Classes of Food and Its Function

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Classes of food 1. Living things need food to survive. 2. Food can divide into seven classes as follows: i. Carbohydrates ii. Proteins iii. Fats iv. Vitamins v. Minerals vi. Fibre vii. Water Carbohydrate 1. Carbohydrate is made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. 2. There are three types of carbohydrate, starch, sugar and cellulose. 3. Carbohydrates are present in various forms, such as: i. Starch, which is stored in plants.(bread, potatoes) ii. Sugars, which are sweet and soluble in water. iii. Cellulose, which is found in plant cell walls and cannot be digested.(vegetable and fruits) iv. Glycogen, which is found in liver and muscles. 4. Food rich in carbohydrate include rice, potato, sugar, bread, and banana. 5. Carbohydrate is our main source of energy. Carbohydrate supplies us with energy to carry out daily activities such as walking, breathing and working. Protein 1. Protein is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. 2. Sometimes protein can also contain phosphorus and sulphur. 3. Food rich in protein includes fish, milk, meat, egg white and nuts (groundnuts and soya bean). 4. Proteins are required for building new cells for growth, to replace damaged tissue. 5. Growing children require a lot of protein. Lack of protein will cause a disease known as kwashiorkor (stunted growth). Fat 1. Fat is made up for carbon, hydrogen and oxygen but the ratio is different from that of carbohydrate. 2. Food rich in fats includes palm oil, butter and egg yolk. 3. Fat produces twice the amount of energy compared with carbohydrate of the same weight. 4. The function of fat includes: i. Supplying energy, ii. As an insulator of heat to reduce heat loss from the body, iii. Protecting the internal organs such as the kidneys and the heart,

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