The Difference Between Diet and Food Security

The word food can mean different things to different people, depending on their definition and the way they apply it. For example, food is anything consumed to supply nutrition to an organism. Food is generally of plant, human or animal origin, and usually contains nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals. There are several categories that food can be placed into, depending on how it is consumed:

In general, food that falls under the categories of diet, main course, appetizers, side dishes, snacks, and fast food, or foodstuff, is food that is consumed on a regular basis. A meal is a food that consists of food in sufficient amounts to satisfy the appetite of an average person, in short, food that is balanced in terms of nutritional value. Most people eat three to five times a day, so even if you only eat once in a while, chances are that you are eating more than you should be, and food that is not balanced and nutritious is generally wasted. Many of today’s processed food products, including pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and cakes, are high in sodium, sugar, fat, salt, and other harmful ingredients. This often means that people who are conscious of their health generally make the switch to healthier, real food, especially if these ingredients are already part of the package or advertised on the packaging.

Real food, on the other hand, is foods that are made in such a way that they are both tasty and full of nutrients. It may be prepared by traditional methods (slow cooked, steamed, baked, etc.) or by modern methods (high speed automated manufacturing, frozen, vacuum processed, etc.). Real foods are also usually fresh, so eating healthy food is a major step towards ensuring good food security around the world.