Unit 2 · Health and Well-being · NCERT Class 5 Our Wondrous World

The Mystery of Food

Why do we eat? Different foods do different jobs — some give energy, some build the body, and some protect us. Tap each idea to solve the mystery of food, learn where it comes from, and find out how to eat well and stay clean.

🍎 3 topics⏱ ~15 min📝 10-question quiz

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Six things to know about food

Food is full of clues. Tap each term to see what each kind of food does and where it comes from.

Explore · Foodtap a term

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The three big ideas

Energy-giving foods — rice, roti, potato, sugar, ghee — are the body’s fuel for running and playing.
Body-building foods — dal, milk, paneer, eggs, fish — help us grow tall and strong and repair cuts.
Protective foods — fruits and vegetables — carry vitamins and minerals that guard us from illness. We need all three, every day.

Everyday example. Look at a simple thali. Can you spot a food for each of the three jobs?

Rice and roti give energy; dal and curd build the body; the sabzi and salad protect you. One plate, all three jobs done.

Most food comes from plants — grains like wheat and rice, fruits, vegetables, pulses and oils.
Some food comes from animals — milk, curd, eggs, fish and honey.
Farmers grow crops and rear animals; the food then travels through markets to our kitchens. Even sugar (from sugarcane) and oil (from seeds) come from plants.

Common mix-up: Food does not simply appear in a shop. Behind every packet there is a farm, a plant or an animal — and a hard-working farmer.

A balanced meal has some of each food group, plus plenty of water. Eating only one kind — say, only sweets — is not healthy, and too much fried, sugary food is not good for us.
Keep food safe: wash hands with soap before eating, wash fruits and vegetables, and cover cooked food so flies stay away.
Eat fresh food. Dirty hands and stale food carry germs that upset the stomach.

Everyday example. What three quick steps should you do before eating lunch at school?

Wash your hands with soap, sit down calmly, and eat a mix of foods with water — simple habits that keep you healthy.

Where you'll see it

Food and your health

Your school tiffin

A box with a roti, some sabzi, a fruit and water gives all three food jobs — far better than only biscuits or only sweets.

From farm to plate

The rice on your plate was grown by a farmer, harvested, cleaned and carried to the market. Wasting food wastes all that hard work.

Wash before you eat

One quick wash with soap removes germs from your hands. It is the easiest way to stop falling ill.