Nutrition is the process by which organisms take in and utilize food for energy, growth, and repair. It’s broadly categorized into two main types: autotrophic and heterotrophic.
1. Autotrophic Nutrition:
Description:
Autotrophs, like plants, produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis. They utilize inorganic substances like water and carbon dioxide, along with sunlight, to synthesize their own nutrients.
Example:
Green plants use photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy, stored as glucose.
2. Heterotrophic Nutrition:
Description:
Heterotrophs, including animals and humans, cannot produce their own food and must obtain it from other sources. They rely on consuming other organisms or organic matter for energy and nutrients.
Subtypes:
Heterotrophic nutrition is further divided into:
Holozoic: Organisms ingest solid food and digest it within their bodies.
Saprophytic: Organisms feed on dead and decaying organic matter.
Parasitic: Organisms obtain nutrients from a living host, often causing harm.
Example:
Humans and animals are heterotrophs, obtaining their nutrition by consuming plants or other animals.
Nutrients:
Macronutrients: These are required in larger amounts and include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Micronutrients: These are required in smaller amounts and include vitamins and minerals.

Nutrition is the process by which living organisms obtain and utilize nutrients from food for growth, survival, and health. It involves consuming food and processing it to extract essential substances that the body needs. There are two main types of nutrition: autotrophic and heterotrophic.
Types of Nutrition:
1. Autotrophic Nutrition:
Organisms that can produce their own food are called autotrophs. This type of nutrition is characterized by organisms that can synthesize their own nutrients from inorganic substances, like plants using photosynthesis.
Example: Green plants utilize sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce their own food through photosynthesis.
2. Heterotrophic Nutrition:
Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must obtain it from other sources are called heterotrophs. This is the type of nutrition found in most animals, including humans, and can be further divided into:
Parasitic Nutrition: Organisms obtain nutrients by deriving them from other living organisms, often harming the host, like a tick on a dog.
Saprophytic Nutrition: Organisms feed on dead or decaying plant or animal matter, like fungi.
Holozoic Nutrition: Organisms take in whole food and digest it internally, like humans.