Food | National Geographic Society (2023)

Foodis one of the basic necessities of life.

Food

containsnutrients—substancesessentialfor the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes.

Nutrients

provide theenergyour bodies need to function.

The

energy

in

food

is measured in units calledcalories. Age, sex, weight, height, and level of activity determine the number of

calories

a person needs each day. Depending on age, sex, and activity level, the recommended daily caloric intake for a child aged 11 to 14 can range anywhere from 1,600 to 2,600

calories

per day, with sedentary girls needing the fewest

calories

and active boys needing the most. For adults, this can range from 1,800 to about 3,000.

Kinds of Nutrients

Scientists divide

nutrients

into six major groups: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water. Most

foods

contain all or most

nutrient

groups, in different amounts.

Carbohydrates

provide

energy

for the body. Nearly all the

carbohydrates

we eat come from plants. They includestarches found in cerealgrains and plants like potatoes and yams.Sugars, found in fruits, vegetables, and milk, are also

carbohydrates

.

Sugarcane

and

sugar

beets are grown specifically for their high

sugar

content.

Many of the

starches

and

sugars

we eat have been

processed

into products, such asflourandcorn syrup. These

processed

carbohydrates

are used in cookies, cakes, breads, pastas, and pies.

Fats

provide more than twice as much

energy

as

carbohydrates

. They also help protect and insulate the body and itsinternal organs. Common

fats

includevegetable oils, such as soybean, cottonseed, and corn oil. They are used in cooking and in the

processing

of many

foods

.

Fats

that come from animal products include butter andlard. Eggs,

milk

, cheese, meats,poultry, and fish also contain high levels of

fats

.

P

roteins

are the body’s chief

tissue

-builders. They help keep skin, bones, muscles, and blood healthy.

P

roteins

also help regulate bodily

processes

, including transportingoxygenand

nutrients

into and out of cells; theclotting of blood; and the formation of antibodies, which help fightdisease. Animal products, such as beef, fish,

poultry

, eggs, and dairy products, are high in

p

rotein

.

Grains

, nuts, and some beans are also

p

rotein

-rich

foods

.

Minerals

and

vitamins

are calledmicronutrients because they are needed in very small quantities compared with

carbohydrates

,

fats

, and

p

roteins

(known asmacronutrients).

Minerals

provide building materials for the body and help regulate its activities, much as

p

roteins

do.Calciumandphosphorusbuild strong bones and teeth,ironcontributes to healthy blood, andiodinehelps keep thethyroid gland working.

Vitamins

help the body make full use of other

nutrients

by assisting the chemical reactions that make those

nutrients

work. For example,

vitamin

B1, orthiamine, helps regulate the release of

energy

from

carbohydrates

, promotes a healthyappetite, and aids the functioning of thenervous system.Vitamin Dhelps in the growth and maintenance of healthy bones.

Other

essentials

for the body’s health include water,

oxygen

, andfiber. Some scientists include water in the list of basic

nutrients

. Water makes up more than half of a human body’s weight. It is involved in most body

processes

, such as the regulation of temperature, the transporting of

nutrients

into

cells

, and the elimination of waste products from

cells

.

Oxygen

is not a

nutrient

, since it is breathed in and not eaten, but it is

essential

to life. It permits the release of

energy

from

food

inside the body.

Fiber

isindigestiblematerial found in most plant

foods

. It adds bulk to the diet, helping to keep theintestines healthy.

Fiber

-rich

foods

include whole

grains

, dried beans, and fresh

fruits

and

vegetables

.

A healthy

diet

contains a balanced mix of different

foods

that together provide all

essential

nutrients

.Malnutritionis the lack of a balanced

diet

. Too few

nutrients

, too many

nutrients

, or an imbalance of

nutrients

(too many

carbohydrates

, for instance, and not enough

fruits

and

vegetables

) can lead to

malnutrition.

