Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics

Description

Variations in geography and social practices have led to the development of diverse cuisines, featuring a wide range of ingredients, spices, cooking techniques and dishes. As cultures intermingle due to globalization and international trade, ingredients have become more accessible beyond their original regions, facilitating a global exchange of culinary traditions and practices.

Diverse environments

At the top of the food chain are the dominant predators, creatures with no known predators in their ecosystems. Humans are often considered apex predators, being omnivores that obtain nutrition from a variety of sources including vegetables, fruits, cooked meats, dairy, eggs, mushrooms and seaweed. Cereal grains, such as corn, wheat and rice, constitute a major staple providing more food energy globally than any other crop, with a significant portion allocated for animal feed and biofuels. Additionally, parasites and bacteria are utilized in fermenting foods like bread, wine, cheese and yogurt. Plants serve as a primary food source, divided into categories such as seeds, fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and nuts. Omnivorous humans are highly adaptable, sourcing food from diverse environments through hunting, gathering and agriculture. With advances in agriculture, human diets have been shaped by agricultural opportunities in various regions. Today, the majority of the world's food energy is supplied by the industrial food industry, which relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Addressing the carbon footprint of the food system and reducing food waste are crucial steps in mitigating global climate change. Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support and energy to an organism. It can be raw, processed or prepared and is ingested orally for growth, health or pleasure. Composed mainly of water, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates, food also contains minerals such as salts and organic compounds like vitamins. Some organisms, including plants, algae and certain bacteria, produce their own food through photosynthesis. Water, present in many foods, is considered a vital nutrient itself. While water and fiber have low energy densities, fat is the most energy-dense component. Some inorganic non-food elements are essential for plant and animal functioning. Human food can be categorized based on content or processing methods, with various nutritional groups identified. Most systems include four primary groups describing their origin and nutritional function: Fruits and vegetables, grains and cereals, dairy and meats. Studies examining diet quality often classify food into groups like whole grains, refined grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy products, fish, red meat, processed meat and sugary beverages. Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for an organism. It is predominantly of plant, animal or fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins or minerals. Ingested by an organism and absorbed by its cells, food provides energy, sustains life or promotes growth. Different animals have distinct feeding behaviors adapted to their unique digestive systems, often evolved to fill specific ecological niches within particular geographical settings.

Naturally described fruits

The food system significantly impacts a wide range of social and policy issues, including sustainability, biodiversity, economics, population growth, water supply and food access. In any given ecosystem, food forms a complex network of interconnected chains with primary producers at the bottom and apex predators at the top. Other components of the web include detritivores that consume detritus and decomposers that break down dead organisms. Primary producers encompass algae, plants, bacteria and protists that derive energy from sunlight. Herbivores, primary consumers, consume plants, while carnivores, secondary consumers, prey on herbivores. Some organisms, including most mammals and birds, have omnivorous diets consisting of both animal and plant matter. The classification of plants within these categories can vary, with naturally described fruits such as tomatoes, squash, peppers and eggplants or seeds like peas, commonly considered vegetables. A fruit is defined as the part eaten derived from the reproductive tissue, so seeds, nuts and grains are technically fruits. From a culinary standpoint, fruits are generally considered the remnants of naturally described fruits after grains, nuts, seeds and fruits used as vegetables are removed.