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# Chapter 1. Introduction to Food and Nutrition ## Learning Objectives After completing the module, you will be able to: - define food, nutrition, health, wellness, diet and other relevant terms - explain why people eat the way they do - explain basic food and nutrition concepts ## Definition of...

# Chapter 1. Introduction to Food and Nutrition ## Learning Objectives After completing the module, you will be able to: - define food, nutrition, health, wellness, diet and other relevant terms - explain why people eat the way they do - explain basic food and nutrition concepts ## Definition of Terms **Food**: What people eat and drink to stay alive and healthy; for growth, development, work, and other physical activities. May contain the following: - **Nutrients**: Chemical substances in food that regulate body processes, keep the body healthy, supply materials for growth and repair of tissues, and provide energy for work and physical activities (FNRI, 2015). - **Essential Nutrients**: Need to be obtained from the foods because the body cannot make them for itself in sufficient quantities to meet physiological needs. - **Macronutrients**: Carbohydrates, protein, fat, water - **Micronutrients**: Vitamins, minerals - **Non-nutrients**: - **Phytochemicals**: Compounds in plants that confer color, taste, and other characteristics. Some alter physiological processes in the body (bioactive). - **Fiber**: Structural parts of plants which can't be digested by human enzymes but maybe digested by bacteria in the digestive tract (soluble, insoluble).