Food, Nutrition and Health

The word food brings to our mind countless images. Food is associated with worship and divinity; with celebration and mourning; with family gatherings and with community feasting. It is closely interwoven with every feature of our existence. This is not surprising because food plays a crucial role in our lives. It sustains us. it nourishes us. It is the 'life-giver".This unit tells you about food and some of its components. It will give you some idea about why food is essential for our survival. You will also be introduced to the terms nutrition and health.

Nutrition is the term used for the scientific study of food and how it is utilized by the body. Eating the proper kinds of food in the right amounts is essential to keep us healthy. In other words, our health is dependent on our eating pattern. This leads US to the vital question-how much and what should one eat to keep healthy? How much and what, for example, should an infant consume? Similarly, how much and what foods should be consumed by a child, an adolescent, an adult or an old person? Further, what happens when one eats too much or too little? These are the types of questions that a study of nutrition helps us answer.