Food and Nutrition Controversies Today

Is any food safe? Will mad cow disease kill us all? How many calories are really in your restaurant Caesar salad? Modern consumers are besieged with conflicting messages about food and nutrition, making it difficult for the lay person to know what to believe. This no-nonsense resource explores the latest controversies in the field of food and nutrition, presenting readers with the varying opinions and underlying facts that fuel these debates. Fifteen chapters focus on hot topics like organic food, bottled water, and deadly bacterial outbreaks as well as lesser known issues such as food irradiation, vitamin supplementation, animal growth hormones, and more.One of the few resources of its kind, this informative reference is perfect for high school and college students and the conscientious consumer. Since most books on food and diet approach the issues with a clear agenda, this work's unbiased tone and evenhanded treatment of information make it a particularly valuable tool. Features include a detailed index, 20 black and white illustrations, and a rich and deep bibliography of print and electronic materials useful for further research.

"This is an unbiased, evenhanded introductory discussion of 16 food-related subjects—ranging from antioxidants, various diets, and fats to food labeling, genetically modified/engineered foods, and life-enhancing/life-threatening foods. " - Library Journal, "This reference guide for general readers, students and scholars of food and nutrition studies concentrates on 16 controversies that range from the relationship between food inspection standards and food poisoning outbreaks to reaching a consensus about healthy diets. Myrna Goldstein, an author who specializes in health issues, has teamed with Mark Goldstein (Chief, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital) to investigate all viewpoints for such nutrition-related topics as the value of antioxidants, the dangers of fast food, food labeling and the effectiveness of many popular diets. Each chapter includes a conclusion from the authors, topics for further discussion and extensive reference and resources." - SciTech Book News

Myrna Chandler Goldstein has been a freelance writer and independent scholar for two decades. Her website is Doing Good, While Doing Business: Support Socially Responsible Companies (www.changethemold.com). She is the author of Boys into Men, Controversies in Food and Nutrition and Controversies in the Practice of Medicine with Greenwood Press.Mark A. Goldstein, MD, is Chief, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Chief of Adolescent Programs at Newton Wellesley Hospital.