What do you think?
Rate this book
Very Short Introductions #390
Nutrition: A Very Short Introduction
Nutrition is a topic of wide interest and importance. In spite of growing understanding of the underlying biochemistry, and health campaigns such as 'five-a-day', increasing obesity and reported food allergies and eating disorders, as well as the widely advertised 'supposed' benefits of food supplements mean that a clear explanation of the basic principles of a healthy diet are vital.In this Very Short Introduction, David Bender explains the basic elements of food, the balance between energy intake and exercise, the problems of over- and under-nutrition, and raises the question of safety of nutritional supplements.ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2014
19 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 23, 2016
Do you want to know what percentage of your diet should be carbohydrates because your personal trainer is telling you it’s zero? Do you know whether you need vitamin B12 supplements? How much energy does your huge human brain use? What the hell is Kwashiorkor? If these types of questions are of interest to you, you might be interested in this book.
There’s nothing particularly fancy or exciting about this book, but it’s still a useful book for a couple of reasons. First, it sticks to the science on the subject, and diet and nutrition is one of the most myth and disinformation riddled subjects around because there are so many people trying to shill their fad diets and because there are so many who desperately want to believe that they can cut pounds and still eat a case of Twinkies every week through some scientific loophole [psst, you can’t.] Here and there throughout this book, there are quick deconstructions of these myths and lies. (i.e. I should point out that some of this dietary “wisdom” will result in weight loss—but it won’t necessarily result in a net health gain. e.g. If you cut out carbs, you’ll lose weight—but your brain will also be starved of the glucose that it needs to conduct its business and will have to engage in slow and costly processes to get it from elsewhere.) Second, the book is short and to the point. If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to reading up on nutrition, this may be the book for you.
The book consists of eight chapters:
Chapter 1: Why eat? (deals with appetite and satiety, and not just the less-than-profound question of why a human body needs energy.)
Chapter 2: Energy Nutrition (gives the basics of food as an energy source—as opposed to food as building blocks.)
Chapter 3: Protein Nutrition (teaches one about food as building blocks.)
Chapter 4: Over-nutrition and Problems of Overweight and Obesity (addresses the causes of being overweight as well as explaining how to counteract those causes. One nice feature of this chapter is it gives a quick and dirty summation of the various types of diets, tells which are supported by science, and explains which have undesirable unintended consequences.)
Chapter 5: Diet and Health (explains many of the ways nutrition influences health. Contrary to popular belief, weight isn’t the only way [or, necessarily, the most critical way] in which dietary problems can adversely affect health. In other words, it’s possible to be stocky or curvy and in good overall health, or, alternatively, one can be svelte and running up on death’s door. This chapter also describes first-world ailments that are sometimes called diseases of affluence.)
Chapter 6: Under-nutrition (Marasmus, cachexia, and kwashiorkor. Don’t know what those words mean? Think they are towns in a sword and sorcery fantasy novel? You’ll know after finishing this chapter.)
Chapter 7: Vitamins and Minerals (Most of the dietary suggestions in the book up to this point are put in terms of macro-nutrients [i.e. carbohydrates, fats, and proteins], but this chapter focuses on micro-nutrients. There’s a reason micro-nutrients are addressed so late in the book, and that’s that most people who are getting sufficient macro-nutrients from actual food [as opposed to the “stuff” sold at McDonald’s or in convenience stores] get all they need of micro-nutrients. But there can be issues with micro-nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin D, and Vitamin B12 depending upon one’s unique life situation. In other words, unless your doctor tells you that you need a supplement, you probably don’t.)
Chapter 8: Functional Foods, Super Foods, and Supplements (Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, super foods, and supplements. One area that gets short shrift in this book is the importance of one’s gut bacteria—which has become a huge part of the discussion of late. There is a little mention of it in this chapter, but not much.)
There are few graphics in the book, but there are many tables. I didn’t feel anything was missing in terms of graphics. None of these “Very Short Introduction” guides offers much by way of bibliography, and the “Further Reading” section tends to favor textbooks over popular works. This book is no exception in either regard.
I’d recommend this book for anybody who wants a quick low-down on the science of nutrition. As mentioned, the one area I thought it might have delved into in greater depth was the role of gut microbes. However, overall, I think it was well organized and provided interesting food for thought (pun recognized, but not intended.)
