Food is the substance consumed to sustain life and provide energy. It is usually a mixture of protein, carbohydrates, fats and minerals. Humans rely on animals and plants as their main sources of food. Food is typically enjoyed through the sense of taste. Certain tastes are more palatable to humans for evolutionary reasons, such as saltiness and sweetness.
Throughout history, people have sought to make the most of their available foods. The earliest people were hunter-gatherers, eating only what they could gather or catch. Later, agriculture allowed people to settle in one place and cultivate their own crops. As more people settled and developed farming skills, they began to store and cook their foods. By the 20th century, many home appliances such as electric and gas stoves, refrigerators and ovens were widely available, allowing people to spend less time preparing meals and more time on other activities. In the same time period, cookbooks and magazine articles introduced many new cooking techniques to the public. This democratization of food-related knowledge, coupled with changing lifestyles and diets, has given rise to the enormous number of foods available in supermarkets today.
While food is an essential part of the human diet, it can also be a major source of health problems. People who eat a balanced diet with adequate amounts of fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy are likely to have a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. However, the relationship between food and health is complex and can be affected by many factors including genetics, environment, lifestyle choices and culture.
Food science is the applied science of food, encompassing nutrition, food additives, the physico-chemical properties of food, the principles of food preservation and the processing of food. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws on knowledge from several areas such as chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering.
Writing about food requires descriptive language to evoke the reader’s senses. Using similes and metaphors that compare food to other things the reader is familiar with is effective. Sensory details such as the texture of a dish and its aroma can be especially helpful to convey in the written word. In addition, it is important to avoid slang and clichéd adjectives such as “weird,” “abnormal” and “strange.” These words can alienate the reader and give the impression that you lack an educated palate. Also, never use the term “ethnic” to describe a cuisine as this can be seen as an implication of colonialism. This is particularly true when describing indigenous cuisines. Instead, use terms such as “regional,” “local” or “traditional.”