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Published on 19th July, 2016, on www.scroll.in . Why is anna, food, accorded so much importance in our culture? In Yoga-shastra, our body is called annakosha, that is, flesh formed from anna. Our flesh then becomes food for other animals. All living beings need anna for their annakosha. Plants eat the elements, especially the five major ones, the pancha mahabhut, including sunlight and water. Plants, in turn, are consumed by animals, which are then eaten by other animals. Humans eat both plants and animals. Food and the action of eating maintain life; life eats life. The Upanishads give a lot of importance to food. Without ..