Under

nutrition

is a form of

mal

nutrition

. It is usually linked tohunger. Under

nutrition

happens when the body does not get enough

food

to meet its needs. Many

diseases

and even death are caused by lack of

food

. Death due to lack of

food

is calledstarvation.

To get the right amounts of

nutrients

, people need to select from a range of

food

types:

cereal

grains

;

fruits

and

vegetables

;legumes,

meat

,

poultry

, fish, and eggs; and

milk

and

dairy

products. Afood pyramidoutlines the suggested amount of these different types of

foods

people should eat each day.

Cereal Grains

Cereal

grains

are theedible

seeds

of certain grasses. People have grown them since the beginning ofagriculture. Today, the most commonly grown

grains

are wheat, rice, and

corn

(maize). Other important

grains

aresorghum,millet, barley, oats, and rye.

Worldwide,

cereal

grains

are the most

important

food staples. They are eaten almost daily by large populations. They supply a significant percentage of the

calories

consumed by the world’s population.

Cereal

grains

and the products made from them provide

food

not only for people, but also for livestock, such as cattle, chickens, and hogs.

Throughout the world, more

wheat

is planted than any other

grain

.

Wheat

is the chief ingredient in most breads, cookies, cakes, crackers, pastas, and some breakfast

cereals

. China, the United States, Russia, Ukraine, India, France, and Canada are major

wheat

-producing countries.

Wheat

, often eaten as bread, serves as the principal

food

grain

for people living in regions withtemperateclimates.

Rice

, an Asian tropical

grass

, is a

food

staple

for more than half the world’s population. More than 90 percent of the world’s total

rice

crop is produced and eaten in South and East Asia.

Rice

is also a

food

staple

for people in parts of Africa and Latin America. This

cereal

grain

thrives in a warm,humid

climate

with heavy rainfall or wet ground. It is often grown in flooded fields called

rice

paddies.

Hominy grits,

corn

bread, pop

corn

, andtortillas are all made with

corn

. Outside the United States, this

grain

is called

maize

. Although native to the Americas,

maize

is nowcultivated throughout most of the world and is a staple

food

in many areas. It grows in varioussoils and

climates

and at differentelevations. American farmers produce over 30 percent of the world’s

corn

; of that 40 percent, most of it is used to feed

livestock

.

Corn

is also used to produce sweeteners, such as

corn

syrup

andcornstarch.

Sorghum

and

millet

are other

grains

commonly used as

livestock

feeds. These

grains

are also staple

foods

for people in parts of Africa and Asia, where they are used in breads,porridges, and cakes.

Three other

grains

—

barley

,

oats

, and

rye

—are

important

in many regions.

Barley

thrives in a wide range of

climates

. One type of

barley

is the source ofmaltfor makingbeer.

Barley

is also used in makingvinegar,

malt

extract, and beverages similar to

milk

. Pearl

barley

, the most popular form of this

grain

, is often used in soups and other

foods

.

Oats

and

rye

were domesticated much later than other

grains

.

Oats

are used mainly as

livestock

feed, but also go into oatmeal and other break

fast

cereals

. After

wheat

,

rye

is the second most common

grain

used as a bread

flour

; the two are often mixed together in breads. Bread made with

rye

alone, calledblack bread, is popular in many European countries.

Fruits and Vegetables

The term “

fruit

” has several meanings. To abotanist, it means the part of a plant that contains

seeds

. According to this definition,

fruits

include most nuts, as well as

vegetables

, such as cucumbers and tomatoes.

To most of us, though, “

fruit

” is defined as the soft,

edible

,

seed

-bearing part of aperennialplant. A

perennial

is a plant that lives for more than one growing season. Fresh

fruits

are rich in

carbohydrates

,

vitamins

,

minerals

, and

fiber

. They can be preserved by freezing, canning, or drying.

Different

fruits

grow in different

climates

, and may not grow well in

climates

that are too cold, hot, dry, or wet. Based on the kind of

climate

in which they grow,

fruits

can be classified in different groups:

temperate

fruits

, subtropical

fruits

, and

tropical

fruits

.

