Staple food

Some foods are eaten very often. People eat these foods at almost every meal. These foods give our bodies energy. They help us stay healthy.

Many staples come from plants. We eat grains like rice and wheat. We also eat roots like potatoes.

Some people eat meat, eggs, or milk too.

Some foods are easy to keep for a long time. This helps when there is not much food left. They can be stored without rotting away.

In some cold or dry lands, animals help. Animals eat plants that people cannot eat. Then, humans eat the meat or milk from those animals.

Staple foods are important for everyone. They help people all over the world.

A staple food is something people eat very often. People might eat these foods at almost every meal. These foods give our bodies much of the power we need. They also provide many nutrients for our health.

Most staples come from plants. We eat grains like rice, wheat, and maize.

We also eat root vegetables like potatoes, yams, and cassava. These plant foods provide most of the world's energy. In fact, just 15 plant crops provide 90 percent of our food energy. Rice, maize, and wheat are very important. They feed about 80 percent of all people.

Some staples come from animals. These include meat, fish, eggs, and milk. In some places, it is hard to grow crops. This might happen in deserts or cold mountains. In these lands, people can raise animals instead. The animals eat local plants that humans cannot eat. Then, humans eat the meat or milk from those animals.

Some people eat sago. This comes from the pith, or soft center, of a palm tree. Staples are very helpful because they can be stored for a long time. This helps people have food during seasons when crops do not grow.

A staple food is a food that people eat very often. These foods make up a huge part of a person's diet. They provide most of the energy and nutrients a body needs to stay healthy. Most people live on a diet with only a few different staples. These foods are often cheap or easy to find. They give us important things like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins. Because they are so important, they are the foundation of how we eat every day.

There are many different ways to prepare these foods.

Many cereals are milled into a fine flour or meal. This flour can be used to make bread, noodles, or porridge. Some people make a mush called mealie pap from it. Other staples, like rice, are often cooked as whole grains. Root vegetables can be mashed into dishes like fufu or poi. Even some plants, like chickpeas, can be turned into flour for cooking.

History shows us that people have always relied on these crops. Early farming groups valued staples because they could be stored for a long time. These foods do not decay quickly, which is very helpful. This allowed people to save food for hard times, like cold winters or dry seasons. In the Andes, people used historical staples like quinoa or oca tubers. The Plains Indians of North America used pemmican, which was made from dried meat and fat.

Today, we can look at real numbers to see which foods are most common.

In 2012, maize was the largest crop with 873 million tonnes produced. Rice was second with 738 million tonnes, and wheat was third with 671 million tonnes. Just 15 plant crops provide 90 percent of the world's food energy. Rice, maize, and wheat alone feed about 80 percent of the world's people. Rice is especially important because it feeds almost half of all humanity.

Where you live often decides what your staple food will be. This depends on the weather, the land, and the local ecosystem. In parts of Africa, cereals make up 46 percent of the average diet. In Western Europe, animal products are higher at 33 percent. In places where it is too hard to farm, people use pastoralism. This means they herd animals like sheep in Mongolia or reindeer in the Arctic. These animals eat plants that humans cannot eat and turn them into meat and milk.

A staple food is a specific type of food eaten very often. It makes up a dominant portion of a person's or a group's standard diet. These foods supply a large fraction of a body's energy needs. They also provide a significant proportion of important nutrients. Most people live on a diet based on only a small variety of these staples. They are often inexpensive or easy to find in a local area. They supply essential macronutrients and micronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins.

Many staples are plant-based and provide energy through sugars and carbohydrates. Common plant staples include cereals like rice, wheat, and maize. They also include legumes like lentils and beans. Starchy tubers, such as potatoes and yams, are another major type. People can process these foods in many ways. Most cereals are milled into flour or meal to make bread, noodles, or pasta. Some, like rice, are eaten as whole grains. Root vegetables can be mashed into porridge-like dishes such as fufu or poi.

Some regions rely on animal-based staples instead of plants. These include meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products like cheese. While most staples are plants, dairy provides proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. In places where the land is not good for farming, people use pastoralism. This is a system where animals live off land that humans cannot use. Animals eat local plants that are inedible to people. They then convert that matter into meat, fat, eggs, and milk. This allows humans to have staples in deserts, tundras, or mountains.

History shows that early agricultural civilizations valued staple crops for specific reasons. These foods are often nonperishable, meaning they do not decay quickly. This makes them suitable for storage over long periods. Stored staples are the only option during seasons of shortage. These shortages might happen during dry seasons or cold winters. During seasons of surplus, people may have a wider choice of foods. Historical examples include quinoa and amaranth from the Andes. The Plains Indians of North America used pemmican, made from dried meat and fat.

Demographics and geography determine which staples are dominant in different areas. Weather patterns, terrain, and local ecosystems play a large role. For example, cereals make up 46 percent of the average African diet. In Western Europe, animal products are higher at 33 percent. In Mongolia, people herd sheep to provide staples. In the Arctic, the Sami people herd reindeer. These regional differences show how humans adapt to their environments.

We can see the scale of staple production through global numbers. Just 15 plant crops provide 90 percent of the world's food energy. Rice, maize, and wheat comprise two-thirds of human food consumption. These three staples support about 80 percent of the world's population. Rice alone feeds almost half of humanity. In 2012, maize was the largest crop at 873 million tonnes. Rice followed at 738 million tonnes, and wheat was third at 671 million tonnes. Cassava is also vital, serving as a staple for 500 million people.

While staples are essential, they must be eaten carefully for health. Consumed alone, staple foods may not provide every essential nutrient. A diet consisting primarily of maize is associated with pellagra. A diet of refined white rice is linked to beriberi. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy. Some researchers say climate change and higher carbon dioxide levels might affect nutritional value. As economies develop, many countries shift toward higher-nutrient-density staples and more meat.