Why are blessings recited before partaking of food?

Reciting a short blessing before eating is the way that we ask permission of G-d to partake of the pleasures of His world. Through reciting a blessing we acknowledge that "the world and everything in it belongs to G-d." There are only six different blessings over the thousands of types of food we eat. the longest of the six has only 10 words in it. they can be found in any prayer book or contact your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center to obtain a blessing guide.