Monday, July 28, 2008

Food

Food is any matter, usually collected primarily of carbohydrates, fats, water and/or proteins, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for diet or enjoyment. Items measured food may be sourced from plants, animals or other category such as fungus or fermented goods like alcohol. Although many human culture sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other method of a local nature built-in but playing a minor role.

Most society has an identifiable cuisine, a specific set of cooking society, preferences, and practice, the study of which is known as cooking. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of homework, cooking methods and developed. These also include a complex food trade which helps the culture to cheaply survive by-way-of food, not just by use.

Many cultures study the nutritional analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social construct such as morals often affect which foods they will drink. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claim many lives each year. In much language, food is often used figuratively or symbolically, as in "food for thought".