Food and Nutrition

Sports nutrition is the study and practice of nutrition and diet with regards to enlightening anyone's athletic performance. Nutrition is an important part of many sports training regimens, being popular in strength sports and endurance sports Sports nutrition centres its studies on the type, as well as the amount of fluids and food taken by an athlete. It also deals with the intake of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, supplements and organic bodies that include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Sports nutrition is important for supporting player's overall fitness and their exercise needs. Having an appropriate diet offers a person with sufficient energy and nutrients to meet the difficulties of exercise.

Malnutrition occurs when an individual gets too little or too many nutrients, causing health complications. Malnutrition is a group of diseases that comprises undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition is a lack of nutrients, which can result in inhibited growth, wasting, and underweight. An excess of nutrients causes overnutrition, which can result in overweight and obesity. There are 4 sub-forms of undernutrition: wasting, stunting, underweight, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. The top way to stop malnutrition is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. The consequences of long malnutrition are serially altered cellular metabolism, impaired function, and finally, loss of body tissues clinically, malnutrition is often associated with muscular dysfunction and weakness and altered immunity resulting in an increased risk of infection.

A nutraceutical is any element that is a food or part of a food and provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Some of nutraceuticals are fortified dairy products and citrus fruits. The food products used as nutraceuticals can be categorized as dietary fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and other different types of herbal/ natural foods. Nutraceuticals are beneficial in precluding many chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, gastrointestinal disturbances and certain brain disorders. 

Food nanotechnology is an area of emerging interest and opens up a whole universe of new possibilities for the food industry. The basic categories of nanotechnology applications and functionalities currently in the development of food packaging include: the improvement of plastic materials barriers, the incorporation of active components that can deliver functional attributes beyond those of conventional active packaging, and the sensing and signaling of relevant information. Nano food packaging materials may extend food life, improve food safety, alert consumers that food is contaminated or spoiled, repair tears in packaging, and even release preservatives to extend the life of the food in the package. Nanotechnology applications in the food industry can be utilized to detect bacteria in packaging, or produce stronger flavors and color quality, and safety by increasing the barrier properties. Nanotechnology holds great promise to provide benefits not just within food products but also around food products.

Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food. This includes the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage; pathogens that may cause disease microbes used to produce fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt, bread, beer, and wine; and microbes with other useful roles, such as producing probiotics. Food microbiologists examine samples of food, testing them for salmonella, listeria and other microorganisms that cause humans to fall ill. These scientists also look into what drives the growth of microorganisms in food. Food microbiology is about the understanding of microorganisms that grow or multiply in or contaminate the food which we consume. The key aspect of food microbiology is food safety which focuses on the disease-causing microorganism and their toxins which may contaminate the food.

Globally, food waste has become an increasingly recognised environmental issue over the last decade. Not only has the issue of wasted food become an ethical one in a world where approximately 800 million people suffer from hunger, but the environmental impacts of producing food that is then discarded can no longer be overlooked. Most of the schools, restaurants are investing in ways to divert food waste

Instead of purchasing whatever is left on the shelves, try to buy only what you eat. Even if you are a food waste prevention whiz, there will always be some kind of peel, rind, or coffee grounds laying around that shouldn’t go in your regular trash. Waste-to-energy facilities don’t like to burn wet stuff, and food waste that ends up in landfills creates the climate pollutant methane. Food waste is intact energy resource that ends up rotting away in landfills which emits greenhouse gases in the environment, heating atmosphere thus leafing to climate change.

Food Biotechnology is the application of modern biotechnological techniques to the manufacture and processing of food products as well as food ingredients and food additives. Example of biotechnology food is Crops produced by biotechnology include soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, papaya, tomatoes and squash. Also, an enzyme used to make cheese and yeast to make bread is commonly produced by biotechnology. Protection of the environment. Scientists have made some foods, such as papayas and potatoes, more resistant to disease. Biotechnology can be used for the upgrading of traditional food processing based on fermentation such as the procedures used to produce gari, a fermented, gritty and starchy food derived from cassava. Biotechnology can also help to eliminate toxic components, either by genetic engineering or through food processing.

