History Of Nutrition

Food is a basic human need, one of the basic conditions of its existence laid down by nature. Nutrition has a significant impact on a person's health, length and quality of life, his work capacity, physical and mental development, well-being and mood. Vitality and proper functioning of the human body depend on the amount of nutrients, vitamins and microelements obtained from food. Let's take a brief look at how eating habits and methods of cooking have changed in the course of historical development .

The beginning of the history of food (ancient world)

In the early stages of human development (2.5 million years ago), the human diet was not very diverse and was limited to the consumption of unprocessed plant food (berries, herbs, nuts, roots of various plants). Later, meat was added to it, as man learned to make primitive hunting tools from stone - large choppers, scrapers, cutters and had the opportunity to collectively hunt large animals.

About 1.5 million years ago, man learned to make fire, which made it possible to cook game instead of eating it raw. Meat cooked without fire was easier to digest, did not contain harmful microbes and became the main source of protein for people of that time. And about 40,000 years ago, freshwater fish was added to the human diet. An important stage in the development of nutrition was the birth of agriculture about 10,000 years ago. Man domesticated wild animals, the first of which were the dog, pig and cow, and began to grow edible plants - vegetables, cereals and legumes. It is believed that it was during this period that unleavened bread and beer appeared in the human diet. Thanks to the advent of new methods of processing plant seeds, such as crushing, soaking, and fermentation, humans have become rich in proteins and energyfood _ Man has moved from a nomadic to a settled way of life, and the main types of activity for him have become agriculture and animal husbandry. The meat of wild animals was gradually replaced by the meat of domestic animals - beef, pork, lamb. In the future, the human diet was constantly replenished with new food products. After the domestication of large animals, it became possible to transport products over considerable distances. And with the development of shipping, these distances increased tenfold. With the advent of agriculture and animal husbandry, individual trade began to develop actively. People accumulated surplus products and had the opportunity to exchange them for things and food they needed . Tableware was also an object of exchange. A gradual stratification of society took place, a privileged part of the family appeared, which received the bestfood in a larger than necessary quantity.

History of food (middle ages)

Eventually, humanity entered an era of organized trade and warfare. The need to conduct long military campaigns, as well as the development of trade with distant countries, contributed to the appearance of the first products of long-term storage - dry cakes, dried meat and fish, dried fruits, and the simplest types of dried cheeses. At the stage of the emergence of the first states, various ethnic cultures and beliefs were formed. The human diet began to depend to a large extent on cultural, ethnic and religious factors. New food processing technologies appeared, dishes became more diverse. About 6,000 years ago, cheese appeared, and 3,000 years ago, people learned to cook soup. In 2737 BC - the facts of tea consumption were discovered, and at the beginning of 1500 BC. – the favorite delicacy of many people appeared - chocolate. In the 8th century in Southeast Asia, sushi was first prepared, known as nare-sushi, which later spread in China and Japan, and recently became popular almost all over the world. In Europe, they began to prepare cheeses that are now known all over the world: 1170 - the first written mention of Cheddar cheese, in the 15th century. wrote down the recipe for the famous Roquefort cheese and invented Camembert cheese. During this period, world cuisine was enriched with toasts and pies and other pastries. It is believed that the inhabitants of Ancient Greece, as well as the Germans in the 13th century, baked waffles. Waffles baked in France were initially more like a cake. In 1495, marmalade appeared. And in 1585, there was the first mention of the delivery of chocolate to Europe for commercial purposes from the city of Velacruz to Seville. During this same period, potatoes and tomatoes began to be grown in Europe. In the 16th century Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria adopted the "Bavarian Rheinheitsgebot" (German Bayerische Reinheitsgebot) is the oldest document that regulated food quality. According to this edict, the only allowed ingredients in beer were water, hops, and malt. These norms of beer production are relevant even in the XXI century. In the 17th century the technology of producing popcorn was created for the first time (mass use of popcorn began in the 20th century) and French fried potatoes were prepared for the first time. Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - which regulated the quality of food products. According to this edict, the only allowed ingredients in beer were water, hops, and malt. These norms of beer production are relevant even in the XXI century. In the 17th century the technology of producing popcorn was created for the first time (mass use of popcorn began in the 20th century) and French fried potatoes were prepared for the first time. Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - which regulated the quality of food products. According to this edict, the only allowed ingredients in beer were water, hops, and malt. These norms of beer production are relevant even in the XXI century. In the 17th century the technology of producing popcorn was created for the first time (mass use of popcorn began in the 20th century) and French fried potatoes were prepared for the first time. Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - These norms of beer production are relevant even in the XXI century. In the 17th century the technology of producing popcorn was created for the first time (mass use of popcorn began in the 20th century) and French fried potatoes were prepared for the first time. Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - These norms of beer production are relevant even in the XXI century. In the 17th century the technology of producing popcorn was created for the first time (mass use of popcorn began in the 20th century) and French fried potatoes were prepared for the first time. Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared - Nowadays, not a single cinema or fast food can do without these dishes. In the 18th century in France, they began to prepare exquisite sweets - soufflés, cakes and other confectionery products. During this period, ice cream began to be sold in North America. 19th century was marked by the invention of baking powder, hotdog, hamburger, margarine and candies in their modern form. In 1886, one of the most popular soft drinks appeared -Coca-Cola , and in 1898 - Pepsi Cola.

