Food is any material consumed in order to provide dietary support for the organisms. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungus origin, and has various necessary nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals, in sufficient amounts to maintain the health of an individual. The major components of food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water. Plants also contain some water.

In terms of food, the types of foods that provide the required nutrients most effectively are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. There are a wide variety of sources for carbohydrates and proteins. The most important food sources for carbohydrates include breads, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes. Fibre provides energy and is obtained from most vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grain foods.

Sweet potatoes, maize, quinoa, buckwheat, millet and other products derived from plants are used extensively in Indian cooking but are rarely consumed as food themselves. These products lack the fibre content of other foods, which makes them poor food choices for overall nutrition. The lack of fibre and sufficient vitamin and mineral absorption make sweet potatoes, maize and quinoa poor food choices for overall nutrition, but are otherwise excellent foods for increasing energy and metabolism. For carbohydrates, the main source is fruit; although whole grain bread and pasta are good carbohydrates, they are rarely used in Indian cooking. The lack of dietary fiber means that carbohydrates are more likely to be converted into sugar, which contributes to the rise in blood glucose levels.

In western diets, there is an obsession with convenience food, prepackaged packaged food prep stations at the supermarket. This is not healthy for you. It would be better to buy food in its raw or natural state, which will include a wide range of options for preparing it, such as sorpotel, which is made from milled beans, or raw nuts, seeds and sprouted grain. You should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to give your body the necessary vitamins and minerals. Buying packaged food in its raw state, however, is good if you know you can prepare it to your own tastes and for health reasons. Most popular prepackaged products include snack mix, ready-to-eat cereals, dried fruits, dried fruit juices and tinned and frozen meals.

Indian cuisine varies according to regions, and so does the food eaten by Indians. North Indian food is spicy, eastern Indian food is chicken-based and Mughlai cuisine, which is mainly wheat based, is vegetarians. Western Indian food is generally rice based, as are most of the Punjabi dishes, and is more balanced with fruit, vegetables, pulses and other food groups.

Food has long been known to improve physical health and to maintain or improve mental health. The best food for nutrition is food that provides the right amount of nutrients in the right amounts at the right times. The best food sources of nutrients are fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains, oily fish. Fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of vitamins, mineral and antioxidant nutrients essential for a balanced diet. Legumes and grains are good sources of protein, which helps in promoting healthy bones, muscles and a strong body constitution. Oily fish and tinned fish are considered to be good food sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential to the human body and help to reduce the risk of heart disease.