Food Nutrition Diet

Food is the basic requirement of human life. Nutrition is what makes the basic life mores special and more meaningful by promoting health in addition to existence.

Food is basically a substance which an individual can eat, without any deleterious effect on the health. One man's food can be another man's poison, as the maxim says. A delicacy considered as food by one human being may not be given the same preference by another individual. More over it may even be considered with abhorrence by an individual with dissimilar food habits.

But nutrition is rather that factor which is invariable. All humans require the similar factors for nutrition, only the amount and quantity varies.

Food is not only an important factor, but also the lack of it. Hunger and starvation are important factors present even in this 21st century. The international concern over countries like Uganda, Ethiopia, Africa etc are all related to the food issue. Food is not a necessity, rather a luxury for such poor souls, who go without food or even the sight of food for days and even weeks. Deaths of animals and humans due to food deprivation and starvation are very common. Food is important not only to humans but to all living organisms on this entire planet.

Food is important to human life, and the most important component of food is the nutrition obtained from it. Nutrition of food involves the presence of the essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the recommended amount as regulated by the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of America.

The Vitamins are essential to maintain normal healthy and optimum health. There are certain essential minerals and trace elements like selenium, chromium etc which are also required by the body. A nutritional food should include all the essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the right proportions. Because if there is consumption of all the nutrients but if the amount either exceeds or is below the required amount, it would lead to disease and disorders. So the amount of nutrients should always be according to the RDA.

Diet of every individual changes according to the age, sex, profession, amount of the physical activity, state of the body, any underlying disease, usage of any drugs etc. A balanced diet is always recommended to avoid under nutrition or even over nutrition. Unnecessary intake of extra calories in diet can cause obesity and related issues.

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