Temperate

fruits

grow best where there is a well-defined cold season, as in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon.

Temperate

fruits

include apples, berries, grapes, pears, plums, and peaches.

Sub

tropical

fruits

thrive where temperatures are mostly

warm

year-round. The area around the Mediterranean Sea has a

sub

tropical

climate

.Citrus

fruits

, such as lemons, oranges, grape

fruits

, dates, pomegranates, and some types of avocadoes, are

sub

tropical

fruits

.

Tropical

fruits

require a hot

climate

to grow.

Tropical

fruits

, such as bananas, mangoes, and papayas, grow in hot,

humid

areas like the Philippines.

Vegetables

are the

edible

parts ofherbaceous plants. Herbaceous plants

, sometimes just called

herbs

, havestems that are softer and less woody than those of trees and shrubs.

Vegetables

are good sources of

fiber

,

minerals

, and

vitamins

. Most

vegetables

areannuals, living for only one growing season.

Vegetables

can beroots, leaves,

stems

,

seeds

, orbulbs. For example, car

rots

, radishes, and beets are

roots

. Cabbage, celery, lettuce, and spinach are leaves or leafstalks. Heads of broccoli are flower stalks topped by thick clusters of flower buds. Asparagus is a

stem

. Cucumbers, eggplants, and tomatoes contain the

seeds

of the plant. Garlic, leeks, and onions are

bulbs

.

Some plants, calledtubers, have a special type of underground

stem

that can be eaten fresh as a

vegetable

or used as an ingredient in other dishes. In

temperate

regions, the most

important

tuber

is the potato. The potato was first a

food

staple

toindigenouscultures of the Andes of South America. Today, major potato-growing countries include Russia, China, and Poland.

Important

tropical

tubers

include yams,cassavas, andtaros. These

tubers

are staple

foods

in many

cultures

. For instance,

taro

is a major

food

crop

of the islands of Polynesia, as well as West Africa.

Cassava

is a staple

food

for more than 500 million people in Africa and Latin America.

Legumes, Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs

Legumes

are plants that are raised for their

edible

seeds

or

seed

pods. Peas, lima beans, soybeans, peanuts, andlentils are all

legumes

.

Legumes

that are harvested for their dry

seeds

, such as beans or

lentils

, are calledpulses.

Pulses

are

food

staples

in India and Pakistan.

Legumes

and

pulses

contain high amounts of

p

rotein

. In addition, they supply

iron

, other

minerals

, and

vitamins

.

The term “

meat

” usually refers to the

edible

flesh ofmammals, such as

cattle

, pigs, and sheep.

Meat

is a high-

p

rotein

food

and is rich in other

nutrients

, as well.

The United States, Australia, Russia, and Argentina raise much of the world’s beef

cattle

. Beef can come from cows, bulls, or steers.

Cows

are adult female

cattle

.

Bulls

are adult male

cattle

capable of reproduction.

Steers

are adult male

cattle

that have beencastrated, or been made incapable of reproduction.

Meat

from very young

cattle

, or calves, is calledveal.

The world’s major hog producers include China, the European Union, the United States, Brazil, and Russia.

Meat

from hogs is called pork.

Lamb is

meat

from sheep less than a year old. It is especially popular in the Middle East, Australia, and the United Kingdom.Mutton,

meat

from mature sheep, has a stronger flavor and a rougher texture than lamb. New Zealand and Australia are the world’s largest exporters of lamb and

mutton

.

Bison, water buffalo, camels, g

oats

, and yaks are all sources of

meat

. Wild animals, such as rabbits and deer, are also eaten as

meat

.

Meat

from wild animals is calledgame.

“

Poultry

” refers to

domesticated

birds that are raised for

meat

and eggs. Chickens are an

important

food

source for most of the world’s population. Raising chickens is a major industry in many countries, including China, the United States, Russia, and across the European Union. Ducks, turkeys, geese, andguinea fowlare also raised for

food

in many parts of the world.

