Main description:

From gluten-free to all-Paleo, GMOs to grass-fed beef, our newsfeeds abound with nutrition advice. Whether sensational headlines from the latest study or anecdotes from celebrities and food bloggers, we're bombarded with "superfoods" and "best ever" diets promising to help us lose weight, fight disease, and live longer. At the same time, we live in an over-crowded food environment that makes it easy to eat, all the time. The result is an epidemic of chronic disease
amidst a culture of nutrition confusion-and copious food choices that challenge everyday eaters just trying to get a healthy meal on the table.

But the exhilarating truth is that scientists know an astounding amount about the power of food. A staggering 80% of chronic diseases are preventable through modifiable lifestyle changes, and diet is the single largest contributing factor. And we also know the secrets to eating sustainably to protect our planet.

In Food & Nutrition, Harvard- and Columbia-trained nutrition scientist Dr. P.K. Newby examines 134 stand-alone questions addressing "need to know" topics, including how what we eat affects our health and environment, from farm to fork, and why, when it comes to diet, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts-and one size doesn't fit all. At the same time, Newby debunks popular myths and food folklore, encouraging readers to "learn, unlearn, and relearn" the fundamentals of
nutrition at the heart of a health-giving diet. Her passion for all things food shines through it all, as does her love of the power of science, technology, and engineering to help create healthier diets for ourselves, and a more sustainable future for the planet we share.

Contents:

Foreword PART I. From Farm to Fork: Why What We Eat Matters Chapter 1. Introduction: Framing Today's Food and Nutrition Issues Chapter 2. Global Food and Nutrition Challenges PART II. Dining Throughout Human History: Science, Technology, Eater, Environment Chapter 3. Paleo to Present: How Revolutions, Discoveries, and Inventions Shape our Diet Chapter 4. Contemporary Food Production, Nutrition Buzzwords, and Implications for Health: Fact or Fiction? Chapter 5. Diets Today: Why We Eat the Way We Do PART III. Essential Food and Nutrition: Separating Science from Junk Science Chapter 6. Nutrition: A Brief History of Scientific Discoveries and Public Health Interventions Chapter 7. Small and Mighty: Vitamins, Minerals, and Phytonutrients Chapter 8. The Foundation of Nutrition: Carbohydrate, Fat, and Protein PART IV. Food, Glorious Food Chapter 9. Vegetables, Fruits, and Health Chapter 10. The Whole (Grain) Truth Chapter 11. Beans and Peas, Legumes and Pulses, Nuts and Seeds Chapter 12. Terrestrial Animals and Animal-based Foods, Farm to Fork Chapter 13. Water Dwellers: Fish and Seafood Chapter 14. Water: Drink (and Eat) Up Chapter 15. Coffee and Tea: Impacts on Health and Environment Chapter 16. Alcohol and Health: Cheers!? Chapter 17. Sweet Drinks: Fruit Juice, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and Diet Soda (Pop) PART V. Today and Tomorrow: Diets for Optimal Health, Longevity, and Sustainability Chapter 18. Putting it All Together: Creating a Health-Giving Diet That Works for You Chapter 19. Nutrition in Action: Making Health-Giving Diets a Habit, for Life Chapter 20. Conclusion Afterword