There’s nothing particularly fancy or exciting about this book, but it’s still a useful book for a couple of reasons. First, it sticks to the science on the subject, and diet and nutrition is one of the most myth and disinformation riddled subjects around because there are so many people trying to shill their fad diets and because there are so many who desperately want to believe that they can cut pounds and still eat a case of Twinkies every week through some scientific loophole [psst, you can’t.] Here and there throughout this book, there are quick deconstructions of these myths and lies. (i.e. I should point out that some of this dietary “wisdom” will result in weight loss—but it won’t necessarily result in a net health gain. e.g. If you cut out carbs, you’ll lose weight—but your brain will also be starved of the glucose that it needs to conduct its business and will have to engage in slow and costly processes to get it from elsewhere.) Second, the book is short and to the point. If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to reading up on nutrition, this may be the book for you.
The book consists of eight chapters:
Chapter 1: Why eat? (deals with appetite and satiety, and not just the less-than-profound question of why a human body needs energy.)
Chapter 2: Energy Nutrition (gives the basics of food as an energy source—as opposed to food as building blocks.)
Chapter 3: Protein Nutrition (teaches one about food as building blocks.)
Chapter 4: Over-nutrition and Problems of Overweight and Obesity (addresses the causes of being overweight as well as explaining how to counteract those causes. One nice feature of this chapter is it gives a quick and dirty summation of the various types of diets, tells which are supported by science, and explains which have undesirable unintended consequences.)
Chapter 5: Diet and Health (explains many of the ways nutrition influences health. Contrary to popular belief, weight isn’t the only way [or, necessarily, the most critical way] in which dietary problems can adversely affect health. In other words, it’s possible to be stocky or curvy and in good overall health, or, alternatively, one can be svelte and running up on death’s door. This chapter also describes first-world ailments that are sometimes called diseases of affluence.)
Chapter 6: Under-nutrition (Marasmus, cachexia, and kwashiorkor. Don’t know what those words mean? Think they are towns in a sword and sorcery fantasy novel? You’ll know after finishing this chapter.)
Chapter 7: Vitamins and Minerals (Most of the dietary suggestions in the book up to this point are put in terms of macro-nutrients [i.e. carbohydrates, fats, and proteins], but this chapter focuses on micro-nutrients. There’s a reason micro-nutrients are addressed so late in the book, and that’s that most people who are getting sufficient macro-nutrients from actual food [as opposed to the “stuff” sold at McDonald’s or in convenience stores] get all they need of micro-nutrients. But there can be issues with micro-nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin D, and Vitamin B12 depending upon one’s unique life situation. In other words, unless your doctor tells you that you need a supplement, you probably don’t.)
Chapter 8: Functional Foods, Super Foods, and Supplements (Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, super foods, and supplements. One area that gets short shrift in this book is the importance of one’s gut bacteria—which has become a huge part of the discussion of late. There is a little mention of it in this chapter, but not much.)
There are few graphics in the book, but there are many tables. I didn’t feel anything was missing in terms of graphics. None of these “Very Short Introduction” guides offers much by way of bibliography, and the “Further Reading” section tends to favor textbooks over popular works. This book is no exception in either regard.
I’d recommend this book for anybody who wants a quick low-down on the science of nutrition. As mentioned, the one area I thought it might have delved into in greater depth was the role of gut microbes. However, overall, I think it was well organized and provided interesting food for thought (pun recognized, but not intended.)
March 6, 2024
Consumed this one like a librarian on amphetamines
August 16, 2020
I am an aspiring Nutritionist and found this book to be a good starting point for my journey to becoming a Nutritionist as it gave a succinct knowledge of the field.
Highly recommend reading even if you dont want to go into nutriton.
Highly recommend reading even if you dont want to go into nutriton.
December 4, 2025
Love these short introduction books, definitely enjoying my non fiction at the moment. This was a good start to learning more about diet, with definitely a few myth busters in there about what your body really needs
February 3, 2019
“A healthy adult eats about a tonne of food a year.”
“If a metal or ion has a function in the body, it must be provided by the diet, since it is not possible to convert one chemical element into another.”
“The vitamins are organic compounds with a variety of functions. They cannot be synthesized in the body, and so must be provided by the diet.”
0. Why we eat:
- A healthy adult eats around a tonne of food a year.
- Appetite influenced by (a): physiological factors (hunger and satiety, protection from allergies), (b): psychological (pleasure of eating: flavour and texture, memories associated with foods [positive memories make food more desirable while negative memories make them less desirable] and habits) and (c): social factors (availability, convenience, eating alone or in company, ethical taboos, medical reasons etc.).
1. Water:
- The human body contains about 60 per cent water.
- Daily intake around 3l litres for men, 2.1l for women.
- Intake: 66% drinking, 22% water in food, 13% metabolic water (water produced when macros are oxidised to yield energy).
- Output: 48% urine, 21% sweat, 13% exhaled air, 15% insensible losses, 3% faeces.
