Article
Article
Food
Article By:
Klein, Barbara P. Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
Last reviewed:December 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.265800
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- Food, published June 2014:Download PDF
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Any substance taken into the body primarily for providing nourishment. Chosen carefully, foods can provide all of the essential nutrients required for the normal functioning of the human body. In this context, food is necessary to provide energy, to provide structural components for building and repairing body tissues, and to regulate body processes (see illustration). Factors such as satisfying social needs, achieving psychological ends, and satisfying hunger also govern the selection and consumption of foods. See also: Metabolism; Nutrition
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