Food is anything that is edible and gives nutrition to maintain bodies growth and development. It gives essential life supporting nutrients which include proteins, fats (lipids), carbohydrates, water, minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus etc.), vitamins and fibrous material.
Food has changed the course of History-
In ancient times people gathered food and hunted animals and depended on raw food. Then with the discovery of fire, people started cooking. And then came the Agriculture Revolution which led to the change in food habits, cropping patterns and the lifestyle.
In the book ‘Sapiens’ authored by Yuval Noah Harari, the writer mentions that-
- the discovery of wheat by Humans is one of the biggest events in the history of mankind.
- Wheat tamed Humans.
- Agriculture led humans to settle in one place to look after the crops instead of wondering hither and thither.
It served as a medium for exchange of cultures and a force which drove the world towards globalization. Peppers, Spices, corns, potatoes spread and travelled all over the world.
Food chain:
In ecosystem, the energy is transferred from one organism to another in the form of food. The plants which make food on their own food is eaten by animals, which in turn are eaten by another animals. This food transfer creates a chain called Food Chain.
Human Food:
Humans are mainly-
- vegetarians (does not eat meat but consumes animal products such as egg, milk etc.),
- vegans (does not consume animal products and meat.) and
- non-vegetarians (eats meat).
Human Food is consumed in different number of ways. There are some foods which can be eaten raw and directly such as fruits and some vegetables, some which are cooked and then eaten, and there are ready-to-eat foods which is generally packaged food.
Food Lifestyle in India:
Indian Food culture is mainly agriculture-dependent. The staple food of North India is mainly wheat and the staple crop of South India is mainly rice. The food habits of people are shifting from day to day. After the Covid-19 pandemic and with the digitalization the online ordering and home delivery of food has become a new norm.
The Food sector in India is growing rapidly and is a billion dollars industry. However, the problems like malnutrition, starvation are serious threats. With the effective implementation of Government policies, Article 47 of the Indian Constitution which directs the state to raise level of nutrition and with more awareness about nutrition food, problems can be mitigated.