What Makes Up Real Food?

Food is any material taken from the earth to provide nutrition to the organisms living in it. Food is generally of vegetable, animal, or fungi source, and usually contains necessary nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or other minerals. A variety of species consume different food sources. Plants obtain most of their nourishment through Photosynthesis; this process involves utilizing the energy derived from light to convert into food for the organisms in the form of sugar. Fungi obtain most of their nutrition from a variety of foods including cellulose, starch, spores, enzymes and bacteria.

In scientific language, one food is a nutrient-rich substance which may be divided further into specific categories such as macronutrients. Macronutrients are substances which are required for the maintenance and growth of an organism and may be derived from plant material. A number of macronutrients are starch, mineral ions, water, protein, fat, and organic acids. The food chain consists of seven basic food chains: Bacteria’s need carbohydrates and oxygen to grow; yeast’s need sugar and carbon dioxide to grow; protozoa need phosphorus and nitrogen to grow; algae’s need oxygen and amino acids to grow; mammals and birds, and bacteria’s need bromine, iodine, and chlorophyll.

Food processing has greatly expanded the range of foods, and sometimes the varieties available to consumers. For example, tomatoes may now be added to mixed salads, making it easier for consumers to prepare meals at home. Processed foods may help reduce fat content and increase the shelf-life of real food, but do not necessarily improve taste. Real food may help reduce fat and increase the shelf-life of processed food, but to enjoy real food, remember to make smart choices.