Healthy Eating And The Importance Of Vitamin And Mineral Rich Foods

Food is any material consumed to supply body nutritional requirements. Normally, food is of animal, plant or fungi origin, and is made up of necessary nutrients, including vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, or minerals essential for the growth and maintenance of an organism. The nutritional value of food is determined by its classification as primary food, secondary food, or digestible food, i.e., whether it can be converted into other forms in the body. Since the food we eat is not always available in its natural state, we usually take food that has had undergone processing or altered preparation in one way or another.

Processing of food, especially the artificial ones, has had adverse effects on food quality and nutrition, as some nutrients and vitamins are lost while others are preserved or added in a cheaper way. One of the most important nutrients lost during processing is dietary fibre, which is a major component of the food we eat. A rich fibre diet helps to keep the body’s immune system healthy, as it contains anti-inflammatory compounds that protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, making it easy to fight off disease.

Today, it is possible to find organic food items such as sprouts, vegetables, fruits, honey, juices and whole grains. With the advent of organic farming, the chemicals used to grow the food are not used in their pure forms, but are mixed with the crop oil, soil, spices or herbs so that they can preserve their medicinal values or add flavour. While organic food may cost more at the outset, as they have to be grown without pesticides, hormones or other chemicals, they are more beneficial to your health in the long run as they retain more nutrients and lead to an overall higher quality of life.