Food is a complex mixture of chemicals that fulfills a number of purposes in animals. primarily, food provides energy. Unlike plants that obtain their energy from sunlight, animals have a requirement to consume their energy from food and this comes either directly from plants, or from other animals that have eaten plants. The energy consumed by animals is mainly in the form of carbohydrates, proteins or fats, which are the three macronutrients that supply nearly all animals with their energy needs. Dietary carbohydrates are sugars or chains of sugars, and in humans they are not essential and provide only energy. Dietary fats are long chains of hydrogen and carbon that provide concentrated energy, but also provide two essential fatty acids that have vitamin like effects in humans. Dietary proteins are ordered chains of a particular 20 amino acids, 8 to 12 of which are essential. Proteins provide both nitrogen for muscle building, and essential amino acids for construction of a range of other useful substances, including hormones.
Food as a fuel. Understanding the different purposes of the main food groups is required in order to be able to consciously control food intake. Listening to your body and understanding its requirements then allows foods to be selected that best fulfil the current requirement for energy or other substances.
It is important to consider food as a fuel for the body, and a certain amount of discernment is required for this process. It is true, there are very sophisticated and highly accurate feedback and sensory mechanisms in humans and animals that allow a certain degree of instinct to drive correct food choices. Animals can often be seen for example, enacting behaviour that allows them to obtain macronutrients that satisfy a particular biochemical need. Cravings in humans may be considered analogous to this feeding behaviour. It is common for example to feel a need to consume sweet foods following exercise. This makes sense because sugars are required to replenish the stores of glycogen that are consumed during physical activity. Protein foods can also be craved during times of convalescence when tissue injuries may require additional nitrogen. These intrinsic drives are important, but a certain degree of discernment should be applied in addition in order to make sure the correct nutrients are supplied.
Overriding subconscious drives and cravings is a requirement of survival in a World replete with low quality and addictive foods. Saying no to poor food choices and taking the healthy option is a necessity for maintaining normal body weight.
If we go through life eating what we like we will squander our health and likely end up obese. The explosion in the availability of food has meant that drives and cravings for energy rich foods is no longer a benefit but a liability. Allowing taste and desire to drive eating habits is a sure way to gain weight and destroy health. With the availability of large amounts of food, discernment about the needs of the body at any one time is required in order to maintain a high quality to the food that is eaten. Thinking of food as a fuel, and deciding consciously the best type of fuel to consume at any one time is therefore a necessary control mechanism that must be applied to modern living. This means education as to the difference between the purpose of the protein, carbohydrate and fat, understanding of their biochemical effects and knowledge of the expected results of consuming these foods in the short and long term. Deciding which fuel to use can only come through a desire to learn about nutrition and take responsibility for your health.
RdB
