Food can be classified in several ways: 1) By chemical properties into carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. 2) By function into energy-giving foods like rice and potatoes, body-building foods like meat and eggs, and protective foods like fruits and vegetables. 3) By quantity needed into macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats needed in large amounts daily, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts.

2. CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD
• Food can be classified in accordance to their
chemical property, to their function, to their
essentiality, to their concentration and to their
nutritive value.

4. a) According to the chemical nature
• carbohydrates
• vitamins
• proteins
• dietary fiber
• fats
• water minerals

5. b) According to their function in the body
Energy giving foods
• The carbohydrates, fats and the protein are
considered as calorie nutrients, so that the body can
perform the necessary functions. Rice, chapatti,
bread, potato, sugar, oil, butter and ghee are examples
of energy giving foods.

6. Body building foods
• Foods such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates are
also called as body-building food. They are the
nutrients that form body tissues. Fish, meat,
chicken, eggs, pulses, nuts and milk are some body
building foods.

7. Protective foods
• Vitamins and minerals are the nutrients that
function to regulate body processes. They protect
us from various diseases. Fruits and vegetables are
some examples. Therefore we must eat these
regularly.

9. c) According to chemical
properties
• Organic: Nutrients that contain the element of
carbon are called as organic nutrients.
• Inorganic: Nutrients that do not contain carbon
element are called as inorganic nutrients.
• The organic nutrients include carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins and vitamins. Water and minerals are
inorganic.

10. d) According to its mass depending on the
quantity necessary for cells and organisms
are classified as
• Macronutrients: Macronutrients are required in large
quantities daily. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are
macronutrients. They are the basis of any diet.
• Micronutrients: Micronutrients are needed in small
quantities (usually in amounts less than milligrams). These
nutrients are involved in regulating metabolism and
energy processes. They are vitamins and minerals.

11. e) According to its origin
• Depending upon the origin of food it has been
classified as animal food sources and plant food
sources.

12. f) According to its nutritive value
• Cereals and millets
• Pulses
• Nuts and oil seeds
• Vegetables
• Green leafy vegetables
• Non-leafy vegetables
• Roots and tubers (plants yielding starchy
roots, tubers, rhizomes, corms and stems).
• Fruits
• Milk and milk products
• Animal foods (meat, fish, liver, egg)
• Carbohydrate foods
• Spices (Aromatic or pungent plant part e.g:
fruit, leaves, seed, root, bark, berry, bud,
flower or vegetable used to flavor food.
• Condiments (Food ingredients such as
salt, mustard, or pickle that is used to add
flavor to food).