A food is a substance that has the property of granting a given organism the nutrients and energy necessary to fulfill its basic functions.
All living things require food: people, animals and plants. However, each of the living beings requires different types of food. Plants, for example, feed on sunlight, through the process known as photosynthesis.
Because the human body requires a great complexity of nutritional elements, such as proteins, minerals, vitamins, etc., the foods that the human being requires are of very varied types, since they collaborate in different processes.
Types of food
Foods suitable for human consumption are classified by group:
- Group 1: milk and its derivatives (cheese, yogurt, whey, cream);
- Group 2: meat, eggs and fish;
- Group 3: legumes, tubers and nuts;
- Group 4: vegetables and vegetables;
- Group 5: fruits;
- Group 6: bread, cereals, pasta and sugar;
- Group 7: fats, oil and butters.
In other words, no food is complete without adequate hydration. Therefore, water is a fundamental component of a good diet.
Types of food nutrients
Foods have a set of nutrients that are essential for health. Among them we can mention:
- Macronutrients, among which are proteins, carbohydrates and fats and lipids.
- Micronutrients: minerals, vitamins, mineral salts and inorganic compounds.
Food benefits
In the case of human beings, food is not only responsible for nutrition, but also affects the psychological and social development of individuals. Let’s look at those functions separately:
- Nutrition: food has the first function of nourishing the body from the physiological point of view. The adequate feeding allows the development of the tissues and the capture of energy for the functioning of the body.
- Psychological development: food has the power to influence the development of cognitive and emotional processes. Therefore, proper nutrition is essential for the development of intelligence, as well as motor skills. In addition, since eating is a pleasure that stimulates smell and taste, it brings satisfaction.
- Social development: food is usually shared in the community. This makes the bonds become closer and quality affective relationships are established.