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In a song from the musical Oliver! called “Food, Glorious Food,” a group of children sing about “magical food, wonderful food, marvelous food, fabulous food.” Those words describe how most people feel about eating.
Food is delicious, and when you eat it, feelings of hunger go away. But most important of all, your body needs food for survival—just as it needs air and water.
Foods contain nutrients—substances that give the body energy, help it grow, and keep it strong and healthy. Nutrition is the study of how the body uses nutrients and the best way to get your body the nutrients it needs. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are macronutrients. Macro- means “large,” and your body needs fairly large quantities of these. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients. Micro- means “small,” and your body needs smaller quantities of these.
