Nutrition is the process of taking in food to get energy and maintain life. It is also called feeding in living organisms.
FOOD
Food is any substance which when eaten is used to maintain life and growth.
Importance of Food
- To give energy
- To maintain life
- It makes us grow
- To make one stay healthy
- It helps to build the body and repair worn-out tissues
- It enables the body to fight against diseases.
FOOD ITEMS OR FOOD STUFFS
These are items or things that we eat. Examples are rice, beans, yam, garri, fish, groundnut etc.
Meal – This is a combination of two or more food items eaten together.
Diet – This refers to the meals that we eat everyday
SOURCES OF FOOD
Food items can be classified into two sources
- Plants
- Animals
Plant sources
- Rootsg. cassava, carrot, etc.
- Underground stems e.g. Irish potato, yam, onion etc.
- Fruitsg. palm oil, tomato, guinea corn, maize etc.
- Seedsg. beans, groundnut oil, rice etc.
Animal Sources
These include meat, cheese, chicken, egg etc.
CLASSES OF FOOD
Food can be grouped according to the nutrients they contain and the functions they perform:
Carbohydrates:
Sources: Rice, Cassava, wheat, maize, millet, potato etc.
Function: It gives us energy.
Protein
Source: Meat, Fish, beans, groundnut, milk, egg, melon etc.
Functions: (i) Repairs of worn-out tissues
(ii) It promote growth
(iii) It gives us energy when carbohydrates is lacking in the body.
Fats and oils
Sources: Palm oil, groundnut oil, margarine, butter
Functions: (i) Act as insulator and prevent heat loss
(ii) Provides much energy
(iii) It forms part of cell membrane
(iv) It cushions body organs.
Vitamins
Source: Leafy vegetables, fruits (like oranges, pawpaw, etc.), egg, liver, palm oil.
Functions: (i) Promotes healthy body and growth in children.
(ii) Prevent diseases
Mineral salts:
Sources: Fruit, eggs, milk, dried fish, vegetables
Functions: (i) Aids the formation of good bones, teeth, blood, meat and liver
Water:
Source: Rain, spring, river, well
Functions: (i) component of the blood and flesh
(ii) Aids digestion
Roughages:
Source: Vegetables
Functions: (i) makes food to pass through the digestive system easily.
NUTRIENTS
A nutrient is a chemical or food that provides what living things need to live a healthy life and grow well. The different classes of food can also be called nutrients.
BALANCED DIET
It is a diet that contains the correct combination of all the classes of food in the required amount or proportions.
Importance of Balanced Diet
- It makes us to stay healthy
- It helps to prevent malnutrition
- It helps to protect the body from diseases.
See also
FAMILY HEALTH
PUBERTY
CLASSIFICATION OF NON-LIVING THINGS INTO METALS AND NON-METALS METALS
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS
LIVING AND NON-LIVING THINGS