Food Sources

Food is any substance, usually comprised primarily of carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, water and/or proteins, that can be eaten or drunk by animals (including humans) for nutrition and/or pleasure. The main food sources are plants and animals.

Many plants or plant parts are eaten as food. There are around two thousand plant species that are cultivated for food. Plant-based foods can be classified as follows: seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Seeds are packed with energy and are good sources of food for animals, including humans. In fact, the majority of all foods consumed by human beings are seeds. These include cereals (such as maize, wheat, and rice), legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils), and nuts.

Fruits make up a significant part of the diets of most cultures. Some fruits, such as pumpkin and eggplant, are eaten as vegetables.

Vegetables are other plant matter which is eaten as food. These include root vegetables, leaf vegetables, stem vegetables, and inflorescence vegetables. Many herbs and spices are highly-flavourful vegetables.

When animal tissue is eaten as food, this is known as meat. Many different kinds of animals are eaten, but mammals make up the majority of meat.

The most common mammal-based meats include beef, lamb, pork, and mutton. Poultry is meat from a bird; the most common poultries are chicken and turkey. Seafood is meat from a fish or other sea creature, such as shellfish or lobster.

Often animal products are eaten as well. Mammals produce milk, which in many cultures is drunk or processed into dairy products such as cheese or butter. Birds and other animals lay eggs, which are often eaten. Many cultures eat honey, produced by bees, and some cultures eat animal blood.