Food from Animals: Important Sources, Types

Food from Animals: Food is one of the most important energy source for all living organisms. Since human beings are higher in the food chain, they consume food from animals in cooked form. Food is also sourced from plants through cultivation. Food is required to carry out the basic physical and mental activities, repair of damaged cells, and growth of new cells. Students should understand the types of food from animals, the significance and the nutritional values associated with every type.

Students should also make sure to understand that which food is healthy for the human body. These concepts not only help students clear their exams, but also help them select the best possible food for their consumption. This article covers the important details of food from animals and plants, consumption ways, nutrition and other significant data. Read on to know more.

What Foods Come From Animals and Plants?

Food is mainly obtained from two sources: (i) plants and (ii) animals.

Fig: Food From Plants and Animals

What are Food from Animals?

The food we get from animals is in the form of different animal products that are rich in nutrients, proteins, calcium, etc. The food chain is identical. And, these animals begin with organisms that use the energy of the sun to the apex at which the organisms are predators and rely on producers.

1. Milk: An important animal product that is used as food is milk. We get milk from animals like cows, goats, donkeys, camels, buffaloes, etc. Milk is also converted into other useful products (called milk products) such as curd, butter, ghee, and cheese (paneer).
a. Milk is also called an ideal food that is rich in protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals.
b. Generally, farmers rear 1 to 5 cattle on a small scale at their homes to produce milk. They supply fodder from their agricultural fields only. Among cows, traditional species give 2-5 litres of milk per day, whereas a species named Murra gives 8 litres per day. Foreign species like Jersey and Holstein give 25 litres per day.
c. The milk in a dairy farm is collected from households and pasteurized.

2. Eggs: Production and rearing of hens on a large scale are generally called poultry. 50 billion hens are reared worldwide for eggs and chicken. We get 74% chicken and 64% eggs only from poultry farms. Poultry has emerged as one of the major industries in the last two decades. India achieved 4th position in the world by producing 41.06 million eggs per annum. Layers are reared for the production of eggs. Some hens are able to lay 300 to 350 eggs in their life span under proper management conditions over the right period of time.

Fig: Eggs

3. Meat: We get meat from different sources of animals such as ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, hens, pigs, etc. Meat is distinguished into two types- red meat and white meat.
a. The meat that has lots of fat and is not easy to digest is called red meat—for example, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, etc.
b. The meat that has less fat and is easy to digest is called white meat—for example, chicken, fish, etc.

4. Honey: The method of bee-keeping and the maintenance of hives of honeybees for the production of honey is called apiculture. It is the most beneficial and eco-friendly activity. This is useful not only for honey but also for the pollination of crops as honey bees are the best pollinators of crops. In India, Apis dorsata, Apis indica, Apis florea, are the available species. Apis cerena, an Indian honey bee, produces 3-10 kgs of honey from a colony per annum. Apis mellifera, an European honey bee, produces 25-30 kgs of honey per annum.

Fig: Honey

5. Fish: Fish constitute an important and rich source of high-quality animal protein. We get fish both from freshwater and marine water. Popular marine fish varieties include Mackerel, tuna, sardines, and Bombay duck. Fish is not only used for meat purposes; the oil of fish that are rich in vitamin A & D are used as medicine.

Benefits of Food from Animals

1. They are rich in vitamins and minerals.
2. Eating meat strengthens the bones and immune system.
3. Young children should consume enough milk to enrich the calcium in the body.
4. Drinking milk makes the bones and teeth stronger.

Summary

We obtain food from two sources, and they are plants and animals. Milk, meat, egg, pork, beef, fish, etc., are a few foods that are obtained from animals. Various types of nutrients are found in the food that is obtained from animals. A few nutrients are vitamins, calcium, minerals, proteins, fats, etc. The milk and egg are rich in calcium and proteins that are required for growing children. Eating fish and meat as dietary food builds a strong immune system in the body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. What are foods from animals?
Ans: Foods such as pork, beef, meat, milk, egg, chicken, fish, etc., that are obtained from animals are food from animals.

Q.2. What foods come from animals and plants?
Ans: Food from plants includes rice grains, dal, fruits, vegetables, maize, palm oil, etc. Food from animals is milk, egg, meat, fish, honey, etc.

Q.3. What are the nutrients found in food from animals?
Ans: There are various types of nutrients found in food from animals. A few nutrients are vitamins, calcium, minerals, proteins, fats, etc.

Q.4. What are the two main sources of food?
Ans: The two main sources of food are plants and animals.

Q.5. What are the benefits of food from animals?
Ans: 1. The food from animals is rich in nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
2. Eating meat strengthens the bones and immune system.
3. Young children should consume enough milk to enrich the calcium in the body.

We hope this detailed article helps you in your preparation. If you get stuck do let us know in the comments section below and we will get back to you at the earliest.