The importance of food

History of food First raw food – fire and cooked food discovered accidentally Tribes started forming for protection and ease of hunting Domesticating of animals, growing of crops Diversification to other skills when no longer dependant on hunting

Migration of food Food migrated for reasons such as, Religious / political persecution Exploration of continents Colonisation This lead to exchange of ingredients & preparation methods and increased food variety available. E.g. Spanish explorers introduced sugar and wheat to North America

Food meet physical needs Hunger -the physical need for food – signal from intestines and stomach, if ignored can lead to headache or dizziness Appetite – psychological desire to eat (braai, cookies) – has larger influence on your food choices Improves Wellness – The state of overall good health (physical, social, mental health)

Cultural influences on food choices The customs and beliefs of a social, religious or social group. Influences food habits What you choose when hungry? Where do you usually eat? Who is with you when you eat? When do you eat? How does food make you feel?

Social influences on food choices Family, social and business activities often centered around food & Beverages. Social life affects eating habits & food choices through peer pressure etc. Mass media and current trends affect purchasing decisions through advertising information sharing (ask who did the research, how large was the sample, who paid for the research, was it published) Food fads and fallacies Food product trends- health , convenience, taste

Psychological influences on food choices How thoughts and feelings affects your behavior. Often based on memories of experiences of which odor is very important Affects why you eat as well as what you eat (sad=don’t eat, lonely = eat for comfort) Food preparation can lead to psychological effect e.g. pride, creative outlet, self-esteem

Factors affecting food supply Agriculture and environment Government (growing, processing, packaging and labeling laws) Economics Technology – nutrient content, artificial sweeteners, fat replacers Availability – more food from same land etc. Safety – food borne diseases, processing methods