What is Nutrition

       Nutrition is the science of food and how it affects our health and well-being. Human bodies need fuel in order to function, and food is that fuel. Each food provides a different balance of the valuable components that you’re body needs, such a carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Studying nutrition helps you understand these building blocks so that you can choose the foods and food combinations that deliver what your body needs.

       Nutrition scientists have developed various sets of guidelines over the years to build strong human bodies using optimal combinations of these building blocks. Part of studying nutrition involves understanding these guidelines and comparing them to our diets-and diets of anyone for whom we are responsible. If you pursue a career in the culinary arts, you will probably be planning meals for others to enjoy, and you will want to make each meal nutritious as well as tasty.

            The study of nutrition also covers factors that influence a person’s eating patterns, including food availability, convenience, and safety. The “best” meal choices can vary, depending on where you live, how much money you can spend on food, how much time you have to prepare and eat meal, and the refrigeration and cooking techniques available to you. For example, your choices of what to eat differ when you have 15 minutes to grab a bite before class, rather than more time to grocery-shop and cook a family dinner.

         Nutrition is a health science, a branch of physiology-the study of how bodies work. When scientists study nutrition, they analyze the chemical composition of food and how the body digests and processes it. Based on a breakdown of what goes into the body, what comes out of it, and what stays in it, they develop recommendations about what foods provide the body with the best fuel.