 
a Sanskrit saying which 
means ‘food gives life to 
living beings.’ 
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.
3.1 What Do We Eat? 
Activity 3.1: Let us record 
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component 
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed 
over the week in Table 3.1.
?????? ?? ??????? ??????
 
annena jatani jivanti
Chapter 3.indd   35 10-07-2024   17:10:55
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
36
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Table 3.1: Food items consumed over a week
Day Food items
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Chapter 3.indd   36 10-07-2024   17:10:56
Page 3


Mindful Eating: A Path  
to a Healthy Body 3 Chapter
?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? 
????
?? ? ????
?? ? ??
??
?? ? (?
??????)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One 
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, 
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)
Medu and Mishti read 
‘thought of the day’ on the 
school noticeboard every 
day. Today’s thought, 
‘annena jatani jivanti’, 
makes them curious. 
Mishti tells Medu that it is 
a Sanskrit saying which 
means ‘food gives life to 
living beings.’ 
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.
3.1 What Do We Eat? 
Activity 3.1: Let us record 
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component 
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed 
over the week in Table 3.1.
?????? ?? ??????? ??????
 
annena jatani jivanti
Chapter 3.indd   35 10-07-2024   17:10:55
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
36
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Table 3.1: Food items consumed over a week
Day Food items
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Chapter 3.indd   36 10-07-2024   17:10:56
Mindful Eating: A Path 
to a Healthy Body
37
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Why do we see diversity in traditional food consumed in 
various states of our country? 
Analyse the data collected by you in Table 3.2. Are there 
food items that are common across many states? Make a 
list of those food items. You may find that some food items 
are common in many states while some are eaten only in a 
particular state.
What relation do you find between the traditional food  
items and the locally grown crops? You must have observed 
that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the 
crops grown in that state. India is an agricultural country 
with diverse soil and climate types. Various crops are 
grown in its different regions depending on the soil 
types and climatic conditions. 
In various regions of India, the choice of food may vary 
according to the cultivation of food crops in that particular 
region, taste preferences, culture, and traditions. 
Table 3.2: Some traditional food items in various states of India
State
Locally grown 
crops 
Traditional food items 
eaten
Beverages
Punjab
Maize, 
wheat, 
chickpea, 
pulses
Makki di roti, sarson da 
saag, chhole bhature, 
parantha, halwa, kheer
Lassi, chhach 
(buttermilk), 
milk, tea
Karnataka
Rice, ragi, 
urad, coconut
Idli, dosa, sambhar, 
coconut chutney, ragi 
mudde, palya, rasam, rice
Buttermilk, 
coffee, 
tea
Manipur
Rice, 
bamboo, 
soya bean
Rice, eromba (chutney), 
utti (yellow peas and 
green onion curry) singju, 
kangsoi
Black Tea
Any other
 ? In Table 3.2, add more states and fill the collected data . 
A few examples are already given.
Chapter 3.indd   37 10-07-2024   17:10:57
Page 4


Mindful Eating: A Path  
to a Healthy Body 3 Chapter
?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? 
????
?? ? ????
?? ? ??
??
?? ? (?
??????)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One 
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, 
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)
Medu and Mishti read 
‘thought of the day’ on the 
school noticeboard every 
day. Today’s thought, 
‘annena jatani jivanti’, 
makes them curious. 
Mishti tells Medu that it is 
a Sanskrit saying which 
means ‘food gives life to 
living beings.’ 
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.
3.1 What Do We Eat? 
Activity 3.1: Let us record 
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component 
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed 
over the week in Table 3.1.
?????? ?? ??????? ??????
 