Fish andshellfishare probably the most popular

meats

worldwide. Fish provide about 15 percent of all animal

p

roteins

consumed by the world’s population. Fish and

shellfish

are ex

cellent

sources of

vitamins

and

minerals

. People eat fish raw or cooked, and preserve it by canning, freezing, drying, salting, smoking, or pickling.

Most of the fish and

shellfish

people eat come from the ocean. Tuna is one of the most popular ocean fish. Other fish come from inland bodies of fresh water, such as lakes and rivers. Bass, perch, and carp are popular freshwater fish worldwide.

An increasing amount of fish comes from fish farms, where fish and

shellfish

are raised commercially. The cultivation of fish and

shellfish

is calledaquaculture.

Clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimp are popular types of

shellfish

. Abalone, a kind ofmollusk, is another type of seafood.Conch, a large type of sea snail, is eaten in the Florida Keys and in the West Indies. Eels, octopuses, squids, and mussels are other popular

sea

foods

.

Eggs are a source of

p

roteins

,

fats

,

minerals

, and

vitamins

. Boiled, fried, scrambled, or deviled, chicken eggs are popular around the world. They are also used in a variety of baked goods. People also eat the eggs of other birds, such as ducks and quail, and those of reptiles, such as turtles and crocodiles. The eggs of certain fish, mainlysturgeon, are prepared as adelicacyknown ascaviar.

Milk and Dairy Products

Much of the world’s

milk

, cream,

butter

,yogurt, and cheese come from

dairy

cows

. However, g

oats

, camels, reindeer, sheep, yaks, and water buffalo supply

milk

products as well.

In much of Asia, people have traditionally consumed “

milk

” made from soybeans.Soy milkis made from soaking and grinding soybeans with water.

Soy

milk

contains about the same

p

rotein

as

cow

’s

milk

.

Milk

and

dairy

products supply

p

roteins

,

carbohydrates

,

fats

, and

essential

vitamins

and

minerals

. TheMaasaipeople of East Africa use

milk

as a staple

food

, and it constitutes a huge part of their

diet

.

Yogurt

, afermented

milk

product, is a staple

food

in parts of the Middle East and India.

Diet

People’s

diets

vary from one country to another.

Diets

can also vary within a single country.Geographicdifferences explain part of this variation. For example, people who live near the ocean might eat greater amounts of fish than people who live farther inland. People living in cool regions with short growing seasons depend on

crops

that mature quickly, such as potatoes. In

warm

, wet lowlands where the

soil

retains water,

rice

is often a staple.

Geographic

factors are less

important

today than they were a century ago. Improved methods of

agri

culture

and transportation, as well as increasedtradeand tourism, have made more types of

food

available to a wider variety of people.

Improved methods offood processing, preservation,storage, and shipping allow many people to enjoy

foods

produced far from their homes. Spanisholive oil, French cheeses, andsardines from Norway, for example, are eaten as far away as Australia.

Local traditions and customs play a role in determining what

foods

people eat and how they are prepared. English tradition encourages roast beef andYorkshire pudding, a type of bread, be eaten together. Many Asians serve

rice

with almost every meal.

Economicfactors also affect what people eat. In the U.S. state of Maine,lobsteris usually a relatively inexpensive

food

. The

shellfish

is native to the state’s coastal areas and has been a traditional

food

for hundreds of years. However,

lobster

is aluxuryitem in the Midwest, where it must be flown in.

Lobster

dishes served in Iowa may cost two to three times what they do in Maine.

In developed countries, many people have enough money to buy a variety of nutritious

foods

.

Mal

nutrition

is not a large problem, and people have a long lifespan. But even in these countries, there are many people who cannot buy these

foods

because resources are not evenly distributed throughout the population. In some places, healthy, nutritious

food

can be more expensive than so-called “junk food,” which has many

calories

but little

nutritional

benefit.

