Page 228 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

F. Water
Water is not a nutrient but it is an essential element without which the other nutrients
cannot be utilized in the body. An adult human being contains 70% of water whereas
the children’s body contain 80% of water. We take water from our diet as well as a drink.
Without water, we cannot survive for more than few days. Absence of water makes the
cells dry up.

Functions of water in the body
a. Water is an element that keeps the cells alive.
b. It acts as a good solvent in the body.
c. It helps in the elimination of waste materials from the body.
d. It helps to regulate body temperature.
e. It helps to regulate the body pressure.
f. It helps in the digestion of food.
g. It prevents the body from dehydration.

Quantity of water required in a day
The quantity of water required for individual depends upon various factors like weather,
age of an individual, body structure, functions of body, etc. Normally, a healthy person
requires 3 to 5 litres of water in a day.

Impacts of dehydration
Lack of sufficient amount of water in the body is considered as dehydration. There should
be a balance between the intake and throwing out of water in and from the body. When
the body lacks 5%-10% of water in the body, people suffer from problems like wrinkles on
the skin, thickening of blood, etc. which makes it difficult to flow, lack of energy to work,
etc.

Features of quality food

Food containing all the essential nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals,
etc. is known as balanced and nutritious diet. Many people think that balanced diet and
quality food are synonymous to each other. But all balanced diet may not be of good
quality. For the food to be of good quality, it should also be neat and clean, healthy and
should not be adulterated. Though the food contains all the nutrients, if the food is
adulterated, overcooked, burnt or fried, the nutrients are reduced or lost totally. So, it
can’t be of good quality. Balanced and quality food helps in the physical, mental and
emotional development of every individual. The necessity of food requirement differs
from one person to another. For example, an old person needs less amount of food than
an adult man or woman. Similarly, an active or growing child requires more food than an
old man. The growth and development, production of energy, to do work, etc. depends
upon the quality and quantity of food taken by an individual.

228 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9