The Truth About Food – What We Eat And Why We Need It
To put it simply, food is any material consumed to give life to an organism. Food is either of animal, plant or fungi origin, and is generally of nutritive origin, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals, and is used to supply energy, replacing the energy that would be used if the food were not present. It is often necessary to maintain a particular amount of food in the human body to meet our daily requirements, although some food is necessary for the growth and maintenance of the organism. Many of the substances that constitute food are complex compounds containing various sugar molecules. It is thought that all living organisms derive their nutrition from food.
The food chain in nature is made up of many different types of cells, each cell having a specific function to feed the others. Among the major macro-nutrients are carbohydrates (also called carbohydrates, starches or sugars), proteins, fat, minerals, vitamins and micro-nutrients. Carbohydrates are a group of building blocks of life and are found in all living things, but they are especially important for humans. The major source of carbohydrates in the diet are fresh fruits and vegetables; grain products, legumes and nuts. Some vegetables are fibrous by nature, while others contain no fibres at all. The major source of protein in the diet is meat or fish.
The commonest food groups are carbohydrates, proteins and fats, although vitamins and minerals can also be included. People differ in their tolerance to carbohydrates and the ability to absorb them, but both are essential to good nutrition, even when people have different dietary habits. As long as the food contains enough dietary fibre, the person will be able to absorb some of the carbohydrate, without too much difficulty. For example, a diabetic patient can eat enough fibre foods to avoid the complications of diabetes, while at the same time, he/she will have to eat enough vitamin and mineral supplements for the same purpose. Most doctors recommend a minimum daily intake of carbohydrates.
As for fats, they are both an essential source of energy and a store of energy. Fats are found in meats, fish, some nuts and oils. Vitamins and minerals are obtained from plants, vegetables, fruits and grain products. When it comes to minerals, the most valuable sources are seaweeds, seeds, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. In order to obtain all the nutrients that people need, they need to eat a wide variety of food types.
A balanced diet consists of a mixture of different food categories, but it is more often the case that people stick to one or two main food groups, which are usually high in carbohydrates and protein. Some specialists even suggest a vegetarian diet for people with special health problems or for people who don’t like vegetables. This type of diet consists of mainly leafy green vegetables, some fruits and whole grains. Many people believe that a well-balanced diet should be composed of as many different food types as possible, since diversity helps improve your health. Different kinds of food can also change your body’s metabolism, giving it a better metabolic rate and allowing your body to absorb nutrients at a higher rate.
Besides carbs, proteins and fats, you should include fiber sources, vitamins and minerals as well. Some of these food sources are nuts, leafy green vegetables and whole grains. You should try to eat as much of these kinds of food as possible, since your diet should consist of a wide variety of nutrients. If you’re a vegetarian or if you have certain health problems, you may want to eliminate some of these sources of food from your diet, while incorporating others into it.
