What is Food?

Understanding What We Eat and What Qualifies as Food

What is food?

Stupid question?

Well, it might not be that stupid a question.

In your mind, you might be thinking that food is what you eat for enjoyment!

And that isn’t incorrect.

We eat food that we enjoy.

Food is a big part of our lives and we get lots of enjoyment from food.

It’s what we eat to nourish our bodies and fuel our daily activities. 

But have you ever stopped to wonder: What actually qualifies as food?

Understanding the True Definition of Food

At its core, food is any substance we consume that provides the body with nutrients and energy. 

This is essential for growth, health, and maintenance. 

And so, while, like me, you might get quite excited about spaghetti bolognese, there is so much more to food.

And this is the world of food, which includes fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and much more!

Distinguishing Food from Non-Food Items

Is everything we eat classed as food?

Well, unfortunately not everything we munch on qualifies as food. 

Sometimes, we might crave snacks or treats that offer little to no nutritional value, like certain candies (sweets) or overly processed items.

Although tasty we need to identify if these are classed as food.

Food should provide you with nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

If your diet relies heavily on sweet foods or processed grains you’ll be consuming a lot of sugar and very little nutritional value.

So it’s important to distinguish between foods that fuel our bodies and those that simply satisfy a temporary craving. 

Now this isn’t to say we can never eat sweet and processed foods, we all need a treat from time to time, but remember…

 The goal is to include more nutritious options in our diets.

What Qualifies as Food and What Doesn’t

We need to think of food as supporting our wellbeing.

Food is truly our natural form of medicine affecting us emotionally and physically.

And we can do this by focusing on obtaining proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fats so our bodies can function properly. 

So think of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins when you think of wholesome food choices.

Conclusion

Understanding what food is and what qualifies as food is key to developing healthy eating habits. 

The next time you prepare a meal or snack, consider how it benefits your body and supports your health. 

Now although we need to eat nourishing foods, we must also enjoy eating them.

So go slowly! 

This isn’t about changing everything about your diet overnight.

Instead think about healthy additional options you could include in your meals.

Bit by bit you’ll be ditching the low nutritional food for healthy food which will make you more vibrant and energetic.

Cheryl  🙂 👋

References

• National Geographical –  Food

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