Even those who can afford healthy

food

may eat poorly. The

diets

of many people in developed countries are too high in the

fats

, salt, and refined

sugars

found in

junk

food

. These

diets

are too low in

fruits

,

vegetables

, and

fiber

.

In developing countries,

mal

nutrition

is more common. A poor

harvest

,

flood

, ordroughtmay causefamine, because the community or nation is not

economically

able to

import

food

.

The

diets

of the urban andruralpopulations of developing countries are often quite different. People in urban areas eat more

processed

foods

, while people who live in

rural

areas may have access to fresh

milk

,

fruits

, and

vegetables

. However, people living in

rural

areas are the first to be affected by a poor

harvest

.

Food and Culture

People do not eat only to obtain

nutrients

and

ward

off

hunger

and

starvation

. People’s eating habits are strongly influenced by

culture

.Rituals around preparing, sharing, and consuming

food

serve social roles as well as biological ones.

Religionsometimes plays a role in what, and when, people eat. Followers of theJain

religion

, for example, strongly believe in nonviolence to

ward

all living things. Strict

Jains

never eat

meat

. Many

Jains

also refrain from eating potatoes and other

tubers

because many small organisms are harmed as the

tubers

are pulled from the earth.

Jewish kashrutlaw and Muslim dhabihahlaw outline many rules for eating. Both include a ban on

pork

.

Food

that is prepared according to

kashrut

law is calledkosher, while

food

that is prepared according to

dhabihah

law is calledhalal.

During the month ofRamadan,

Muslims

fast

, or avoid eating, during daylight hours. Typically,

Muslims

will eat one meal before dawn and one after sunset, but nothing at all while the sun is shining.

Ramadan

is considered a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control.

Feasting is also an

important

ritual

, both for religious and nonreligious reasons. Most religious

fasting

periods, such as

Ramadan

, are followed byholiday

feasts

.Eid al-Fitris the Islamic

holiday

following

Ramadan

. One of the ways

Muslims

celebrate Eid is to donate

food

to the poor.

Nonreligious

holidays

often include

feasts

as well. In the United States, people gather to eat turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. In China, families celebrate the Chinese New Year with

foods

that symbolize luck and prosperity, such as long noodles, chickens, fish, oysters, dumplings, tangerines, oranges, and sticky

rice

cakes.

Many people make

dietary

choices based onethics—beliefs about what is right and wrong. For instance, some people choose not to eat

meat

out of concern for the env

ironment

.

Livestock

is one of the leading contributors tocarbon emissions, and some people reduce the amount of beef they eat to reduce their “carbon footprint.” Many people avoid eating

meat

out of concern for animalwelfare.

Vegetarians avoid eating all

meat

and fish.Vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs,

milk

, cheese, and honey. Some people who are not

vegetarians

may raise or buyhumanely produced animal products such asfree-rangechicken andgrass-fed beef.

Other

ethics

-based

food

practices include choosingorganicor locally grown

foods

. People who choose

organic

foods

may do so because of the reduced number of chemicals in the

food

.

Organic

food

relies little ongenetic modificationorpesticides.

Organic

food

also releases fewer chemicals into the env

ironment

in the form ofrunoff.

The “locavore” movement values the reduced env

ironmental

impact of local

foods

. There are fewer

transportation

costs, such asgreenhouse gasemissions, with local

foods

.

The way we serve and eat

food

is as culturally

important

as what

foods

we consume. In East Asian countries, most people usechopsticksto pick up their

food

. In Europe and the Americas, a variety ofutensils serve different purposes. A full, formal place setting can include a salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork, teaspoon, soup spoon,

butter

knife, and dinner knife. In other countries, such as India and Ethiopia, many

foods

are picked up with pieces of flat bread rather than

utensils

.

Tablemannersvary widely from

culture

to

culture

.

Manners

include rules about how and where people should sit, when to begin eating, which

utensils

to use in certain situations and with which hand, and what behaviors might be considered rude.

