Evolution of Eating Project - Assignment Example

Evolution of Eating Project 3 Part This paper will discuss the food gathering behaviors and diet of our ancestors compared to our eating and foraging practices. According to Standage (2012), food not only gives nourishment but also acts as a device of economic expansion, military conflict, social change, geopolitical competition and political organization (Standage 1). This describes the indirect utilization of food that has assisted in changing and shaping communities around the universe. A lingering question is, ‘Does the availability of food, decisions of what and how to eat shape our social identities and development as Homo sapiens?’ The five-day food diary that includes a weekend day of my diet is provided in the table below: Days of the week Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Monday 1 glass of fat free milk, two slices of bread, and two egg omelet. I eat alone before I leave the house at 8.00 a.m. The food is bought from the supermarket. 1 Apple Mango and coconut rice pudding (milk). From the school cafeteria at noon. I eat in the company of fellow students. Cream of sweetcorn soup with roll and butter (celery, milk). Family dinner setting at 6:00 p.m. The food is bought from the supermarket. Tuesday I glass of yoghurt, a piece of whole wheat toast, and 2 pieces of oranges. In the morning at 8:00 before getting out of the house. I eat alone. All the food is bought from the supermarket. 1 Banana Chicken & noodles, peas and mixed vegetables. From the school cafeteria at noon. In company of other students. Grilled cod steak, salsa sauce (fish). Family setting. The food items are bought from the supermarket. Wednesday 1/3 cup cereal with I cup skim milk and ¾ cup of frozen berries. Early in the morning at 8:00 while still at home. I eat alone. Food is bought from the supermarket. ¼ piece of melon Pork schnitzel, tomato sauce (Wheat, Sulphites, Egg, Milk). From the school cafeteria at noon. I eat together with student friends. Battered hake (wheat, egg, milk, nuts). Family setting. The food items are bought from the supermarket. Thursday Scrambled eggs with spinach folded up in whole wheat tortilla, I cup of schizandra tea. 8:00 in the morning before I leave the house. I eat alone. The food is bought from the supermarket. I packet of popcorns Cauliflower and stilton soup with Roll & Butter (celery, milk). From the school cafeteria at noon. I am in the company of fellow students. Vegetable and tofu stir fry (sulphites, sesame seeds, eggs, gluten, and soya). Family setting. The items used in food preparation are bought from supermarket. Friday Quinoa flake cereal with flax seeds and cinnamon, I glass of orange juice. In the morning at 8:00 a.m. before I leave for school. I eat alone. The food is bought from the supermarket. 1 glass of yoghurt Mash potatoes (milk). From the school cafeteria at noon. I eat in the company of fellow students. Chicken, butterbean and tarragon soup with rolls and butter (milk). Family gathering. The food items were bought from the supermarket. Saturday Scrambled tofu with fresh herbs and tomatoes, I glass of banana shake. In the morning at 10:00 at home. I eat alone. Food items are bought from the grocery store. 1 bowl of fruit cuts (melon, pawpaw, pineapple) 1 bacon Habanero Ranch Quarter Pounder burger and 1 big coke from McDonalds with friends at any time. Big size French fries and minute maid premium orange all from MacDonald’s at home. I eat alone mostly at 9:00 p.m. I will discuss a meal from the school cafeteria that consists of Chicken & noodles, peas, and mixed vegetables. I approached one of the cafeteria staff to get more information on the origin of the items used for the menu. The staff was kind but did not have much time, and the only thing he said is that a contracted supplier delivers all the items. The staff referred me to the manager who was a little bit hesitant. He disclosed some sources of the items and explained that the vegetables were sourced from local farms. In reference to noodles, he explained that they originate from temperate countries where wheat is the main crop. Noodles are manufactured from wheat but did not disclose the source of chicken. I appreciated the information he gave and left for class. Part 2 The hominin foraging and eating behaviors were greatly influenced by the availability of the food they consumed. The choice of diet with high energy and palatable food was determined by the method of foraging game plan employed for maximum intake of energy (Ulijaszek para 1). There was a scarcity of the desired plants due to clearing in the course of gathering. The unavailability of food led to the initiation of farming as a way of producing food (Bulliet et al. 17). The introduction of agriculture has enabled human to use food in numerous ways that have led to different cultural and social structures. The practice of farming transformed human from activities of gathering and hunting into farming. The humans were also involved in animal domestication. They employed simple methods of cultivation and depended on other modes of food production. The other forms of producing food comprise of herding, hunting, foraging and pastoralism. A new dawn came when the human began cultivation of crops on the flood plains of the river systems. The main reason this was favored is because such crops did not rely on rainfall and produced a dependable harvest. Another advantage is that the flood plains were very fertile as a result of the sediment deposits that had many nutrients. This enabled the humans to cultivate in one area for an extended period before shifting to a virgin land (Duiker & Spielvogel 7). The agriculture revolution led to people settling in one area and formed communities. The communities stored food and gathered material goods that resulted to trade. The human also became experts in crafts and labor developed. For example, clay was used to make pottery that was then baked to harden. The pots were then used in cooking and served as storage for grains. The