In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. ...the foods we choose to eat-or not to eat-may increase our life span or the quality of our lives.

---

Product Description

The Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition is a definitive resource for what to eat for maximum health as detailed by medical and nutritional experts. This book makes the connection between health, disease, and the food we eat.
The Encyclopedia describes more than 140 foods, providing information on their history, nutrient content, and medical uses.

The Encyclopedia also describes the "fit kitchen", including the latest in food safety, equipment and utensils for preparing fit foods, and ways to modify favorite recipes to ensure health and taste.

* Details healthy eating guidelines based on the RDA food pyramid
* Provides scientific basis and knowledge for specific recommendations
* Beautifully illustrated
* Extensive list of reliable nutrition resources
* Describes the fit kitchen from the latest in food safety to equipment and utensils for preparing fit foods to ways to modify favorite recipes to ensure health and taste

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #250619 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 450 pages

Review
"...A bargain, highly recommended for all libraries." -- P. Miller for Choice, September 2002

"...it is written very clearly, in non-technical language, in a good print size." -- Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 2003

"...well written and provides interesting facts and tips to improve dietary intake and to incorporate favorite foods into daily diets." -- Gastronomica, 2003

"Superior and comprehensive. One stop shopping for all the knowledge needed to eat healthy and be healthy." -- George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

"This is a unique combination of food sources, nutrition information, and health-nutrition interactions." -- Doody's Notes, 2002

"…serves as a comprehensive guide to fresh produce varieties." -- Produce Business- Journal, May 2004

Review
"...serves as a comprehensive guide to fresh produce varieties, their nutritional content, how to incorporate produce items into a healthy diet and menu suggestions."
PRODUCE BUSINESS (2004)


"...offers tons of tips for sensible eating.explains not just the nutritional value of fruits, it also has information about carbohydrates; how to decipher nutrition information on supermarket items; and healthy alternatives to meal favorites."
-NAPLES DAILY NEWS, TUSCALOOSA NEWS, MANHATTAN MERCURY (2004)

"...this one is well worth recommending to a senior citizen who has nutritional questions...it is written very clearly, in non-technical language, in a good print size."-JOURNAL OF NUTRITION FOR THE ELDERLY (2003)

"...the book is well written and provides interesting facts and tips to improve dietary intake and to incorporate favorite foods into daily diets."-GASTRONOMICA (2003)

"If you want to know about diets, menus, foods and how to prepare good meals--buy this book."
-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

"...it has appealing layout, colored diagrams, and wonderful photographs that make the information readable and interesting. ...A bargain, highly recommended for all libraries."
-CHOICE

"...much more than just an encyclopedia. ...this resource gives a lot of information surrounding all aspects of healthy living and healthy eating. ...Because of the popularity of this topic to both laypersons as well as the health community, this volume is recommended for public, academic, and consumer health libraries of all sizes."
-AMERICAN REFERENCE BOOKS ANNUAL

"This is a unique combination of food sources, nutrition information, and health-nutrition interactions. The book intends to provide knowledge for individuals to influence their health and provides sections to help people make positive diet changes."
-DOODY'S

"Superior and comprehensive. One stop shopping for all the knowledge needed to eat healthy and be healthy."
-George L. Blackburn, Harvard Medical School

"If you want to know about diets, menus, foods and how to prepare good meals--buy this book."
-Riva Burrum, American Institute for Cancer Research

From the Back Cover
As consumers become better educated about how lifestyle affects their health, they are more demanding: they expect current information that supports the link among nutrition, health promotion, and disease prevention and treatment. This book, prepared by medical and nutrition experts at the Mayo Clinic, the University of California Los Angeles, and Dole Food Company, Inc., provides the medical information, scientific evidence, and nutritional data to meet these increasing demands.
The Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition is a definitive resource on what to eat for health. Part I presents the scientific basis for the links between food and health. Statistics show that the foods we eat play a major role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes-four leading causes of death in the United States. Also discussed is the role of nutrition in other common medical conditions: obesity, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. Practical guidelines for planning and preparing healthful and delicious meals are given.
Part II is an encyclopedia of foods, organized into the commonly recognized USDA Food Guide Pyramid food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy foods, meats and high-protein foods, and other foods such as fats, oils, sweets, and alcohol. More than 140 individual fruits and vegetables are described to encourage consumption for their health benefits. Health implications of the other food groups are also described in addition to nutrient contents, history, and recommended uses.
Beautifully illustrated with many photographs, the Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition is an invaluable resource for linking food and health.
Key Features
* Provides an overview of the basic principles of nutrition, including the most current recommendations for nutrient intake, the role of each nutrient and how much is needed, the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and how these guidelines translate into healthful food selections
* Reviews the unique role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease, osteoporosis, and cancer
* Presents creative ways to select, plan, and prepare healthful meals, including 2 weeks of nutritionally balanced menus and ways to modify favorite family recipes to be healthful and delicious
* Details hundreds of foods, including their nutrient contents and how they can contribute to well-being
* Discusses supplements, antioxidants, phytochemicals, functional foods, and new food technology

---

Customer Reviews

A terrific source of information
I must disagree with the previous review. As I own both this book and the The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition mentioned by the reviewer, I do not believe them to be incompatible. While the two books are written from different health perspectives both provide ton of useful information.

I found this book to be extremely valuable and informative. Many of the complaints raised in the previous review misstate information in the book. For example, rather than categorically denying the value of organic foods the book states, "[n]utritionally, organically grown foods may not be significantly different from the same products grown with conventional farming techniques." Further, while the reviewer may have derived benefits from herbal remedies, it appears from the scientifically generated studies that there is little conclusive evidence that herbal remedies provide significant therapeutic benefits. These might be proven in the future, but they are not in existence at the present. But these criticisms miss the whole point of the book itself.

