What is food? Food is any material eaten to provide nutrition to an organism for life. In the simplest terms, food is any material that is consumed to survive. Life is meant by the definition of food; therefore, it is a prerequisite for all living things to have food in their diet. Generally speaking, food is of animal, plant or fungi origin, and includes essential nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or even minerals.

The human body requires different food types to sustain the growth and function of the different organs, tissues and systems. Since the different food types come from diverse food sources, each food source has its own number of nutrients needed by the body to sustain life. Among the most common food sources are carbohydrates (i.e. glucose), fats, protein, fruits and vegetables, which can also be classified into fibrous and starchy categories.

Food, therefore, is essential for health, both to grow and maintain a healthy body. It is important to identify the right food sources and take in the right quantity of these foods, in order to ensure that the body gets all the nutrients it needs to function normally. This includes a well-balanced diet including food with the nutrients needed by the body to remain healthy, strong and immune system healthy.