All life forms depend on food for their existence. All living things need food to survive: it gives us energy, aids growth, and supports keeping healthy. The first thing to consider about food is that it all comes from somewhere, plants & animals, in one way or another. Rice is extracted from plants, whereas milk is derived from animals. Knowing the origins of food is key to choosing better food and enjoying the biodiversity of life.
The food ingredients are the components utilized to create a dish. We will be able to answer questions about the different ingredients we want to put in each dish, where they are, and whether they are grown in plants or harvested from animals.
Food Item |
Ingredients |
Source of Ingredients |
Rice Porridge |
Rice, Water, Salt |
Plant, Natural |
Omelet |
Egg, Oil, Salt, Spices |
Animal, Plant |
Vegetable Curry |
Vegetables, Spices, Oil, Salt |
Plant |
Chicken Soup |
Chicken, Water, Spices |
Animal, Plant |
There are two main sources of food:
Plants provide a variety of food items, including:
Cereals: Cereals are seeds, mostly obtained from grasses cultivated for food grains. Cereals such as wheat, rice, barley, maize & oats are rich sources of carbohydrates. They provide energy to our body (Wheat, Rice, Maize)
Fruits & Vegetables: Plants provide us with different fruits & vegetables which are a rich source of vitamins & minerals. They keep our bodies healthy and fit. (Apple, Mango, Banana, Carrot, Spinach, Potato)
Spices: Turmeric, clove, cumin, chilli, cinnamon, mustard etc., are some of the commonly used spices in the preparation of food. They are used for flavouring, colouring & preserving food.
Pulses: Pulses are seeds from leguminous plants, where the seeds are found in pods. Green gram, black gram, peas, kidney beans and chickpeas are some of the common pulses we eat in our day-to-day lives. They are a rich source of proteins which help in our growth & repair of tissues in our body. (Lentils, Chickpeas)
Medicines: Basil, dandelion, garlic, parsley, etc., are some of the common medicinal plants that help us to improve our health.
Beverages: Tea & coffee are widely consumed beverages. Tea is prepared from dried tea leaves where as coffee is prepared from the dried seeds of coffee plants.
Oils: Oil is extracted from the seeds of some plants such as mustard, soybean, groundnut, sunflower, etc. It is used primarily for cooking. It provides warmth & energy to our body. (Mustard oil, Coconut oil)
Animals provide food products such as:
Meat: Buffaloes, pigs, goats, hens, ducks, etc., give us meat. The flesh of animals is called meat.
Dairy Products: Milk contains essential nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, proteins, vitamin D, and vitamins B1, B2 & B12. Cows, buffaloes, goats, and camels are some of the milk-giving animals. Products such as cheese, paneer, curd, etc., made from milk are called dairy products. (Milk, Cheese, Butter)
Eggs: We obtain eggs from hens, quails, turkeys, and ducks. It is a rich source of protein, vitamins & fat.
Honey: Honeybees prepare honey from the nectar of flowers. Once the nectar is collected, it is mixed with the bee enzyme in the bee's stomach. Bee enzyme is secreted from the mouth of the bee, which helps in the conversion of nectar into honey. Then, it is stored in the beehive for future use. (Collected by bees from flowers)
Feature |
Plant-Based Food |
Animal-Based Food |
Example |
Fruits, Vegetables |
Meat, Eggs |
Nutrients |
Vitamins, Fiber |
Proteins, Fats |
Growth Source |
Grows in soil |
Comes from animals |
Example Dish |
Salad, Rice, Juice |
Chicken Curry, Boiled Egg |
Different parts of plants are eaten as food.
Plant Part |
Examples |
Roots |
Carrot, Beetroot, Radish |
Stems |
Sugarcane, Ginger, Potato |
Leaves |
Spinach, Cabbage, Mint |
Flowers |
Cauliflower, Broccoli |
Fruits |
Apple, Mango, Tomato |
Seeds |
Wheat, Rice, Mustard |
Sprouting is the process in which seeds germinate & produce tiny white shoots. It increases the nutritional value of the seeds.
Animals need food to survive, grow, and reproduce. Different animals have different food habits depending on their habitat, body structure, & digestive system. Based on their diet, animals are classified into various groups.
1. Herbivores (Plant-Eating Animals)
Herbivores are vegan creatures. Their flat, broad teeth allow them to chew and grind plant material effectively. Their digestive system is uniquely suited to digest tough plant fibers like cellulose. Certain herbivores — such as cows & deer — have multiple stomach chambers to help digest their food.
Main Features:
2. Carnivores (Meat-Eating Animals)
Carnivores are animals that eat other animals. They have sharp teeth and powerful jaws for tearing flesh. Their digestive system is shorter compared to that of herbivores because meat is far easier to digest. Examples of carnivores are lion, tiger, eagle & snake. Some carnivores - e.g., snakes eat their prey whole.
Main Features:
3. Omnivores (Both Plant and Animal Eaters)
This is because omnivores eat both animal and plant-based food. They also have a mix of sharp teeth (for shredding meat) and flat molars (for chewing plants).
Omnivores: We have omnivores like humans, bears, crows, pigs & others. These creatures have a versatile diet with a unique ability to adjust to varying food supplies.
Main Features:
4. Scavengers (Animals That Eat Dead Organisms)
The dead animals are food for scavengers. They help clean the environment by recycling decaying matter, there by preventing it from accumulating. Such animals are known as scavengers, including vultures, hyenas, & crabs.
Main Features:
5. Decomposers (Microorganisms That Break Down Organic Matter)
These decomposers are organisms such as bacteria and fungi that decompose or turn decaying plants & animals into simpler substances. They are helping to recycle nutrients back into the soil.
Main Features: