Nutrition Science: The Past, Present, and Future

The scientific field of nutrition is one that seems to be evolving constantly. Experts are continuing to learn about food and how it affects the body. Humans have been studying nutrition science for thousands of years and the first medicines were foods.

So how has nutrition science changed over the years? And where is nutrition science going to take us next?

These are great questions. And we have the information that you are looking for. So keep on reading and we will take you through everything that you will want to know!

Ancient Nutrition Science

Many ancient civilizations, such as those of India, China, Persia, Rome, Greece, and Egypt, believed that food could also be medicine. A lot of their beliefs around the healing power of certain foods are still around today.

Hippocrates, the ancient Greek doctor, believed that people should chew their food thoroughly before swallowing. He also consumed food in moderation as a way to maintain a healthy body.

In the Middle Ages, Hildegard of Bingen – a Christian mystic and German nun – convinced people to eat cooked food instead of eating it raw.

However, before the 1700s, not a lot was known about how food was composed or how the body processed food.

Macronutrient Exploration

By the middle of the 1800s, scientists understood that food was made out of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon. They also knew that food was composed of water, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

During this era, nutrition science was not focused on making people healthier. Instead, it was about feeding as many people as possible.

At the end of the 1800s, in the United States, scientists started to come up with the concept of calories and began to understand how food could be converted into energy.

Smaller and Smaller

As the years went on, scientists understood that food could also be medicine. They realized that malnourishment could lead to disease and eating certain foods could cure diseases, like eating citrus when you had scurvy.

In the early 1900s, scientists started to learn about vitamins. They began to identify vitamin A and vitamin D by studying rats. Many people thought that certain diseases were infectious but new research proved they were actually due to nutrient deficiencies.

Future of Nutrition Science

The future of nutrition science will likely be spent debunking scientific assumptions of the previous century. Groups like ILSI are working to further our understanding of nutrition and connect various global organizations.

The Importance of Knowing About the History of Nutrition Science

Nutrition and nutrition science affects all of us. It affects what we eat, how we feel, and how healthy we can be. By knowing about the past, present, and future of nutrition science we can better appreciate what nutrition is and how it has evolved.

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