Exact Answer: Two To Ten Weeks
Eating scientifically known as consuming, is the process of intake of food through our mouth. It is a fundamental process, and a healthy human being or animal eats two to three times a day. The food that goes inside the body is then broken down into different components with different metabolic processes.
After all these processes, the food gets converted into energy and helps a living organism perform day-to-day tasks. Herbivores eat plants to gain power. Carnivores feed on other animals for energy. In contrast, omnivores eat plants as well as animals for getting energy.
How Long Is Unhealthy To Not Eat?
Proper consumption of food is very vital to living a healthy life. It is essential to maintain a balanced diet containing all the different types of nutrients. The body requires various minerals and vitamins not only to gain energy but also to function correctly. Even animals eat more than twice to have a healthy body. However, as the animal kingdom is very vast, there are a few exceptions. And some animals might not need to eat for a long time. However, most human beings eat three times a day.
Some people do limit the number of nutrients that they consume daily. This happens when a person is dieting or maybe fasting due to religious reasons. It is advised not to eat more than what your body requires as it will lead the person to get overweight and obese. Obesity is one of the significant issues that a high percentage of human beings face. In contrast, not eating correctly might result in a person becoming underweight. In such a scenario, an individual cannot even fulfill the personal need as the body becomes frail.
| Age Group | Maximum Time Without Eating |
| Below fifteen | Two to six weeks |
| Fifteen or more | Four to ten weeks |
It has been found that children below the age of fifteen can survive for up to six weeks without food. In comparison, those above fifteen survive without food for up to ten weeks. The body uses the stored nutrients in such conditions. It is not a good practice to not eat for a long time, leading to starvation.
Why Is It Unhealthy To Not Eat For So Long?
A few people do not eat that as they believe that regular eating is very unhealthy. However, the concern is not how much to eat; it is more about what to eat. Eating junk foods and products that contains a lot of cholesterol is very unhealthy. As a result, some people start dieting and may not eat for a very long time. People also do fasting, which they do not eat for quite some time. It is okay not to eat for a few days as the body stores many nutrients as a backup if there is a shortage of food.
But it is crucial to keep regularly eating so that there is a proper balance in input and output. Basic activities such as speaking, walking, and running require some energy to be performed. If a person neglects a healthy diet, they won’t commit such operations after a few times. However, if you are a person who is overweight, then it won’t be a bad idea to go on a diet for a few months as it will help in reducing weight.
But it is essential to gain the proper amount of calories at different intervals to keep the body moving. Food to the body is just like what fuel is to an engine. If food intake is lesser than the required amount, the body will fail to produce enough energy. It is also advised to drink many fluids as it will help in the digestion of the food and help the body convert it into energy.
Conclusion
Finally, it can be concluded that eating is one of the most basic operations that human beings perform daily. The food consumed is used to produce energy that works as fuel and fulfills daily needs. Proper intake of food provides the required amount of vitamins and minerals to the body.
On average, a human being can survive without food for a maximum of ten weeks. However, it is not advised to keep your body starving for that long as it won’t perform essential operations. Doctors recommend following a healthy diet that contains all the required components.