communities adapted to the main staple foods that they cultivated, and the domestic animals reared. This is how the cultural dishes were developed. The common staple foods grown in that era include wheat, barley, and corn. The animals domesticated are sheep, pigs, cattle and goats (Duiker & Spielvogel 6). I am brought up in a family that believes that a balanced diet leads to good health. Moreover, cooking is not a big deal because it is part of the family activities that we practice since we are young hence most of the time I prepare breakfast. In the family, we are not limited to a particular culture, and we like trying out new foods from all cultures and new menus. We go out for food exhibitions to experience new foods from all over the world. When I interact with grandparents, they talk so much about the family lunches and dinners that they had during their childhood years. In those days eating out, was not as common as it is today. They believed that family members were supposed to eat together for bonding. Most of the foods that they ate came directly from their farms and comprised of the staple food that was grown from the region. They prefer they traditional way of food production because these foods never caused the kind of illnesses that are there today. The food was prepared and preserved the natural way in contrast to the modern world where preservatives and additives are added for conservation. Furthermore, they insist that the food lose its natural taste and aroma and hence its essence. In food preparation, I highly consider the food nutrition value. A healthy breakfast provides the energy I need to start off the day and boost my health. During breakfast, I consider low-fat dairy, vegetable, and fruits either in frozen or fresh form. In addition, lean protein, whole grains and 100% juice with no added sugar are favorites. I also engage in foods that provide carbohydrates such as bread. Most of the items that I use for breakfast I buy them from the supermarkets because it is a one stop shop where one find all types of items including groceries. I prefer fresh fruits, vegetables over frozen ones because I feel that the fresh vegetables and fruits have their nutritional value maintained. During lunch, I get most of the food from the school cafeteria. In this case, I am restricted to the menu available, and this food is prepared according the school’s nutritional standards. I eat lunch in the company of fellow students in the mess hall. I eat most of the dinners at home. It is a family norm to have dinner together which I enjoy very much. At this time, we have a chance to discuss what has transpired during the day and appreciate each other’s achievements. I am not restricted to a strict diet and do not deny myself the exciting foods. Therefore, I do not mind going out with friends and getting fast foods from MacDonald’s. I indulge in all types of foods during the weekends. Most of the time we eat at MacDonald and at other times we have them at a friend’s house. If I needed to walk to find a food source, it is not a long distance walk. The eating restaurants and café are all over where I buy French fries and burgers. To get the fresh produce one does not to walk far because it is available in most of the groceries. Homemade foods are enjoyable and do not think I will give up on them. I do not feel any strong identification with a particular group because I love foods from across all cultural backgrounds. I think it very unfortunate that most of us consume highly processed foods that are capable of being stored for a year. Such kind of food no longer has their nutritional value. Secondly, the food does not have the original taste and therefore does not bring out the expected aroma and essence. Thirdly, in order for these foods to be preserved for such a long time there are preservatives that added unto them. I feel that such additives may have side effects on the health of most people that consume such foods. According to Sizer, Piché, and Eleanor (2012), food behaviors are associated with the high risk of some illnesses (Sizer, Piché, & Eleanor 417). These diseases are mainly caused by obesity and consist of diabetes, stroke, cancer, hypertension, atherosclerosis and diverticulosis. Obesity is mainly caused by foods that have many calories, saturated salt and fat. In conclusion, I think the availability of food and the decisions we make on what and how to eat shape our social developments and identities as Homo sapiens. People identify themselves with the type of food that is available in their community. People also develop their eating habits that influence the decision on the type food and the manner of eating. The evolution of food has both positives and negatives. In modern society, many processed foods are available that makes it easy to have a ready food. People do not have to spend time sourcing, preparing and cooking food. It also makes it easy for people working in engaging jobs have food to eat at whatever time of the day. It has also contributed to the expansion of the economy through the businesses that manufacture the foods. However, all these are at the expense of good health. With the increase of obesity in people from all ages, I think it is high time people consider the old ways of food production. I believe that the society should be sensitized on the advantages of good eating behaviors. Works cited Bulliet, Richard, et al. The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History. Cengage Learning, 2014. Duiker, William J, and Jackson J. Spielvogel. The Essential World History. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008. Print. Standage, Tom. An Edible History of Humanity. London: Atlantic Books Ltd, 2012. Internet resource. Sizer, Frances S, Leonard A. Piché, and Eleanor N. Whitney. Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies. Toronto: Nelson Education, 2012. Print. Ulijaszek, S. J. (2002). Human eating behaviour in an evolutionary ecological context. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 61(04), 517-526. Read More