Abstract
Living organisms are in close dependence with the environment.
There is also a permanent exchange of substance, energy and information between the human body and the environment, an exchange that underlies the development of all biological processes. In the normal biological processes, the essential environmental factors compete, among which we mention the air, water and food. The importance of food (lat. alimentum - aliment)consists of the intake of nutrients necessary for all life processes.
The substances from food are generically described by the term “nutrient principles” or “food principles”, often being used the term “nutrients”. Among nutrients, depending on their amount in the food products and the physiological and biochemical role, there are the macronutrients (carbohydrates, lipids and protides), micronutrients (mineral compounds of biological interest and vitamins) as well as other nutrients (water, fibres, biologically-active substances).