Water and Roughage

Water

Water is an important constituent of diet. 75% of an infant body and 60% of an adult body is nothing but water.

Various functions of water are:

• essential for the transport and digestion of food material.
• excretes wastes.
• maintains the body temperature.
• acts as solvent in various reactions in the body.

Sources of Water

Water is replenished by:

• drinking of plain water or of tea, coffee, milk and fruit juices.
• eating fruits, vegetables and fish.
• some amount of water comes as a by-product of oxidation of glucose in the body.

Roughage

Roughage is the fibre present in some food items like fruits and vegetables. Though roughage is not a food, it forms an important part of our diet. Roughage consists mainly of cellulose.

Function

• It helps in bowel movement.
• It cleans our digestive tracts and protects the body from digestive ailments.
• It prevents constipation.
• It helps in retaining water in the body.
• It helps in maintaining optimum levels of blood sugar and cholesterol.