Food – What You Eat Is What You Get

Food is any material consumed to supply nutritional support to organisms living being. Basically food is composed of any organic material, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, and has vital nutrients, like carbohydrates, vitamins, or even minerals. Since each of these components is made up of a chain, the food chain begins with the protein that makes up the most part of any food, followed by the carbohydrates, then fats and finally the vitamins. The main constituents in any food are: protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water, fat, oils, fiber, and yeast.

It is believed that the human body uses only 5% of its total energy in digesting food, much of which is spent digesting protein. Animal products, particularly meat, contain large amounts of fat that usually results in high cholesterol levels and consequent coronary disease. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables contain a wide range of minerals and vitamins, the majority of which are required by the human body. Vegetables, unlike animal products, are digested slowly, allowing the rest of the food to be metabolized by the body without accumulating in the colon or being absorbed into the blood stream.

Commonly, food is grouped into two broad categories: natural food and animal source food. Natural food usually refers to food that comes from plants and animals, whereas animal source food usually refers to food that is obtained by processing plants or animals. The processing of food usually involves washing, steaming, roasting, drying, grinding, blending, and fermenting. Natural food is often more nutritious than processed food, but both kinds have their pros and cons.