What Is Food?

To understand human food, we first have to define what food is. In the modern day, food is any material eaten to provide nutrition to the organisms. In its simplest form, food consists of any material that is consumed to satisfy the nutritional need of an organism. Food is generally of vegetable, animal, or fungi source, and includes necessary nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or other minerals.

Although food provides nutrition, not all food is created equal. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and have plenty of water and fiber to ensure good overall nutrition. Fats, on the other hand, are often bad for you because they contain mostly hydrogenated oils that are not good for health. Lean meats and dairy products provide protein, which is the building block of cells and the most important nutrient for the health of our bodies. Milk, cheese, yogurt, milk products, ice cream and poultry products are examples of dairy foods, whereas meat, poultry, fish and eggs are rich in protein.

Fats are also important nutrients. However, excessive consumption of saturated fats can lead to a variety of health problems, mainly heart disease and obesity. Saturated fats are found mostly in hydrogenated oils, which are also found in many processed and fast foods. Omega-3 fats found in fish, nuts and walnuts are particularly beneficial, because they help protect the heart and brain from developing diseases such as stroke and some types of cancer.