Nutrition – What is Food All About?

Food is any material consumed by an organism to give it nutritional support in the form of fuel. Generally, food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has necessary nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals, required for its normal growth and development. Food comprises all the elements required for supporting the life of an individual living in his natural environment, and is the source of energy needed for action by the body. The diet may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, but mainly consists of food for nutrition, which includes all the food types available on earth, with a few exceptions.

food

The main objective of a diet is to provide adequate food for the complete needs of an individual. A good diet should contain all the food types, with the main objective of providing proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and essential oils that are required by the body for the maintenance and growth of all the cells. The main objective of a vegetarian diet is to consume small amounts of animal protein, but also includes carbohydrates, which provide energy to the body. Fishes, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds and vegetables, and fruits constitute the other important food group for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet should contain at least 70% of calories from protein, with the balance coming from carbohydrates and fat.

Fats are mostly accepted as essential fats because they provide the body with a large amount of protein and the other nutrients it needs. However, some fats are considered bad for nutrition, such as trans fats. These are often found in fast foods, ready-to-eat foods, cookies, ready mixes, margarine and vegetable oils. Essential fatty acids are vital for proper nutrition; they are required for the manufacture of the body’s tissues, hormones, cell membranes, bones and teeth, as well as many other body functions. A good intake of essential fatty acids is about one quarter of the total fat consumption in a day. Most importantly, fatty acids are essential for the creation of new cells, so they are very important to a healthy body.