Food is any material consumed in order to supply the body with essential nutrition. Generally, food is of animal, plant or fungi origin, and generally contains essential nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, or fat. All living things need food to survive and grow; however, there are some types of food that are more useful to humans than others. Some food is good for human consumption while others are not so beneficial to humans. Examples of food that are not beneficial to humans include alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, onions, tomatoes, and most seafood.
Food with carbohydrates is the most common type of food that people consume. These include breads, rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes, cookies, crackers, fruits, and vegetables. Most people obtain carbohydrates from foods such as corn, beans, legumes, fruits (fresh, canned, frozen), whole grain breads, sweet potatoes, and white rice. The majority of carbohydrates are used by the body to produce energy, which is the major source of fuel for the human body. Other important sources of carbohydrates are vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables), yeast products, fruits, and dairy products. Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet, and thus, can contribute to a healthy weight loss program if included in the proper quantities.
Vitamin A, B, C and E are some of the most common vitamins found in plants. These vitamins assist in the absorption of essential minerals, which are used by the body to maintain normal function. Most vitamin C comes from green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit, and yellow orange fruits, whereas Vitamin E is obtained through nuts, seeds, wheat products, salmon, eggs, milk, and peanut butter. While most people need a minimum of a half-gram of these vitamins per day, people who are frequently exposed to extreme sunlight (i.e., people who live in the desert) may need much more, as many of these vitamins are destroyed in the sun’s ultraviolet rays.