In East Asian countries, it is considered rude to point at people with your

chopsticks

, or to rest your

chopsticks

standing upright in your

rice

. In Malaysia, eating with your left hand is considered unclean. In Japan, it is acceptable and even encouraged to make slurping noises while eating hot noodles, but not while eating soup. In Russia, it is considered polite to leave a bit of

food

after eating, but in Brazil, people are expected to eat everything on their plates.

Cuisine

Food

and

food

preparation associated with a specific region are known as that region’s

cuisine

.

Cuisine

can be national, such as the fresh fish and noodles associated with Japanese

food

.

Cuisine

can also be regional or local.California cuisine, for instance, is known for mixing different types of national

cuisines

, such as French and Chinese.

A

food

’s adaptability to a specific region can define that region.

Maize

, native to North and Central America, is considered one of Mexico’s greatest “national treasures.” An image ofXochipilli, theAztecgod of

maize

, appears on Mexico's 100-peso bill.

Most

cuisines

feature staple

foods

of the region. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, boiled

cassava

root

is a staple

food

. The large leaves of the

cassava

and a fiery pepper sauce called pili-pili are often part of a traditional Congolese meal. Fresh-picked bananas, papayas, and pineapples are frequently eaten. Animal

p

roteins

from

poultry

, fish, and crocodiles are also popular

foods

in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Climate

can also impact the

cuisine

of a region. Much of Russia faces cold winters, so few

crops

grow there.

Warm

soups are a large part of Russian

cuisine

.Borscht, or beet soup, is probably the most familiar Russian soup. Beets are

vegetables

that are capable of growing in the cold, hard ground.

Grains

that grow well in cold

climates

are also popular in Russian

cuisine

.Kasha, for example, is cooked

grains

, such asbuckwheat,

barley

, orsemolina.Blini, or

buck

wheat

pancakes, are served with

caviar

, smoked fish,

butter

, and sour cream. Pickles, cucumbers, and onions are widely eaten.

Since Japan is surrounded by the ocean, fish is amainstayof Japanese

cuisine

. It is prepared in a variety of ways.Sashimi, for example, is raw fish dipped in seasonedsoy sauce.Tempurais prawns or slices of fish and

vegetables

dipped in batter and fried.Most sushiis made from flavored

rice

covered with slices of raw or cooked fish and

vegetables

.

Even non-native

foods

can define a region. Potatoes were introduced to Ireland in the early 17th

century

, probably by the explorer SirWalter Raleigh, who brought the

tubers

home with him after exploring the Americas. Potatoes, especially the “lumper” variety, grow well in cold

climates

and rocky

soil

. Within 200 years, the population of Ireland was dependent on

lumpers

for most of their

carbohydrates

. A potato

disease

, orblight, struck Ireland in the mid-19th

century

, causing the so-calledIrish Potato Famine. More than a million Irish people died of

mal

nutrition

, and a million more were forced toimmigrate.

Often,

cuisine

reflects a country or region’s history.Pho, for instance, is a Vietnamese noodle soup made with large chunks of

meat

,

vegetables

, and spices, such as basil. Vietnam was a Frenchcolonyfrom the 19th

century

to the middle of the 20th

century

. French colonists brought French

cuisine

with them, including the stew calledpot au feu.

Pho

is an adaptation of

pot au feu

, with the most

significant

addition being

rice

noodles, which are native to Southeast Asia. “

Pho

” even sounds like “feu.”

The growing number of immigrants in many cities has broadened people’s tastes in

food

. Many

foods

associated with national

cuisines

are inventions of immigrants.Chicken tikka masala, for example, is one of the most popular “Indian” dishes in the world.

Chicken tikka masala

was invented by an immigrant Pakistanichefin Glasgow, Scotland.

Often, immigrants will adapt their traditional

diet

with

foods

not available in their homeland. Chinese-American

food

, for instance, often features tomatoes and potatoes,

foods

that are not native to Asia.