annena jatani jivanti
Chapter 3.indd   35 10-07-2024   17:10:55
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
36
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Table 3.1: Food items consumed over a week
Day Food items
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Chapter 3.indd   36 10-07-2024   17:10:56
Mindful Eating: A Path 
to a Healthy Body
37
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Why do we see diversity in traditional food consumed in 
various states of our country? 
Analyse the data collected by you in Table 3.2. Are there 
food items that are common across many states? Make a 
list of those food items. You may find that some food items 
are common in many states while some are eaten only in a 
particular state.
What relation do you find between the traditional food  
items and the locally grown crops? You must have observed 
that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the 
crops grown in that state. India is an agricultural country 
with diverse soil and climate types. Various crops are 
grown in its different regions depending on the soil 
types and climatic conditions. 
In various regions of India, the choice of food may vary 
according to the cultivation of food crops in that particular 
region, taste preferences, culture, and traditions. 
Table 3.2: Some traditional food items in various states of India
State
Locally grown 
crops 
Traditional food items 
eaten
Beverages
Punjab
Maize, 
wheat, 
chickpea, 
pulses
Makki di roti, sarson da 
saag, chhole bhature, 
parantha, halwa, kheer
Lassi, chhach 
(buttermilk), 
milk, tea
Karnataka
Rice, ragi, 
urad, coconut
Idli, dosa, sambhar, 
coconut chutney, ragi 
mudde, palya, rasam, rice
Buttermilk, 
coffee, 
tea
Manipur
Rice, 
bamboo, 
soya bean
Rice, eromba (chutney), 
utti (yellow peas and 
green onion curry) singju, 
kangsoi
Black Tea
Any other
 ? In Table 3.2, add more states and fill the collected data . 
A few examples are already given.
Chapter 3.indd   37 10-07-2024   17:10:57
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
38
3.1.2 How have cooking practices changed  
 over time?
You have learnt that food habits vary across states. Our 
food choices as well as practices of food preparation may 
differ from one another. Have our food habits and cooking 
practices changed over time? 
Activity 3.3: Let us interact and find out 
 ? Prepare a list of questions for gathering information 
from elderly people about their food habits and cooking 
practices. Following are some of the sample questions —
 ? What kind of food do you still eat and what is new?
 ? What are the changes in cooking practices over time? 
 ? What has caused these changes?
 ? Conduct interviews with some elderly people based on 
the questions prepared. 
What are your findings from the interviews you conducted? 
Cooking practices, also called culinary practices, have 
changed over time. There is a significant difference between 
traditional and modern culinary practices. Earlier, most 
cooking was done using a chulha (Fig. 3.1a). Nowadays, most 
of us cook using a modern gas stove (Fig. 3.1b). Earlier , most 
grinding was done manually using a sil-batta (Fig. 3.1c). 
These days, we use an electrical grinder for ease of grinding 
(Fig. 3.1d). Find out what were the other ways of cooking 
and grinding. Why have these culinary practices changed 
over time? These changes may be due to factors such as 
technological development, improved transportation and 
better communication.
3.2 What are the Components of Food?
Medu and Mishti visit the ‘Traditional Food Festival’ 
organised in their school. The theme of the festival is ‘Eat 
Healthy, Live Healthy’. 
(a) Chulha (Traditional stove)
(b) Modern gas stove
Fig. 3.1: Changes in cooking tools over time
(c) Sil-batta (Stone grinder) (d) Electrical grinder
Chapter 3.indd   38 10-07-2024   17:11:06
Page 5


Mindful Eating: A Path  
to a Healthy Body 3 Chapter
?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? ?????? ? ? 
????
?? ? ????
?? ? ??
??
?? ? (?
??????)
Who is healthy? Who is healthy? Who is healthy? One 
who eats food that is wholesome, in moderate quantities, 
and appropriate for the season, time, and place.
(Wise saying)
Medu and Mishti read 
‘thought of the day’ on the 
school noticeboard every 
day. Today’s thought, 
‘annena jatani jivanti’, 
makes them curious. 
Mishti tells Medu that it is 
a Sanskrit saying which 
means ‘food gives life to 
living beings.’ 
Let us try to understand the significance of this saying.
3.1 What Do We Eat? 
Activity 3.1: Let us record 
All of us eat food every day. Food is an essential component 
of our daily life. List the food items you have consumed 
over the week in Table 3.1.
?????? ?? ??????? ??????
 
