Food and Health – serie

Superfoods have come to the forefront of the public imagination due to a combination of presumed health benefits and cultural mystique. Much of the literature on these foods, however, is based upon rostrums and diet plans that accept the health claims of superfoods without subjecting them to rigorous scrutiny.Superfoods: Cultural and Scientific Perspectives examines these food products from a blended science and cultural viewpoint, presenting a balanced, evidence-based view of each food item. Following a discussion of “superfoods” as a category, the book’s chapters examine individual superfoods, including but not limited to: avocados, chocolate, wine, berries, and fish oil.Presented in a systemic manner, each chapter provides a cultural history of the superfood; a survey of the current state of nutritional research on the food and its health claims; an exploration of related science topics to enhance understanding of the superfood, (i.e., a survey of the botany, biology, or chemistry studies); social issues associated with the superfood, such as sustainability, environmental health concerns, agricultural issues, fair trade and marketing issues; and one to three recipes featuring the superfood. This combination of scientific and cultural perspectives makes Superfoods an invaluable reference for academics, industry professionals, and lay-readers alike.

Superfoods have come to the forefront of the public imagination due to a combination of presumed health benefits and cultural mystique. Much of the literature on these foods, however, is based upon rostrums and diet plans that accept the health claims of superfoods without subjecting them to rigorous scrutiny.Superfoods: Cultural and Scientific Perspectives examines these food products from a blended science and cultural viewpoint, presenting a balanced, evidence-based view of each food item. Following a discussion of “superfoods” as a category, the book’s chapters examine individual superfoods, including but not limited to: avocados, chocolate, wine, berries, and fish oil.Presented in a systemic manner, each chapter provides a cultural history of the superfood; a survey of the current state of nutritional research on the food and its health claims; an exploration of related science topics to enhance understanding of the superfood, (i.e., a survey of the botany, biology, or chemistry studies); social issues associated with the superfood, such as sustainability, environmental health concerns, agricultural issues, fair trade and marketing issues; and one to three recipes featuring the superfood. This combination of scientific and cultural perspectives makes Superfoods an invaluable reference for academics, industry professionals, and lay-readers alike.

In the ongoing effort to combat global climate catastrophe, animal agriculture has long been a subject of contention. On the one hand, most agree that across the world increasing meat and dairy consumption are accelerating anthropogenic climate change. On the other hand, proponents of the livestock industry argue that modern advancements reduce greenhouse gas emissions from efficient livestock production to negligible quantities. Some even maintain that grass-based livestock production has a net positive impact on the environment, due to the carbon sequestration caused by grazing. Whom are we to believe? This book shows us that the answer is not so clear-cut. Beginning with the implications of the UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report, it breaks down the blind spots and highlights the insights of the most prominent pro-meat arguments, as well as of the push for a global switch to vegetarianism. While advances in efficiency might reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat or milk produced, attendant decreases in cost can enable overconsumption and thus produce more waste. And while carbon sequestration is beneficial, it is not a reliable cure-all for the industry.  Due to the economics of farming, however, eliminating meat consumption may not even reduce emissions at all. The truth about livestock production is much more nuanced but, luckily, also far more holistic. The future of agricultural policy will have to take into consideration factors such as human health and economics, as well as climate. Eschewing ideology for empirical rigor, this book paves an actionable path forward for both consumers and producers, offering unique solutions for each livestock system and simple, everyday adjustments for the average omnivore.

In the ongoing effort to combat global climate catastrophe, animal agriculture has long been a subject of contention. On the one hand, most agree that across the world increasing meat and dairy consumption are accelerating anthropogenic climate change. On the other hand, proponents of the livestock industry argue that modern advancements reduce greenhouse gas emissions from efficient livestock production to negligible quantities. Some even maintain that grass-based livestock production has a net positive impact on the environment, due to the carbon sequestration caused by grazing. Whom are we to believe? This book shows us that the answer is not so clear-cut. Beginning with the implications of the UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report, it breaks down the blind spots and highlights the insights of the most prominent pro-meat arguments, as well as of the push for a global switch to vegetarianism. While advances in efficiency might reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat or milk produced, attendant decreases in cost can enable overconsumption and thus produce more waste. And while carbon sequestration is beneficial, it is not a reliable cure-all for the industry.  Due to the economics of farming, however, eliminating meat consumption may not even reduce emissions at all. The truth about livestock production is much more nuanced but, luckily, also far more holistic. The future of agricultural policy will have to take into consideration factors such as human health and economics, as well as climate. Eschewing ideology for empirical rigor, this book paves an actionable path forward for both consumers and producers, offering unique solutions for each livestock system and simple, everyday adjustments for the average omnivore.

This Open Access book covers the concept of umami, the unique taste imparted by the amino acid glutamate, was first described in 1908 by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo University. Over the past century, hundreds of studies have explored the mechanistic underpinnings of the taste, leading to the characterization of the umami taste receptor in 2002. How this fifth basic taste figures into nutrition and health, however, remains underexplored.Umami: Taste for Health provides an overview of the relationship between umami and human health. Authors explain how glutamate not only produces a characteristic oral sensation in the mouth but also functions as a signaling molecule to induce physiological responses. With the support of recent studies, the book demonstrates how the taste properties of umami make glutamate a promising substance to lower salt intake, promote satiation and support healthier aging. The text also covers practical culinary applications to increase umami flavor and practical usage of umami for promoting healthy eating.Provides an overview of the relationship between umami and human health;Explores the potential of glutamate to lower salt intake, promote satiation and support healthier aging;Covers practical culinary applications of umami flavor and practical usage of umami for promoting healthy eating.

While the importance of food to health and well-being is clear, the specific ways in which food systems contribute to individual and community health are not well understood. This is a complex issue, which requires improving food systems as well as changing mindsets and behaviors of individuals within the food system. Many of the food-related health problems in the US disproportionately affect children, women, ethnic minorities, and low-income people. Addressing these problems requires that we understand more about the processes of institutional change, structural conditions, perceptions, and decision-making processes. The environment itself determines much of what individuals can draw from it. Community norms may dictate who has access to food assistance; engaged communities may provide more food assistance and may make food resources more easily accessible for the poor. In addition, consumer and producer attitudes and interests may conflict over some issues surrounding sustainability and health.The present volume focuses on food production, distribution and consumption, and their effects on individual health. The text is divided into three parts: Part One focuses on the relationship between food systems, families, health, sociodemographic and environmental factors; Part Two explores the relationship between food systems, food advertisements, and community engagement; and Part Three discusses current research and interventions toward a more equitable food system.