Food is any substance eaten to provide nutrition to an organism. The human body needs a large amount of food to maintain its health and well being. Food is generally of animal, plant or microbial origin, and has necessary nutrients, including vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, or iron. Food provides energy to the body and regulates the functioning of all tissues, organs, muscles, and nerve cells in the body. It is the source of sustenance and can be considered the most important source of nutrition.

Food provides all the necessary nutrients to sustain life; however, not all nutrients are created equally or are equally stored by the body. A lack of certain foods can lead to malnutrition and a breakdown of the body, because the body cannot absorb all the nutrients it needs. One of the main purposes of eating is to ingest food and nutrients and retain them in the body. The structure of foods, particularly carbohydrates, provides energy and the building blocks of cellular matter, especially collagen and elastin. The immune system uses carbohydrates and starches as the building blocks of protein, while fats and proteins provide the body with the energy it needs to perform normal daily activities.

Sugar is not only present in many foods, but is also a major source of calories and other nutrients that are not created equal. It is not always best to eat sugary foods. The body stores excess sugar as fat, and it is possible to control the storage of sugar and other nutrients through weight management, diet, exercise and stress reduction. While some people can control their intake of sugary foods, others need help to do so. A combination of a good diet and a combination of stress management techniques, combined with weight management and regular exercise will go a long way toward ensuring that a person receives all the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy, active life and to keep the weight off.