Food: Where Does It Come From?

Food Variety – Food Materials And Sources

Food that we eat comes from many sources. This food is crucial in determining the health of our bodies. Hence, care needs to be taken to eat the right kind of food. Some of the resources from which we can obtain different types of food materials are:

• Fruits from plants
• Vegetables and legumes from plants
• Fish, lean meat, eggs, poultry from animals
• Pulses, whole grains, Cereals from plants
• Milk and its derivatives such as curd, butter, cheese, cottage cheese, clarified butter from animals, etc.

Plant Parts and Animal Products as Food

• Plants are one of the primary sources of food. Almost all parts of a plant are edible such as leaves, fruits, seeds, stems, flowers, and the roots.
• Some plants have two or more edible parts such as mustard. Mustard seeds yield oil, its leaves are used to make food.
• Some seeds are sprouted to be consumed. Nectar from flowers is collected by bees which is later converted to honey and stored in their hives and finally extracted by us.
• Food materials such as milk, eggs, lean meat, and fish are obtained from animals.
• Cheese and butter are animal products as they are obtained from milk. Milk is processed with the action of bacteria for the formation of curd. Further processing yields clarified butter and so on.
• Flour is obtained from the wheat plant. Flour is used widely in the baking industry to make bread, cakes, pastries, puffs, biscuits, etc.
• Food from animals is rich in proteins and vitamins.

What Do Animals Eat?

Different animals consume different food materials. Depending upon the food that animals eat, we can classify them into the following:

• Herbivores animals: These animals eat only plants and plant products. For example, goats, cows, horses, sheep etc. eat different parts of a plant such as leaves, hay, fruits and so on.
• Carnivores animals: These animals eat other animals. They hunt animals to obtain food. Example: Lions, Tigers, Cheetah, etc.
• Omnivores animals: These animals eat both animals and plants. Example: Raccoons, crows, bears, etc.
• Some other organisms, i.e., microbes decompose food from the dead matter of plants and animals. Example: Bacteria, Fungi

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. Can you list an aquatic predator-prey relationship?

A.1. The Sherman Whales predate on squids.

Q.2. Name an edible non-green plant.

A.2. Mushroom

Q.3. Give an example of a plant where one or more parts of it are consumed as food.

A.3. Seeds and leaves of the mustard plant are consumed.

Q.4. Can you think of a plant that is consumed as food and grows in the water?

A.4. We consume the stem of the lotus plant

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