- Just 500ml urine output per day required to prevent dehydration and for waste secretion.
- Water may not be the best liquid to replenish water lost while sweating because it lacks mineral salts.
2.1 Neuroscience of Appetite – Brain Areas:
- Arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus responsible for appetite inhibition (damage to hunger centre leads to complete loss of appetite; electrical stimulation to more appetite) and exhibition (damage to satiety centre leads to uncontrolled eating; electrical stimulation to cessation of eating, even in a fasted state). Also linked to the cortex; higher brain centres (individual preferences) can override physiological control of appetite.
- Amygdala controls learned food behaviour (knowing that something is a food, kids put lots of things in their mouth till they learn.)
- Nucleus acumbens concerned with the pleasure/rewards of eating.
2.2 Neuroscience of Appetite – Hormones:
- Pancreas: Insulin (when blood glucose rises) and glucagon (when blood glucose falls).
- Gastro-intestinal tract: Ghrelin (to stimulate feeding) and others (as satiety signals).
- Adipose tissue: Leptin (low levels in women lead to cessation of menstruation and appetite increase, high levels lead to increased appetite and metabolic rate).
3.1 Distinguishing between foods - Taste:
- Taste buds can distinguish between five basic tastes for different purposes;
(a) For the detection of nutrients and thus pleasant taste:
Saltiness:
- Pleasurable response so that that the physiological sodium needs are met.
Savouriness – umami:
- Due to free amino acids; to detect protein-rich foods.
Sweetness:
- To detect carbohydrates (energy sources); enzyme amylase is secreted in saliva to break starch down to sugars while chewing.
Fattiness:
- Lipase secreted to break fat down to free fatty acids which permits the detection of fat-rich foods (energy source).
(b): For the detection of toxins (sourness and bitterness), unpleasant taste as many toxins that occur in food are bitter or sour; can be overcome through learning.
3.2 Distinguishing between foods – Smell:
- Some flavours and aromas are pleasurable (fruity, coffee, roasting meat) to tempt people to eat and stimulate appetite.
- Some are repulsive (decaying meat, mouldy bread) to warn of possible dangers and inhibit appetite.
- Appetite for food with unpleasant aroma can also be acquired and there’s more variety between people (e.g. some hate the smell of Brussels sprouts or cooked cabbage while others enjoy it).
4. Eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa: Severe calorie restriction coupled with low bodyweight and a distorted self-image (of one’s body); 2% of adolescent girls go through a phase.
- Bulimia nervosa: Food restriction followed by binge-eating attacks and subsequent attempts to lose the food they’ve just consumed (e.g. through inducing vomiting and taking laxatives and diuretics); bodyweight usually remains in the normal range and can sometimes be treated by antidepressant medication.
5. Religion and Ethics:
- In Islam and Judaism only meat from animals with cloven hooves that chew the cud are “halal” and “kosher” (clean).
- Meat of other animals such as scavenging, birds of prey and detritus-feeding fish is “haram” and “traife” (unclean); these are more likely to carry parasites; thus, these ancient prohibitions may be based on food hygiene.
- Hindus do not eat beef as the cow is a valuable source of milk and dung and useful as a beast of burden.
- Pescatarian (no meat, but fish), Lacto-Ovo (milk and eggs) and vegan (no animal products).
- Organic (without the use of synthetic pesticides, inorganic fertilisers and not genetically modified).
6. Influences on nutrient content and flavour:
- Soil, fertilisers used, amount of sunlight and water.
“If a metal or ion has a function in the body, it must be provided by the diet, since it is not possible to convert one chemical element into another.”
“The vitamins are organic compounds with a variety of functions. They cannot be synthesized in the body, and so must be provided by the diet.”
0. Why we eat:
- A healthy adult eats around a tonne of food a year.
- Appetite influenced by (a): physiological factors (hunger and satiety, protection from allergies), (b): psychological (pleasure of eating: flavour and texture, memories associated with foods [positive memories make food more desirable while negative memories make them less desirable] and habits) and (c): social factors (availability, convenience, eating alone or in company, ethical taboos, medical reasons etc.).
1. Water:
- The human body contains about 60 per cent water.
- Daily intake around 3l litres for men, 2.1l for women.
- Intake: 66% drinking, 22% water in food, 13% metabolic water (water produced when macros are oxidised to yield energy).
- Output: 48% urine, 21% sweat, 13% exhaled air, 15% insensible losses, 3% faeces.
- Just 500ml urine output per day required to prevent dehydration and for waste secretion.
- Water may not be the best liquid to replenish water lost while sweating because it lacks mineral salts.
