Many recipes tell you to brown the food at various stages of the cooking process, or will say something like "let it take on color" or "until golden brown". Most cooks learn to do this as a matter of faith - they've always done it, so they continue to do it, and there are very good reasons why it usually improves the flavor of your finished dish, as you will see.
One thing browning does NOT do, however, is the often quoted "seal the meat". The idea that searing the outside of a steak, for example, or even a whole roasting joint, will close the pores, and somehow stop the juices coming out, is nonsense. We can even see that it is nonsense by the amount of juices in the pan at the end of cooking - in fact, we rely on these juices being produced to make the gravy or sauce. And yet generations of cooks carry on regardless, assuming that they are sealing in the flavor.
We should certainly continue to use the browning technique, while knowing that what we are actually doing is adding flavor to our food, or at least altering it, hopefully in a good way. All food changes in texture and taste as it is cooked, but these so-called Browning Flavors are caused by one or both of two chemical reactions known as Caramelization and the Maillard Reaction.
Caramelization (US), or Caramelisation (UK) is caused by changes to the sugars found naturally in most foods, and releases complex nutty, toffee-like flavors. We don't always perceive this as sweet, more as a more intense depth of flavor. The Maillard Reaction involves the interaction of the sugars with amino acids, usually in the presence of heat: in the process, as with Caramelization, many different flavors can be produced.
The chemistry needn't worry us, other than it works: all we need to do is make sure that we brown the foods, where appropriate. The added bonus for cooks is that after browning, food often looks more appetizing, as well as tasting better.
We can often afford to be a bit brutal with meats, particularly red meats and burgers etc: start with a fairly high heat, a "sizzle" until the meat browns, and then reduce the heat until cooked through. We usually need to be a bit more gentle with vegetables: they can catch and burn more easily, and burning produces a bitter flavor that is usually not pleasant at all.
Think of the char-grill lines on a steak, or the soft sweetness of slow-cooked onions. Think of the flavor and aroma of toast, or coffee, for that matter. The crispy skin on a roast chicken. How about malted barley used in whiskey or beer? All Browning Flavours, and the world is a better place because of them. Enjoy.
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