History of food (modern stage)

In 1924, a method of freezing food was invented, after which the era of semi-finished products began. Now food could be consumed cold or slightly warmed or boiled. The main food products were meat and vegetable preserves, sausage, sandwiches and ready-made cold drinks. The first fast food called "White Castle" was opened in 1921 in Kansas (USA), the crown dishes were inexpensive hamburgers and French fries. At the end of 1940, the world's most famous chain of fast food restaurants " McDonald 's" appeared, which currently has 30,000 establishments in 119 countries.

In the 1990s, genetically modified foods (GMOs) were invented, and Calgene was the first to start their commercial production with the FlavrSavr tomato. Now more and more producers prefer GMOs to "natural" species of plants and animals. Many crops, such as corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, and potatoes, are genetically modified because they are more resistant to pests and diseases. Lately, fierce debates are constantly taking place between supporters and opponents of GMOs. There is an opinion that genetically modified products can have a negative impact on human health. They cause food allergies and contain harmful toxins. In the early 1990s, the British nuclear physicist Nicholas Curti introduced a new fashionable trend in cooking called "molecular cuisine."NASA allocated funds for the development of a printer capable of "printing" food for participants in long-term space expeditions. The food will be stored in powder form in replaceable cartridges, and the components will be mixed together with the addition of water or oil.

With the development of the mass food industry, the consumption and preparation of food has undergone significant changes. At the current stage, the originality of many national cuisines is disappearing. People no longer eat exclusively traditional dishes characteristic of a certain region, because they have the opportunity to buy any food in large supermarkets, or find a huge number of recipes on the Internet. The introduction of food freezing technologies, the creation of various preservatives and food additives extended the shelf life of products several times. This was facilitated by the creation of agricultural and food enterprises focused only on the sale of their products. Even in these times, people noticed that there is a direct connection between nutrition and a person's state of health. Modern nutrition experts claim that that 80% of a person's health depends on proper nutrition, and for the normal functioning of the body, you need to consume 32 types of products. The basis of the diet of most modern people are products that have been subjected to powerful culinary processing and canning. Such food contains an insufficient amount of nutrients and vitamins, animal proteins, vegetable fats and minerals, which are necessary for maintaining health and a high level of human activity. We live in the era of fast food, when diseases associated with improper and irrational nutrition come to the fore. For many developed countries, the problem of obesity has become very relevant. People consume a lot of high-calorie refined and industrially processed foods, which leads to digestive and metabolic disorders and dramatically increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. But there is also a positive trend: in developed countries, a healthy lifestyle is gaining more and more popularity. Many people refuse fast food and food with GMOs and preservatives in favor of natural products.