Vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and water are all essential nutrients. Vitamins and minerals are needed in small quantities to keep our bodies healthy and protect us from disease. Dietary fibers do not provide nutrients but help maintain a healthy digestive system by preventing constipation. Water is needed to absorb nutrients, remove waste, cool our bodies through sweating, and requires around 5-7 liters daily.

1. Vitamins and Minerals

2. Vitamins
 Vitamins are required by our body in very small
quantities.
 Vitamins help in keeping our eyes , bones, teeth
and gums healthy.
 The food items which are rich in vitamins are
called protective foods as they protect our body
from diseases and keep us healthy.
 There are 13 kinds of vitamins with different
benefits. Some of them are -Vitamin A, Vitamin B-
complex, Vitamin C , Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin
K .

3. Sources of vitamins

4. Minerals
Minerals are needed by our body in small
quantities.
Each one is needed for proper growth of our body
and to maintain good health.
They perform important functions such as
formation of bones , teeth and blood cells, and
maintaining a normal heartbeat.

5. Sources of Minerals

6. Sources of Minerals

7. Dietary fibres/ Roughage
The portion of the food that does not provide any
nutrients to our body but helps in maintaining a healthy
digestive system.
Examples : Corn , Cauliflower , Apples, Strawberry,
Peach , Rice , Cabbage, Turnip , Whole grains etc.
Lack of fibres in the diet causes the stool to become
hard and difficult to pass. This condition is called
constipation.

8. Roughage
Roughage does not provide any nutrients to
our body but it is an essential component of
our food.
It helps in easy absorption of food .
It helps in the easy movement of food
through the digestive tract and prevents
constipation.

9. Water
Water performs the essential function of
absorbing nutrients from our food.
It also helps to remove waste from our body
in the form of sweat and urine.
Water keeps our body cool through sweating.
Our body requires a large quantity (5-7 litres)
of water daily.

10. Answer these questions:
1. Why are vitamins and minerals called protective foods?
2. What are dietary fibres ?
3. What is the function of water in our body?