Food and Nutrition

Food & Nutrition

Food has been a basic part of our existence. Intake of food ensures growth in children and youth, maintains good health throughout life. Nutrients are components of foods needed for body in adequate amounts for proper growth, reproduction and leading normal life. Nutrition includes the process from eating food to its usage in various functions of body. The science of nutrition deals with what nutrients we need, in what quantity, how to get them and how the body utilizes them. Adequate, optimum and good nutrition indicates the right amount and proportion of nutrients for proper utilization for achieving highest level of physical and mental health. First function of food is to provide energy. Body needs energy to sustain involuntary processes essential for continuing life. Food regulates the activities of the body including – heartbeat, maintaining body temperature, muscle contraction, water balance, blood clotting and removal of waste products from the body.