Question

Who is the father of nutrition?

Answer 1

Nutrition is the basic process which involves taking up food to carry out different functions of the body which are needed for the survival of the organisms. The two main types of nutrition are - autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.

Complete answer:
When an organism has the ability to produce its own food, such as plants, then they are known as autotrophs and this type of nutrition is known as autotrophic nutrition. Heterotrophic nutrition is a type of nutrition in which an organism cannot make its own food and is dependent on other organisms for food.

Heterotrophic nutrition is further divided into three parts - saprophytic nutrition, parasitic nutrition and holozoic nutrition. Parasitic mode of nutrition takes place when an organism gets its nutrition from any other living organisms. Saprophytic mode of nutrition is the mode of nutrition in which an organism feeds on dead plants or animals. Lastly, holozoic form of nutrition is the type of nutrition in which an organism takes in whole food.

Antoine Lavoisier is known as the father of nutrition. He was the one who discovered metabolism in 1770, which means the conversion of food and oxygen into heat and water in the body in order to produce energy. Carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are the primary components of the food, were identified in the early 1800s.

Note: Antoine Lavoisier is also well known as the father of Chemistry and Calorimeter. He came up with various concepts and the most famous among them was the concept of metabolism. He also gave the concept of creation of energy and the intake of the food and water and its transfer which takes place to water and heat.