Encyclopedia of Foods is not a scientific study of farming techniques or illness remedies. It is a book about some possible ways to maintain a healthy diet. It is a book about the different types of foods and their places in a healthy diet. The book describes a multitude of foods and gives a great deal of information on the history of cultivation, nutritional benefits, and selected methods of preparation for them. It is a general text and not a scholarly work produced for nutritionists or other healthcare professionals. It also has several chapters devoted to explaining healthful diets, nutrients, and the relationship between some types of illnesses and diet. As a layman with a long interest in fitness, exercise and nutrition I found it to be very informative and will be a great help to me in selection what I eat in the future.

I would highly recommend this book as a great source of general information on healthy diets and foods.

Very Disappointing
I was disappointed upon receiving this book. I purchased it for the purpose of calculating my daily vitamin and mineral intake. However, the book doesn't consistently provide vitamin and mineral contents in standard doses. For example, Vitamin A content is listed in RE instead of IU. You can find the IU content listed in the very back of the book, but, that entails constantly flipping the pages back and forth after each food profile. Also, it is spread out over two pages, so you have to run your finger across two pages to make sure that you are on the same line; ditto with the Folic Acid content. It is indicated by a weird symbol; weird at least for a layman.

What really ticked me off about the book was some of the statements made about organic foods and herbal supplements. Statements, I am confident, are from the Dole Food Company's perspective. Example: The book states that organic foods are not anymore healthful for you than traditionally farmed foods. It is presumed that you cannot trust any source for organic produce; therefore it is just a big waste of your money. They also state that traditionally farmed foods are strictly monitored by the Federal Government and that herbicides, pesticides and insecticides are not only not harmful, but, that they are beneficially to our health by killing dangerous natural toxins. What a colossal joke! It's exactly something that I would expect from a producer of commercially produced produce, laden with harmful chemicals, many of which have wisely been banned by many (smarter) European countries. Nevermind the fact that traditional farming methods are ruining the soil, and in the long run, are not sustainable.

On the issue of herbal supplements, the book states that most herbal remedies have not proven to be of any benefit and are dangerous to boot. This is a supreme lie! Ginger settles my often queasy stomach. I take valerian on Sunday nights to help me unwind from a hectic weekend. Sage greatly eased some minor swelling that I had on my gums.

Scientists are realizing that conventional medications are only a band aid on a wound. They are beginning to seriously research medicinal plants with reputations for healing properties. Ginger, echinacea, garlic, culinary herbs, etc. have not only proven effective, but, have on many occasions, surpassed the results of conventional medicines, without the harmful side effects. The Government has not enforced the same standards of labeling on herbal supplements that it does with conventional medication. This makes it easier for disreputable companies to make wild health claims, such as promising to add three inches to your penis or increase your bra size or cure cancer. I think it goes without saying that anyone thinking about taking herbal medications should consult a healthcare practitioner knowledgeable in this arena and heed the same warnings and advice that you would with conventional medication.

If you just want simple food profiles, this book is acceptable. However, I found "The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition: How to Buy, Store, and Prepare Every Variety of Fresh Food" far superior.

Very Disappointing
I was disappointed upon receiving this book. I purchased it for the purpose of calculating my daily vitamin and mineral intake. However, the book doesn't consistently provide vitamin and mineral contents in standard doses. For example, Vitamin A content is listed in RE instead of IU. You can find the IU content listed in the very back of the book, but, that entails constantly flipping the pages back and forth after each food profile. Also, it is spread out over two pages, so you have to run your finger across two pages to make sure that you are on the same line; ditto with the Folic Acid content. It is indicated by a weird symbol; weird at least for a layman.

What really ticked me off about the book was some of the statements made about organic foods and herbal supplements. Statements, I am confident, are from the Dole Food Company's perspective. Example: The book states that organic foods are not anymore healthful for you than traditionally farmed foods. It is presumed that you cannot trust any source for organic produce; therefore it is just a big waste of your money. They also state that traditionally farmed foods are strictly monitored by the Federal Government and that herbicides, pesticides and insecticides are not only not harmful, but, that they are beneficially to our health by killing dangerous natural toxins. What a colossal joke! It's exactly something that I would expect from a producer of commercially produced produce, laden with harmful chemicals, many of which have wisely been banned by many (smarter) European countries. Nevermind the fact that traditional farming methods are ruining the soil, and in the long run, are not sustainable.

On the issue of herbal supplements, the book states that most herbal remedies have not proven to be of any benefit and are dangerous to boot. This is a supreme lie! Ginger settles my often queasy stomach. I take valerian on Sunday nights to help me unwind from a hectic weekend. Sage greatly eased some minor swelling that I had on my gums.

Scientists are realizing that conventional medications are only a band aid on a wound. They are beginning to seriously research medicinal plants with reputations for healing properties. Ginger, echinacea, garlic, culinary herbs, etc. have not only proven effective, but, have on many occasions, surpassed the results of conventional medicines, without the harmful side effects. The Government has not enforced the same standards of labeling on herbal supplements that it does with conventional medication. This makes it easier for disreputable companies to make wild health claims, such as increase your bra size or cure cancer. I think it goes without saying that anyone thinking about taking herbal medications should consult a healthcare practitioner knowledgeable in this arena and heed the same warnings and advice that you would with conventional medication.

If you just want simple food profiles, this book is acceptable. However, I found "The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition: How to Buy, Store, and Prepare Every Variety of Fresh Food" far superior.