What is food? - Sie7e

sensculture
Jun 26
2 min read

Talking with my mom, she tells me something very interesting: People rarely (or never) ask themselves: What is food?

A definition I found in one of those online dictionaries says that food is: “A solid substance that is eaten and serves as nourishment.” So I looked up the meaning of food: “A nutritious substance that an organism or living being takes in to maintain its vital functions.” And for me, that's the crux of the matter.

By definition, if the food we eat doesn't have good nutritional value (for the human species), no matter how delicious it tastes… then no, it's not food. Nutrition is a very particular, controversial, and varied subject, so in this writing I'll limit myself to inviting you to see it in the following way: our bodies are a beautiful collection of bacteria, chemicals, minerals, etc., that interact with “a complex and highly organized structure, made up of cells that work together to perform specific functions necessary to maintain life.”

Today we have the general habit of calling almost anything we can chew and swallow food, as long as it doesn't send us to the hospital (at least not immediately).

For me, food boils down to those things that come from the earth, because they contain the same original minerals and nutrients that make up our bodies. It's as simple as that. Aside from that, I realize that everything else I've eaten throughout my life consists of completely artificial products, alien to our nature… and yes, the list is long.

Now I try to eat according to my individual needs; the amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and leafy greens I consume have changed with me, and I try to choose plant-based products instead of processed, canned, or pre-packaged ones. My goal is to have a home garden, and in the meantime, I do what I can to eat well and in harmony with nature, enjoying the process.

For this edition, I had the pleasure of talking with a good friend who is very loved and admired in Puerto Rico: Funky Joe tells us about his life and experiences as a vegan and cannabis artist and entrepreneur.

Recipe: Vegan Grill “Cheese” Pizza

Ingredients:

Vegan bread (of your choice)

Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds

Ketchup

Plant-based chorizo or ham

Plant-based butter

Chili flakes (to taste)

- In a frying pan, melt the butter and toast the bread in the butter.

- Add tomato sauce to the toast

- Add Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds generously

- Add chorizo, ham and chili flakes