CBSE Class 5 EVS Chapter 3: From Tasting to Digesting NCERT Solutions

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NCERT Solutions PDF Class 5 PDF

This chapter, 'From Tasting to Digesting,' for CBSE Class 5 EVS, delves into the fascinating world of how we perceive food. The NCERT Solutions provide clear explanations for understanding taste, smell, and the initial stages of digestion. Students will explore how different tastes like sour, sweet, salty, and bitter are detected by our tongues and how smells can help us identify food even without seeing or tasting it. The solutions also touch upon the importance of a varied diet and how our senses work together to make eating an enjoyable experience. These solutions are designed to help students grasp fundamental concepts related to food and our senses, aiding in their exam preparation by offering clear, step-by-step answers to the chapter's questions.

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Quick info

BoardCBSE
ClassClass 5
SubjectEVS
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
ChapterChapter 3

Chapter summary

Chapter 3, 'From Tasting to Digesting,' focuses on the sensory experience of food for Class 5 EVS students. The NCERT Solutions cover how our sense of taste and smell helps us identify and enjoy different foods. It explains the role of saliva in tasting and how we recognize various flavors. The solutions also address how smells can identify food and the reasons behind holding one's nose when taking medicine. This chapter lays the groundwork for understanding the initial processes of digestion and sensory perception related to food.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand how different tastes are perceived by the tongue.
  • Identify various food items based on their smell.
  • Explain the role of saliva in tasting food.
  • Describe personal preferences for different tastes.
  • Recognize the connection between smell and taste.
  • Understand why holding one's nose is sometimes advised before taking medicine.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Taste perception
  • Smell and food identification
  • Role of saliva in tasting
  • Sour taste
  • Sweet taste
  • Variety of tastes
  • Importance of balanced diet
  • Sensory perception of food
  • Digestion basics
  • Identifying food by smell
  • Identifying food by taste
  • Lemon juice taste

Important topics

  • Understanding different tastes (sour, sweet, etc.)
  • Identifying food by smell without seeing or tasting
  • The role of saliva in dissolving food for taste
  • Why variety in food taste is important
  • How senses help in recognizing food

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Jhoolan's mouth started watering when she heard the word imli (tamarind). When does your mouth water? List five things you like to eat and describe their taste.
Solution: My mouth waters when I see, smell, hear, or even think about food that I really enjoy eating. It's a natural response that prepares my body for digestion.

Here are five food items I like to eat and their tastes:

  1. Pickle: It tastes very sour and a little spicy.
  2. Ice cream: It is sweet and creamy.
  3. Potato chips: They are salty and crunchy.
  4. Chocolates: They are sweet and sometimes a bit bitter.
  5. Banana shake: It is sweet and smooth.

Note: The description of tastes can vary based on individual preferences and the specific preparation of the food item.

Question 2

Do you like only one kind of taste or different ones? Why?
Solution: I like different kinds of tastes. If I were to eat only one type of taste, like only sweet or only sour, I would get bored of it very quickly. Eating a variety of tastes makes food more interesting and enjoyable. Furthermore, our body needs different nutrients from various types of food, which often come with different tastes, to stay healthy. A balanced diet includes foods with diverse flavors.

Question 3

Jhoolan put a few drops of lemon juice in Jhumpa's mouth. Do you think we can make out the taste with just a few drops?
Solution: Yes, I think we can definitely make out the taste of lemon juice even with just a few drops. Lemon juice has a very strong and distinct sour taste. Our tongue has tiny structures called taste buds, which are very sensitive and can detect even a small amount of flavor. The sourness of the lemon juice is strong enough to be recognized by these taste buds with just a few drops.

Question 4

If someone were to put a few seeds of saunf (aniseed) on your tongue, would you be able to tell with your eyes closed? How?
Solution: With my eyes closed, I might not be able to tell it's saunf (aniseed) just by placing a few seeds on my tongue without chewing. However, once I start chewing them, they release their flavor and mix with the saliva in my mouth. The characteristic sweet and slightly minty taste of saunf becomes noticeable as it dissolves, allowing me to recognize it. So, the taste is identified more clearly after chewing and mixing with saliva.

Question 5

How did Jhumpa make out the fried fish? Can you guess the names of certain things only by their smell, without seeing or tasting them? What are these things?
Solution: The question implies Jhumpa recognized the fried fish by its smell. Our sense of smell is very powerful and can often help us identify food items even before we taste them.

Yes, I can guess the names of certain things only by their smell without seeing or tasting them. Some examples include:

  • Flowers: Like roses or jasmine, which have distinct floral scents.
  • Spices: Such as cardamom or cloves, which have strong, recognizable aromas.
  • Fruits: Like mangoes or guavas, which have sweet and fruity smells.
  • Food being cooked: Like bread baking or curry simmering, which have characteristic cooking smells.
  • Perfume or soap: These have specific artificial or natural fragrances.

These things are identifiable because their smells are unique and have been associated with them through experience.

Question 6

Has anyone ever told you to hold your nose before taking a medicine? Why do you think they tell you to do this?
Solution: Yes, sometimes people are advised to hold their nose before taking medicine. I think they tell us to do this because many medicines have a very strong and unpleasant smell. Our sense of smell is closely linked to our sense of taste. By holding our nose, we block the strong smell, which in turn helps to reduce the perception of the bad taste of the medicine, making it easier to swallow and get down quickly.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing taste and smell identification.
  • Not understanding the role of saliva in dissolving food for taste.
  • Difficulty in describing tastes and smells creatively.
  • Assuming taste can only be identified after chewing extensively.

Revision tips

  • Focus on the connection between smell and identifying food items.
  • Practice describing the tastes of your favorite foods.
  • Think about how saliva helps in recognizing flavors.
  • Discuss with friends about different tastes and why variety is important.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What makes your mouth water when you think of a favorite food?

Q2. Which sense is primarily used to identify 'saunf' (aniseed) after it starts mixing with saliva?

Q3. Why is it sometimes suggested to hold your nose before taking medicine?

Q4. What helps our tongue recognize the taste of even a few drops of lemon juice?

Q5. Why is it important to eat different kinds of food with various tastes?

Frequently asked questions

What is Chapter 3 of Class 5 EVS NCERT about?

Chapter 3, 'From Tasting to Digesting,' explores how our senses of taste and smell help us identify and enjoy food, the role of saliva, and the importance of eating a variety of tastes.

How do these NCERT Solutions help Class 5 students?

These solutions provide clear, rewritten answers to all questions in Chapter 3, helping students understand concepts like taste perception, smell identification, and the initial stages of digestion for better learning and exam preparation.

Can you identify food just by its smell?

Yes, often you can identify certain food items by their smell alone, without seeing or tasting them, as smell is a strong indicator of what the food might be.

What is the role of saliva in tasting?

Saliva helps to dissolve the food particles in your mouth. This dissolving action allows the taste buds on your tongue to detect the flavors of the food.

Why do we like different kinds of tastes?

We like different tastes because it makes eating more enjoyable and prevents us from getting bored. Also, a varied diet with different tastes is essential for good health.

Why are the solutions rewritten and questions expanded?

The questions are expanded to ensure clarity for students, and the solutions are rewritten to provide more detailed explanations and learning aids, making them more helpful than the original text.

Important links

Content reviewed by the NCERT Help team. Editorial Team and update policy

NCERT Solutions PDF PDF on NCERT Help. URL unchanged for search indexing.