Food is any material food is consumed to give nutrition to an organism. Generally speaking, food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has necessary nutrients, including vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, or both, which the body requires for normal growth and maintenance. The human body needs food to survive, but can also consume food in its required form from other sources. The major functions of food are to supply energy to the body and to supply the necessary nutrients for life. Without food, life will cease to exist and death would be the only inevitable outcome.
There are three primary food groups, carbohydrates, protein and fat. Animal products, mainly beef, pork, milk, cheese, butter, and eggs, are the largest amount of food needed by humans, with plant products including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Some of the benefits of food from each group are discussed below. Carbohydrates are used to supply energy to the body and most people eat a large amount of them on a daily basis. The type of carbohydrate you eat determines your blood glucose level; high levels of glucose in the blood cause a high risk for diabetes and related health problems.
Protein is one of the building blocks of all living organisms and animals and most vegetarians and vegans enjoy high protein intakes. The only problem is that most people cannot get enough protein from the foods they consume, most animal products are very high in protein. Fruits and vegetables are low in protein, so even if you consume a large amount of vegetables and fruit, you will not see food intake without affecting your overall cholesterol levels. Fatty acids are found in plants but cannot be digested in the human body, so animal products provide the body with fatty acids that are necessary to keep the brain running well. These are some of the basics of what we eat, but the more important aspect of our diet is what and how much we consume.