Zhyto is an important element of the human diet. From this cereal crop make flour, which is used for baking bread, rolls and other products. The article talks about what is alive, what kinds of it are. In addition, we will try to answer the question: why did the grain play such an important role over many eras?
Ancient times
Back in the days when our ancestors didn’t look very much like people, they mostly led a nomadic life, not staying long in one place. And it’s not in vain. Darwin’s phrase “Movement is life” is absolutely true. In order to get food, they had to be more active, constantly in search. Initially, as in wild animals, it was pasture, the fruits of some vegetation, or the remains of a feast of predators.
Over time and evolution, primitive people engaged in hunting and fishing, because you will not be full of roots and fruits. In addition, the brain, which increased, required a lot of calories and protein food. Much later, people gradually switched to subsistence farming. They began to tame and raise animals, trying to grow the first crops. But probably, the most significant plant crop, which remains the most important to this day, are cereals. In the article we will analyze in detail what is living and why they call it many grain plants.
Origin
To begin with, we analyze the origin and terminology. The word “living”, according to some scholars, is a common Slavic word that has common roots with the old German geits - “bread”. But according to Dahl, it comes from the word "harvest", that is, to collect wheat for subsequent processing. So what is living? The answer is simple.
Zhyto is the common name for cereal culture, which is most common in a single region. For example, in the north of Russia it is called barley, and in Ukraine - wheat and rye. Often this is called, in general, any cereal plants that are grown specifically for the subsequent collection and consumption of them. For example, oats are also lively. As you can see, this concept has several meanings. Having figured out what life is, I want to note the following: a lot of folk sayings, proverbs and legends are connected with this word. This directly indicates the high importance of cereal crops, which they exerted on people even in antiquity. But why?
Primary role
Cereals have been and remain very important at all times. The main reason for this is their nutritional value. For example, high-quality wheat contains quite a lot of protein in addition to carbohydrates, therefore, in ancient times, much attention was paid to the manufacture of bread. And sometimes they ate only him. Even today, bread is an integral part of people's diet. Another reason is that cereals do not deplete the soil as much as other crops. For example, sunflowers. And you can sow fields with them again and again.
In addition to those cereals that go to human food, fodder is also grown. For example, oats, which at all times was considered an important element in the diet of horses. And people did not hesitate to eat it. Oatmeal is considered a very healthy and dietary product. It is recommended for use by people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. So now we know what life meant.
Food
According to scientists, our ancestors began to eat cereals for nutrition several hundred thousand years ago in the form of porridge. The grains were steeped and steamed over a fire to make them softer. Then they began to produce flour from them. For this purpose, millstones were used - flat stone circles, between which grain was poured and ground, and bread and various flat cakes were already baked from flour.
And in the middle of the XVII century they began to make pasta, which is now a very common food and a side dish for other products around the world. So we figured out how the word “live” is interpreted. They also learned what it means and what important role it plays in agriculture around the world.