We are what we eat. Human beings as biological entities grow their bodies from elements mostly acquired by eating food. Food is raw material which transforms through complex chemical reactions into muscles, bones, blood and all other kinds of human tissue. Since human organism is so sophisticated acquiring good food is essential to have healthy body and mind. That is why thinking about food is an important part of our culture from the very beginning of civilization.
Another concept that is traditionally connected to food is joy. We are happy when we eat delicious tasty food. We thoroughly enjoy well-prepared meals. Science tells us that taste is nature's way of "marking" rich and valuable food to encourage humans to search for it.
Modern applied food science has a business side which is about finding cheaper ways to mass-produce delicious food but also another side which is about health and well-being. In general, science is a way of obtaining knowledge by making experiments to prove or disprove assumptions and nothing more. Researching food gives us knowledge about what we are built of and what gives us pleasure and how to better control our health and happiness.
There are proponents of traditional food who are fighting againt nutrition science. They think we should rely on what our ancestors have been eating for a long time. It is fascinating that the very same people are often quite happy to use modern medicine instead of prayer and watching weather forecasts instead of believing fortune-tellers.
Here are some important examples of scientific advances in food that are in common use nowadays.
Measuring nutritional value and basic nutrients allows us to control the amount of actual raw elements and energy we consume. It is required by law to print this information on all food on sale in Russia.
Food rations for special professions like soldiers or cosmonauts were created to let people be efficient in unnatural conditions.
Diets are particular food regimes that allow us to better adopt our organisms to changing world. Biologically we are still very close to our ancestors who lived in scarcity. Our natural affection for delicacies and rich food leads to obesity and diets correct nature's way. Diets take into account that we are now living in abundancy and staffing oneself with cakes is no more a good method of getting evolutionary advantage.