The food consumed daily by active individuals is capable of sustaining training quality, enhancing recovery, and bolstering physical performance. In this chapter, we discuss traditional and contemporary views on nutrition for sport and exercise, and explore the rationale for a new approach of ‘integrative sport and exercise nutrition’, which considers food as so much more than just ‘fuel’ for training. The importance of the dynamic, inter-connectedness of our physiological systems underpins the core philosophy throughout this book, such that a body that functions optimally is central to peak performance. In doing so, we will consider how far sports nutrition has come, and how evidence-based and scientific practice supports our understanding of the mechanistic nature of nutrients in optimising physical, physiological, biochemical and even psychological performance. We conclude this chapter by discussing the challenges faced between evidence-based thinking and translational applications. For both the practitioner in the field and the athlete themselves, daily life revolves around the concept of n = 1, and raises the need for athlete-focused nutrition, while learning from scientific discoveries. In doing so, this chapter aims to raise conceptual awareness around ‘integrative sport and exercise nutrition’ as a core focus throughout this book.