Food comes from plants and animals. Plants are the primary source of food as they produce food through photosynthesis. Humans obtain food directly from plants such as fruits, vegetables, cereals and oils, or indirectly by eating animals that consume plants. Animals are also a source of important foods like milk, eggs and meat. All foods contain important components like carbohydrates, proteins and fats that the human body needs to function properly.

1. Food
Sources of food
Components of food
By
Huma Naz
Lecturer
Integral University,
Lucknow

2. Food, substance consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and other nutrients
used in the body of an organism to sustain growth and vital processes and to furnish
energy. The absorption and utilization of food by the body is fundamental to nutrition
and is facilitated by digestion. Plants, which convert solar energy to food
by photosynthesis, are the primary food source. Animals that feed on plants often
serve as sources of food for other animals. To learn more about the sequence of
transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism, food
chain. Hunting and gathering, horticulture, pastoralism, and the development
of agriculture are the primary means by which humans have adapted to
their environments to feed themselves. Food has long served as a carrier of culture in
human societies and has been a driving force for globalization. This was especially the
case during the early phases of European trade and colonial expansion, when foods
such as the hot red pepper, corn (maize), and sweet potatoes spread
throughout Europe to Africa and Asia. Food is treated in a number of articles. For a
description of the processes of absorption and utilization of
food, see nutrition; nutrition, human; digestion; and digestive system, human. For
information on the methods used to prepare raw foods for cooking, consumption, or
storage, food preservation.
Food

3. Food Sources
Food From Plants
Plants are a source of a wide variety of nutrients required to keep the human body in perfect
working condition. Humans consume everything from fruits, flowers, even the stem of some
plants, leaves and stem-like lettuce, celery, roots of some plants like carrots, beetroot, and seeds
like wheat, rice, etc.
All food comes from plants, even animals depend on plants. Hence, we obtain food from plants
directly or indirectly. The reason one is advised to consume fruits and vegetables on a daily basis
is that it is a source of rich nutrients.
Plants provide us with vegetables, coffee, cereals, pulses, fruits, sugar, spices, oil, etc. Different
parts of the plants provide different food materials. Let us have a look at some of the food
obtained from different parts of the plant.

4. Vegetables
Vegetables are obtained from the plants. Some nutrient-rich vegetables such as beetroot, turnip,
spinach, cauliflower, etc. are obtained from plants. Roots, leaves, and stem of some plants are
edible.
Roots
Radish, turnip, carrot, beetroot are some of the roots that are eaten as vegetables.
Stem
Potato and ginger are the stems that are eaten as vegetables.
Leaves
Spinach, cabbage, lettuce are the leaves eaten as vegetables.
Flowers
Broccoli and cauliflower are the flowers eaten in the form of vegetables.
Fruits
Fruits are a healthy source of food from plants. Orange, mango, apple, grapes are some of the
fruits consumed by humans.
Cereals
Cereals include rice, wheat, maize, jowar, barley, etc. These are a rich source of nutrients
provided by the plants.
Oil
Oil can be extracted from the seeds and leaves of the plants. Some of the plants producing oil are
castor, mustard, and sunflower.
Spices
Cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, clove, cumin seeds, and ginger are obtained from the plants and
used for cooking purposes.

5. Vitamins
Vitamins are the essential nutrients that help us in maintaining normal body functions and also to fight off
infections.
Fruits and vegetables are the major sources of vitamins.
Vitamins also keep our eyes, bones, teeth, gums and skin healthy.
A, B complex, C, D, E and K are the vitamins we get from different foods.
Vitamin Functions of Vitamin
Vitamin-A Keeps eyes and skin healthy
Vitamin-B1 Helps the body use energy from the food we eat
Vitamin-C
Help heal wounds, maintains healthy gums and blood
vessels, fights infections
Vitamin-D Keeps teeth and bones healthy
Vitamin E
Maintains healthy skin and hair, slows down aging, a
powerful antioxidant
Vitamin-K
An important factor in blood clotting, bone healing and
body repair

6. Food From Animals
Animal products are used as food directly or indirectly. Milk, eggs and meat are important
examples of food from animals.
Animal products too are a rich source of nutrients. The food chain is composed of exactly these
animals starting with organisms that use the energy of the sun to the apex at which the organisms
are predators and rely on producers.
Milk
Cows, buffaloes, sheep, goat, and camels are a great source of milk. Milk is also called as an
ideal food. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Eggs
Chickens, ducks, geese, and quails are raised for eggs and meat. The egg is a rich source of
protein and vitamin. The yolk of the egg is mostly made up of egg. It also contains vitamins,
phosphorus, calcium and iron.
Meat
Meat is of two types- red meat and white meat.
The meat of cow, goat, sheep and pigs has a lot of fat and is called red meat. White meat contains
less fat and is obtained from chicken and fish. White meat is healthier and can be easily digested
as compared to the red meat.
Meat is rich in proteins, vitamins, zinc, phosphorus and iron.

7. Components of
Food
We eat different types of vegetables, fruits, cereals and pulses. We all eat food to obtain energy
for our daily activities. There are different components of food and each of these components is
required by our body to perform different cellular activities.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are present mostly as starch. They provide us with energy and are thus energy
giving food.
Wheat, Potato, Rice etc. are good sources of carbohydrates.
Proteins
Proteins are the bodybuilding nutrients. They are needed to build every single part and organ of
the body. They help in the growth and repair of our body.
Eggs, Meat, Lentils etc are good sources of proteins.

8. Fats
Fats are high energy nutrients. They are needed in a moderate amount by the body. Fats are the
reserved food material of our body.
Oils, ghee, butter etc are the sources of fat.
Fibres
Fibres are materials that add bulk to the food.
Humans cannot use fibres as a nutrient.
But they help in the easy movement of the food along with the digestive system.

9. Thank You