Foodborne illness also foodborne disease are referred to as food poisoning is any sickness resulting from the decay of soiled food by pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as prions and toxins  in peanuts, poisonous mushrooms, and many types of beans that have not been simmered for at least 10 minutes. Foodborne illness generally rises from inappropriate usage, preparation, or food storage. Good sanitation practices before, during, and after food preparation can ease the risks of contracting a sickness. There is a agreement in the public health community that frequent hand-washing is one of the most effective way to fight against the spread of foodborne illness. Furthermore, foodborne illness can be caused by a number of chemicals, such as pesticides, medicines, and natural toxic substances such as vomitoxin, poisonous mushrooms or reef fish. 

Food adulteration is the act of intentionally degrading the quality of food either by the addition of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient.  Some of the reasons for food adulteration are no efficient food law and lack of government initiatives, Lack of knowledge and awareness of proper food consumption by general public.Flavonoids are a collection of natural elements that are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, bark, roots, stems, flowers, tea and wine. These natural products are healthy  which are known for their beneficial effects on health .Tea and wine are the major dietary sources of flavonoids . Leafy vegetables, onions, apples, berries, cherries, soybeans, and citrus fruits are considered an chief source of flavonoids Food additives are constituents added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance. Some additives have been used for centuries as part of an effort to preserve food.Salt, sugar, and corn syrup are generally used additives in food in this country.

Probiotics: Living strains of bacteria that add to the population of good bacteria in your digestive system.

Prebiotics: Specialized plant fiber that acts as food for the good bacteria. This stimulates growth among the pre-existing good bacteria. Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers. They act like manures that rouse the development of healthy bacteria in the gut. Probiotics are different in that they contain live organisms, usually specific strains of bacteria that directly add to the population of healthy microbes in your gut.

Examples of Prebiotics are Bananas, Onions, Garlic, Berries and Legumes.

Examples of Probiotics are Pickled vegetables, Kimchi, Kefir.

Food Hygiene, is also known as Food Safety can be defined as handling, preparing and storing food or drink in a way that best decreases the risk of consumers becoming sick from the food-borne disease. The principles of food safety aim to prevent food from becoming contaminated and causing food poisoning. Food hygiene is important because every day, people worldwide get sick from the food or drink they consume. Bacteria, viruses and parasites found in food can cause food poisoning. Food poisoning can lead to gastroenteritis and dehydration or potentially even more serious health problems such as kidney failure and death. Food hygiene and safety prevent germs from multiplying in foods and reaching dangerous levels.

 Food preservation is the process in which the fresh food materials are given a suitable physical or chemical treatment to stop their wastage or spoilage and to retain their nutritive value for long periods. Preservation mainly inhibits the growth of microorganisms, fungi, and other Bacteria. It also includes processes to check the oxidation of fats which causes Rancidification and to stop natural ageing and staining. A number of preservation methods include drying, spray drying, freeze drying, freezing, vacuum-packing, canning, food irradiation, and adding preservatives or inert gases such as carbon dioxide. Other methods that not only support to preserve food, but also add flavour, include pickling, salting, smoking, preserving in sugar syrup and curing.

Food marketing is promotion that promotes the sale of food products. Many foods and drinks that are marketed can subsidise too much sodium, sugars or saturated fat to our eating patterns. Food marketing is a key tool to shape and sustain markets through the formation of ties of confidence and loyalty between the manufacturers and the buyers. Researchers have described a cascade of effects in which exposure to unnatural food marketing effects children's brand attentiveness and likings, and consequent purchases and consumption. Exposure to unhealthy food advertisements increases food intake in children.

The incidence rate of Diabetes is remarkably high across the globe, driven by reducing physical activities and unhealthy diet. Compared to Type-1 diabetes, Type-2 diabetes represents the lot of prevailing type, accounting for the bulk of all diagnosed diabetes cases. Urban areas dominate rural areas within the range of diabetes patients and females presently account for the majority of the whole diabetes patients. Obesity is a complicated condition characterised by a large amount of body fat. Obesity is a medical condition that increases your chance of developing other diseases and health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and some malignancies. Obesity is usually caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors, as well as individual food and activity decisions. Weight loss can be aided by dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, and behavioural changes.

Infectious organisms — including bacteria, viruses and parasites — or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning. Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if food is wrongly handled or cooked. Food poisoning symptoms, which can start within hours of eating contaminated food, include nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without treatment.

Food chemistry is the discipline that deals with the major and minor constituents of food and its raw materials, as well as with their functionality, their fate during food processing and storage. Food biochemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. Studying the biochemistry of nutrition can uncover vital information about the role diet plays in the establishment, development, and prognosis of physical diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke - illnesses that have all been linked in some way to diet and nutrition.