Importance of Food

Roberta Alessandra Pedrasoli
Degree in Biomedicine

We can summarize the importance of food in one word: Life. For biological reasons, we need to feed ourselves in some way to keep our bodies functioning. However, as one of the most important activities for development and growth, we cannot restrict its value only to the act of eating, since it it involves many other aspects such as the economy, culture, social relations, values, entertainment, health, well-being and, of course, love.

economic realities

Economically speaking, food expenses imply a fixed cost in the budget of anyone for their entire life. The percentage allocated to the purchase of food is generally high considering the income of lower and middle class families. Not to mention that, according to the 2021 UN report, 10% of the world population went hungry and 30% lived on the poverty line, that is, without earning enough to guarantee adequate food for their family.

A family's income is also directly related to the quality of food consumed. This can be seen in the purchase of more sophisticated foods (for example, loin meat, or salmon) or even in the variety of fruits or vegetables. Ultra-processed foods are also often part of the table of the most humble families due to their low cost (instant noodles in place of homemade noodles), however, it is worth mentioning that the publicity around them made them gain an audience among other social strata greater.

The problem of hunger in the world is not the lack of food, since the industry, whether livestock, agricultural or processed, is one of the largest and that moves the most money; after all, everyone needs to eat. And based on this demand, we involve food in various daily aspects that, as we said above, go far beyond the physiological need to eat.

Nutrition on the nutritional axis and integral health

Everything we eat is transformed into energy for our body. This transformation, both mechanical (chewing) and chemical (digestive enzymes) allows the fractioning of food at the molecular level, dividing it between the different vitamins that compose it so that they can be absorbed by the cells and directed to the organs that they need. For example, iron, an element present mainly in meats and dark green vegetables, is essential for blood cells and their deficiency in our body leads to a process known as anemia, which causes the body to lack energy to fully perform its functions.

Food is the key not only for proper biological functioning but also for a healthy life, and we can see its reflections from the intrauterine environment to our last years. A study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics in 2016 reports a risk eight times more likely to develop diabetes in children/adolescents whose mothers had diabetes gestational. Once outside the womb, food can be related to various diseases, and what will determine if it will be good or bad for our health is a simple factor: the amount.

Eating too much sugar and fat is linked to the development of diabetes and dyslipidemia (high cholesterol). The nitrate (preservative) present in processed foods such as bacon and ham is associated as a risk factor. risk for the appearance of cancer, however, the natural nitrate present in leafy foods can prevent it.

The answer to the question of what makes a food useful to you lies in the variety consumed. (so that all vitamins and minerals are present in the right amounts) and in balance. Eating a sweet, a hot dog, drinking a soda, are not the exceptions that will hurt us, but the excesses. Nobody has to deprive themselves of a delicious and poorer food in nutrients as long as it is not part of the routine food and that is not directly related to anything that affects the body immediately (such as allergies and intolerances specific).

Cultural identity and food

We have 193 countries around the globe divided into continents and regions, and each one of these exposes a climatic, political and particular socioeconomic, whose local populations are forced to adapt and, thus, established their food references throughout the years. The places near the ocean have a diet based on fish and crustaceans, the cold places consume a lot of pickled roots, etc.

Basically, food is part of the local culture. This heritage, often transmitted from generation to generation, is directly linked to the life of that people and begins to influence the identity of that people.

Noodles became popular as an Italian dish in the same way that sushi became popular in Japanese cuisine. In England we have the popular fish and chips, that is, fish and potatoes, in Germany sausages, and Indian cuisine has become famous for its seasonings. These are recognized examples of the cultural association of dishes with a country.

There are countless typical dishes that, even using the same ingredients, completely change the way they are prepared and presented. Today it is much easier to travel, without referring to the tourist part, which is also closely related to the food, but in the sense that it has facilitated the transportation of ingredients from one place to another in spaces of time short. Likewise, migratory processes transfer restricted culinary customs to a region to conquer the world. It is the possibility of eating something typical of other countries in our city or even in our house.

Food is also a way of expressing our beliefs and values. When we turn to the spiritual part, we can identify the religious influence, as well as the myths and dogmas transferred directly to the kitchen. There is a great symbology that relates food to religious practice, constituting forms of respect and obedience. Jews and Muslims follow various food laws sharing, for example, the prohibition on the consumption of pork. In Hinduism the cow is sacred and its consumption is prohibited, some breeds are even vegetarian. The Hare Krishna movement, for its part, in addition to vegetarianism, does not consume plants with a strong aroma such as garlic, onion, and chives, because they can arouse sexual desire. In it Christianity, bread is sacred and consecrated in various religious rituals such as the Lord's Supper and the Eucharist.

We use food as a form of protest. Strict vegetarianism, that is, not consuming anything of animal origin, is a way of showing the world opposition to animal exploitation. Also, the purchase of products only from small producers, the boycott of certain brands that promote deforestation, etc. Our lifestyle is expressed from various aspects and, often, allows us to create a voice to fight for change.

Social interaction and entertainment

Eating is pleasurable and that is why we love sharing this experience so much. It is possible to connect a totally random group through a common factor, thus allowing social interaction in an interpersonal way. Socially speaking, food plays a prominent role in social relationships, since while we share the table it is possible to develop a multitude of interactions such as meeting, talking, venting, celebrating, among many others things. A first date in a cafeteria or making a proposal in that romantic restaurant, a meeting with friends, happy hour after work, a company dinner. Examples of social encounters in this framework abound, and for one simple reason: food facilitates communication.

Food is also a way to express love. When we analyze a family gathering, which can be a Sunday lunch, we notice the care with which the person who is going to cook chooses the recipe, the ingredients, the preparation of the dish, seeking to please the present. This lunch creates an affective memory, which is accessed every time the dish is enjoyed with or without the family. In a broader way, we can imagine the same level of detail in a wedding party, where the care psychosocial in the selection of the menu does not seek to create an unforgettable moment only for the couple but also for the guests.

Currently, the gastronomy is synonymous with entertainment. Reality shows with famous chefs, videos on online platforms, magazines, books, etc., all dedicated to cooking amateur with professional airs that any skilled person can delve into, previously restricted to chefs. The demand to participate in this world is increasing among lovers of good dishes, and thus, the preparation is valued and the food acquires a special flavor.