Cuisine

varies widely, even within a specific region and a specific

food

. In theCarolinasregion of the United States, for example, there are more than a dozen types of traditional barbecue. In this region,

pork

is the most familiar barbecued

meat

, although chicken and beef are also barbecued. Some barbecues feature a mustard-based sauce, while others feature tomato,

vinegar

, or molasses. Still other traditional barbecues are “dry,” and feature spice-based

rubs

instead of sauce.

World Food Supply

Feeding the world population requires a massive supply of

food

. Since the late 1940s,

grain

supplies havefluctuated, but worldwide there has been asurplus, or more than enough

food

to feed everyone. Yet millions go hungry. Of the over seven billion people on Earth, more than one billion areundernourished, according to the United NationsFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Each year, poor

nutrition

plays a role in about half of deaths of children under five years old.

Why do so many peoplestarvewhen the world produces enough

food

to feed everyone? One reason is that resources, such as farmland and money, are not evenly

distributed

among the world’s people.

Many developed countries have millions of acres offertileland. This huge agricultural economy allows nations like Canada, the United States, and Australia to have a strong

food

supply

forconsumptionas well as

export

of

grain

,

livestock

, and produce.

Most

hunger

is not the result of a lack of

fertile

land, however. Most

hunger

is the result ofpoverty. Many people in developing countries are too poor to grow or buy the

food

they need.

Crisissituations contribute to

hunger

and

starvation

. Severe

droughts

,

floods

, and othernatural disasters can create

famines

. In many developing counties, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the population is growing

faster

than the rate of

food

production.

In some countries, years of continuous

war

have severely disrupted

food

production. During conflicts, millions of people flee their homes, often leaving

crops

to

rot

in the fields. The region’s uncertainty and fear mean fewer

crops

are planted and

cultivated

.

Food Aid

These natural and manmade crises can lead millions of people to become dependent on international

food

aid

.

Food

aid

, usually in the form of

grain

and other

starches

, is

distributed

to either the government or local communities.

Food

aid

can also mean money for people or governments to buy their own

food

.

Food

aid

iscontroversial, for both recipients and donors. Some receiving countries are not allowed as much independence as they would like. Sometimes,

food

aid

comes withrestrictions or rules that might have little to do with

food

.

The governments of countries donating

food

may disagree with the politics or decisions of the country receiving the

food

aid

.

Food

aid

may be reduced if the donating country disagrees with the receiving country’s

politics

, such asnuclear weapons development.

Scientists debate the relationship between economic security andfood security.

Food

security

is the access a person, family, or community has to healthy

foods

. Growing

food

to

export

may increase a nation’s

food

security

if the

exports

bring in more money to buy

food

imported

from elsewhere in the country or abroad. However, access to

food

may be reduced, and the nation may become dependent on foreign

food

sources.

To help solve the problem of

hunger

and increase local

food

production,

farmers

in many developing countries need

economic

assistance in acquiring newagricultural technology, such as tractors. Small-scale

farmers

may also benefit from healthydraft animals, such as water buffalo or oxen, which are used to operatemachinery, such as plows.

Agricultural technology

also includes improved varieties of

seeds

.

Seeds

may withstand longer periods of

drought

or

flood

, or they may resist

disease

. Better

transportation

, communications sy

stems

, and

storage

facilities can help improve

food

distribution.

Fast Fact

Foodies
Foodies are people who are fascinated by food, food preparation, the food industry, and the culture surrounding food. Unlike professional chefs, cooks, or farmers, foodies do not usually have an economic interest in food. For foodies, food is a hobby.

Fast Fact

Deadly Dish
Fugu is a Japanese delicacy made from the meat of the pufferfish. The fish contains a deadly poison called tetrodotoxin. If fugu is prepared incorrectly, it can kill the people who eat it. So chefs need a special license to prepare the dish. In recent times, scientists have bred non-toxic pufferfish for fugu, so perhaps this fish will lose its risky reputation.

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