Raw materials for our life from food - Part 1

Food is the raw material from which the body derives its energy, builds, restorses and maintains itself in good order. The basic nutritients supplied by food are:

1. 
   
   carbohydrates in the form of starch or fibre
2. 
   
   proteins - animal proteins or vegetable proteins
3. 
   
   fats - saturated fats, mono unsaturated fats, poly unsaturated fats, essential fatty acids, cholesterol
4. 
   
   vitamins
5. 
   
   minerals

So do we really make up these raw matrials in our daily food habit? In the study of "Raw materials for our life from food",  lets have a look at which food supplies what and how are we benefitted from it.

The part one of the study hints about the forms of carbohydrates which are available in the form of starch and fibre.

• 
  
  The starch content of the plants reside in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, pulses, lentils, tubers. This is the storage form of carbohydrates in plants. Eaten in whole form, it is absorbed slowly into the body. It contains nutritients to aid digestion. Some complex carbohydrates such as oats, pulses are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• 
  
  The fibre resides in all whole plant foods, whole grains, vegetables and fruit in the form of bran, cellulose, pectin etc. This undigestible part of the plant is essential for our healthy bowel function. Fibre helps protect against gallstones, reduces holestero levels and ensures all-round better health.