Food and nutrition
It must not be forgotten that nutrition begins with food. The science of nutrition is related almost to everything with the body that does with food in order to function, live, heal and grow. Food is any substance, composed of carbohydrates, water, fats and/or proteins, that is either eaten or drunk by any animal, including humans, for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role.
Now foods that are eaten on a regular basis are called diet. And every single person has its own unique diet. The geographic location and family traditions play extremely major parts in the formation of a person’s diet although as the person grows, the diet may change but to a little degree. Food choices vary from people to people just as they vary with almost every living creature.
We cannot make our own food out from the sun or from the wind of from the water. Our food comes from the plants, which make their food, and from animals that are pretty much like us dependent on plants. The plants, with the help of the sun, make their food form the chemicals found in water, air and soil. Animals eat their food, or feed, raw since they are equipped with specialized digestive organs, perfected through evolution to digest the food they eat.
On the other hand, we humans eat both plants and animals. We like to prepare our food and in most countries, food preparation is an art that takes years to perfect. Different countries have different staple foods. Mostly in Asia, rice and corn are ever present in the table. In western countries, potato and bread are their staple food. Regardless of the difference, these staple foods are the major source of carbohydrates. Protein and milk are likewise present in the table. Only people are too busy gobbling down their food that they don’t care about the food they are eating or its nutritional value. It is vital that proteins, carbohydrate and fats are present. The function of these will be discussed in the succeeding chapters.
We must never attempt to skip a meal for the sake of weight loss. The more we deprive ourselves with food, the worse our body will become. Our conditions will worsen even if physically we look great.