Food Nutrition
Food, like other substance is composed of different chemical elements, arranged in a variety of ways to form molecules.
These molecules collectively give individual foods their flavor, color and texture, and effect their reaction to heat and their digestion.
The body uses some of the molecules in food to function correctly and to stay healthy.
These are the nutrients. There are many many different nutrients and each has its own functions in the the body.
Each nutrient is vital to life and the health of an individual will suffer if any one nutrient is short supply.
The study of nutrients and their relationship with food and living is called nutrition.
Most foods contain more than one nutrient, so are of use to the body in several ways. Some foods, such as sugar, contain only one nutrient, and are of limited use to the body.
However, no single food provides all the nutrients required by the body in sufficient quantities, so a variety of foods must be eaten.
The term used in the study of nutrition include the following:
Diet means the food that a person normally eats every day. There are also special diets, e.g. slimming diets low fat diets.
Malnutrition means an incorrect or unbalanced intake of nutrients.
Under-nutrition means an insufficient total intake of nutrients.
Balanced diet means a diet that provides the correct amount of nutrient for the needs of an individual.
Food Nutrition
