The Asian elephant is strictly a herbivorous animal. Their main diet consists of bamboo, grasses, and leaves of all sorts. Elephants also eat roots that are found lying on the around or sometimes, or sometimes they tear them out of the ground. They also eat bark from various trees and many kinds of exotic fruits. Shrubs, branches, and water plants are also common foods of the elephant. On rare occasions if bananas and sugar can be found, they eat them as extra treats.

Minerals for the elephant are mainly gained from soil and dirt. Because of the Asian elephant's habitat, they need more daily food then the African elephants, and therefore they grow larger. It is more challenging for African elephants to find food. The Asian elephant will search long distances, during the cool mornings and evenings for water.

At zoos elephants often are given two to three bundles of Purina Elephant Food and oat hay. Fresh bamboo bows are given occasionally, along with carrots, apples, omolene, and vitamin supplements.