Dietary Fiber As a Determinant of Health

Food is any material consumed by an organism to provide vital nutrition to it. Food is generally of vegetable, animal or fungi origin, and includes all necessary nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, sugars, carbohydrates, or minerals for the growth and maintenance of an organisms life. The word ‘food’ is often used in a broad sense to include any substance that sustains the physical needs of an organisms existence. In this modern era food is usually prepared and eaten at the home, so there are many foods that are considered nutritionally’safe’ for everyday consumption.

Modern research has developed certain foods that have health benefits when consumed in combination with specific other foods. For example, scientists have discovered that certain foods can help to increase a person’s immune system. Research has also revealed that certain foods can increase the effectiveness of a body’s natural killer cells (antigens) in fighting infection. Certain foods have also been shown to reduce the occurrence and severity of colds and flus.

The above information is only a basic overview of the subject, but can be used as a starting point to assist in making food choices based on a persons’ individual needs. It should be noted that although most foods that are classified as both ‘nutritional’ and’safe’ contain some amount of nutrients that are required for daily consumption, the quality of that nutrient may be affected by e.g. the presence of vitamins or some other naturally occurring acid. Also, food choices should not be based solely on recommendations by dieticians or other health professionals, but on personal experience and factual information obtained from personal investigation.