Primary Staple Foods

Bread's primary ingredient, wheat, is an example of a staple food.

Staple foods are foods eaten on a regular basis and are the very basic part of everyday meals for most of people living in a particular country or region. Staple foods span continents and provide the majority of calories consumed. Certain foods are considered staple because they are easily accessible, locally grown and produced. Staple foods can also be stored for a long time without going bad and are usually affordable to the majority of the population. While high in calories, staple foods do not provide all the nutrients necessary for a healthy diet, and thus staple foods must be supplemented with other sources of nutrition.

Rice

Rice is a major staple food.

Rice is the primary staple food of the world. Rice provides 20 percent of the world's dietary energy supply. Rice is a rich source of dietary energy and provides large amounts of essential amino acids and micronutrients. Rice also contains several main B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. Unprocessed rice is a good source of fiber. In addition to being nutritious, rice is cheap and large quantities of rice can be purchased at a very low price. The best characteristic of rice is that it can be served as a main dish or a complementary side dish.

Wheat

Wheat is mostly consumed in the form of bread or pasta.

Wheat is also a primary staple food. Wheat provides 19 percent of the world's dietary energy supply. Similar to rice, when not processed, wheat is a good source of fiber. Wheat is also high in the main B vitamins. Wheat is mostly found in its enriched form, such as an ingredients in breads and pastas. Being a valued staple, wheat is an incomplete source of protein and, as such, should be supplemented with other foods for optimal protein intake.

Maize (Corn)

Corn falls under maize, which is a staple food.

Maize is another primary staple food. Maize provides 5 percent of the world's dietary energy supply. Maize serves as the raw material for many food components including starch, oil and protein, alcoholic beverages, and food sweeteners. Maize is most commonly eaten as corn and special crops of maize are grown for food including sweet corn and popcorn.

Potato (Tubers)

Potatoes are a staple to many household meals.

Potatoes are also considered to be a staple food. Potatoes are both a starch and a vegetable. Potatoes can be cooked in almost any form (baked, mashed or fried) and are very affordable. There are over 4,000 different varieties of the potato. Potatoes belong to the food group called tubers, or root vegetables, which also include yams, beets, and carrots. Potatoes and other root vegetables are a great source of potassium, beta carotene and Vitamin C.

References

• FAO: Staple Foods
• FAO: Rice
• FAO: Maize
• In Depth Info: Potato