annena jatani jivanti
Chapter 3.indd   35 10-07-2024   17:10:55
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
36
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Table 3.1: Food items consumed over a week
Day Food items
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Chapter 3.indd   36 10-07-2024   17:10:56
Mindful Eating: A Path 
to a Healthy Body
37
What observations can you make about your food from the 
data collected in Table 3.1? Do you eat the same kind of food 
in every meal or do your choices vary? Compare your list 
with those prepared by your friends. Find similarities and 
differences in the food consumed by you and your friends. 
What did you find? Record your findings in your notebook. 
You may have noticed that there is a variety in the food 
eaten by you and your friends.
Do you think that such diversity in food exists in all states 
of our country?
3.1.1 Food in different regions
Activity 3.2: Let us explore
 ? Find out the types of food traditionally consumed and 
the crops grown in various states of India. You may 
refer to books in your library, search the internet, and 
interact with your friends, family and neighbours to 
collect information. 
Why do we see diversity in traditional food consumed in 
various states of our country? 
Analyse the data collected by you in Table 3.2. Are there 
food items that are common across many states? Make a 
list of those food items. You may find that some food items 
are common in many states while some are eaten only in a 
particular state.
What relation do you find between the traditional food  
items and the locally grown crops? You must have observed 
that the traditional food of any state is usually based on the 
crops grown in that state. India is an agricultural country 
with diverse soil and climate types. Various crops are 
grown in its different regions depending on the soil 
types and climatic conditions. 
In various regions of India, the choice of food may vary 
according to the cultivation of food crops in that particular 
region, taste preferences, culture, and traditions. 
Table 3.2: Some traditional food items in various states of India
State
Locally grown 
crops 
Traditional food items 
eaten
Beverages
Punjab
Maize, 
wheat, 
chickpea, 
pulses
Makki di roti, sarson da 
saag, chhole bhature, 
parantha, halwa, kheer
Lassi, chhach 
(buttermilk), 
milk, tea
Karnataka
Rice, ragi, 
urad, coconut
Idli, dosa, sambhar, 
coconut chutney, ragi 
mudde, palya, rasam, rice
Buttermilk, 
coffee, 
tea
Manipur
Rice, 
bamboo, 
soya bean
Rice, eromba (chutney), 
utti (yellow peas and 
green onion curry) singju, 
kangsoi
Black Tea
Any other
 ? In Table 3.2, add more states and fill the collected data . 
A few examples are already given.
Chapter 3.indd   37 10-07-2024   17:10:57
Curiosity | Textbook of Science | Grade 6
38
3.1.2 How have cooking practices changed  
 over time?
You have learnt that food habits vary across states. Our 
food choices as well as practices of food preparation may 
differ from one another. Have our food habits and cooking 
practices changed over time? 
Activity 3.3: Let us interact and find out 
 ? Prepare a list of questions for gathering information 
from elderly people about their food habits and cooking 
practices. Following are some of the sample questions —
 ? What kind of food do you still eat and what is new?
 ? What are the changes in cooking practices over time? 
 ? What has caused these changes?
 ? Conduct interviews with some elderly people based on 
the questions prepared. 
What are your findings from the interviews you conducted? 
Cooking practices, also called culinary practices, have 
changed over time. There is a significant difference between 
traditional and modern culinary practices. Earlier, most 
cooking was done using a chulha (Fig. 3.1a). Nowadays, most 
of us cook using a modern gas stove (Fig. 3.1b). Earlier , most 
grinding was done manually using a sil-batta (Fig. 3.1c). 
These days, we use an electrical grinder for ease of grinding 
(Fig. 3.1d). Find out what were the other ways of cooking 
and grinding. Why have these culinary practices changed 
over time? These changes may be due to factors such as 
technological development, improved transportation and 
better communication.
3.2 What are the Components of Food?
Medu and Mishti visit the ‘Traditional Food Festival’ 
organised in their school. The theme of the festival is ‘Eat 
Healthy, Live Healthy’. 
(a) Chulha (Traditional stove)
(b) Modern gas stove
Fig. 3.1: Changes in cooking tools over time
(c) Sil-batta (Stone grinder) (d) Electrical grinder
Chapter 3.indd   38 10-07-2024   17:11:06
Mindful Eating: A Path 
to a Healthy Body
39
?????? ????, ?????? ?? ?? ?
Eat Healthy, Live Healthy
3.1.2 How have cooking practices changed  
 over time?
You have learnt that food habits vary across states. Our 
food choices as well as practices of food preparation may 
differ from one another. Have our food habits and cooking 
practices changed over time? 
Activity 3.3: Let us interact and find out 
 ? Prepare a list of questions for gathering information 
from elderly people about their food habits and cooking 
practices. Following are some of the sample questions —
 ? What kind of food do you still eat and what is new?
 ? What are the changes in cooking practices over time? 
 ? What has caused these changes?
 ? Conduct interviews with some elderly people based on 
the questions prepared. 
What are your findings from the interviews you conducted? 
Cooking practices, also called culinary practices, have 
changed over time. There is a significant difference between 
traditional and modern culinary practices. Earlier, most 
cooking was done using a chulha (Fig. 3.1a). Nowadays, most 
of us cook using a modern gas stove (Fig. 3.1b). Earlier , most 
grinding was done manually using a sil-batta (Fig. 3.1c). 
These days, we use an electrical grinder for ease of grinding 
(Fig. 3.1d). Find out what were the other ways of cooking 
and grinding. Why have these culinary practices changed 
over time? These changes may be due to factors such as 
technological development, improved transportation and 
better communication.
3.2 What are the Components of Food?
Medu and Mishti visit the ‘Traditional Food Festival’ 
organised in their school. The theme of the festival is ‘Eat 
Healthy, Live Healthy’. 
The festival features various stalls displaying different 
kinds of traditional dishes. Dr Poshita, a nutritional expert, 
explains to students that ?Health is the Ultimate Wealth'. 
Chapter 3.indd   39 10-07-2024   17:11:10