2.1 Neuroscience of Appetite – Brain Areas:
- Arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus responsible for appetite inhibition (damage to hunger centre leads to complete loss of appetite; electrical stimulation to more appetite) and exhibition (damage to satiety centre leads to uncontrolled eating; electrical stimulation to cessation of eating, even in a fasted state). Also linked to the cortex; higher brain centres (individual preferences) can override physiological control of appetite.
- Amygdala controls learned food behaviour (knowing that something is a food, kids put lots of things in their mouth till they learn.)
- Nucleus acumbens concerned with the pleasure/rewards of eating.
2.2 Neuroscience of Appetite – Hormones:
- Pancreas: Insulin (when blood glucose rises) and glucagon (when blood glucose falls).
- Gastro-intestinal tract: Ghrelin (to stimulate feeding) and others (as satiety signals).
- Adipose tissue: Leptin (low levels in women lead to cessation of menstruation and appetite increase, high levels lead to increased appetite and metabolic rate).
3.1 Distinguishing between foods - Taste:
- Taste buds can distinguish between five basic tastes for different purposes;
(a) For the detection of nutrients and thus pleasant taste:
Saltiness:
- Pleasurable response so that that the physiological sodium needs are met.
Savouriness – umami:
- Due to free amino acids; to detect protein-rich foods.
Sweetness:
- To detect carbohydrates (energy sources); enzyme amylase is secreted in saliva to break starch down to sugars while chewing.
Fattiness:
- Lipase secreted to break fat down to free fatty acids which permits the detection of fat-rich foods (energy source).
(b): For the detection of toxins (sourness and bitterness), unpleasant taste as many toxins that occur in food are bitter or sour; can be overcome through learning.
3.2 Distinguishing between foods – Smell:
- Some flavours and aromas are pleasurable (fruity, coffee, roasting meat) to tempt people to eat and stimulate appetite.
- Some are repulsive (decaying meat, mouldy bread) to warn of possible dangers and inhibit appetite.
- Appetite for food with unpleasant aroma can also be acquired and there’s more variety between people (e.g. some hate the smell of Brussels sprouts or cooked cabbage while others enjoy it).
4. Eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa: Severe calorie restriction coupled with low bodyweight and a distorted self-image (of one’s body); 2% of adolescent girls go through a phase.
- Bulimia nervosa: Food restriction followed by binge-eating attacks and subsequent attempts to lose the food they’ve just consumed (e.g. through inducing vomiting and taking laxatives and diuretics); bodyweight usually remains in the normal range and can sometimes be treated by antidepressant medication.
5. Religion and Ethics:
- In Islam and Judaism only meat from animals with cloven hooves that chew the cud are “halal” and “kosher” (clean).
- Meat of other animals such as scavenging, birds of prey and detritus-feeding fish is “haram” and “traife” (unclean); these are more likely to carry parasites; thus, these ancient prohibitions may be based on food hygiene.
- Hindus do not eat beef as the cow is a valuable source of milk and dung and useful as a beast of burden.
- Pescatarian (no meat, but fish), Lacto-Ovo (milk and eggs) and vegan (no animal products).
- Organic (without the use of synthetic pesticides, inorganic fertilisers and not genetically modified).
6. Influences on nutrient content and flavour:
- Soil, fertilisers used, amount of sunlight and water.
March 11, 2024
3.5 stars, for being good, but in the end merely a good start; but it seems something to expect in most books in the series it’s one part of.
This book takes us through the essential information on nutrition (and the basics only, in most subjects). At the end is a short glossary and further reading/websites. There is some UK-centredness in here, but that’s really to be expected, since the VSI series is UK-produced.
So, what’s here?
Firstly on why eat: energy source, body maintenance. Water needs of the body (input/output). How body signals hunger, satiety and appetite. On taste and smell. Two most common eating disorders. Food preference reasons (there are many)…. I do disagree in considering chicken-meat-only or seafood-only as vegetarians!
Then on energy nutrition: for work, moving and maintaining. Calories and Joules (yes, there was a guy with Joule as a surname). Measuring energy using levels of action vs. rest. Why fat needed. Effects of fasting. Use in exercise (and after).
3.Protein nutrition: why needed when growing is happening? (For nitrogen balance.) And what being off nitrogen balance can do. Average protein requirement (with some variation). Protein supplement needs (good for some sick persons). Nutritional value (yes, vegetarians get enough of value, besides carbs and vegetables).
4.Overweight and obesity: the risk was realised in early 20th c. Measuring with BMI. Health risks. Fat distribution (and importance of waist circumference number). The increase of people who are like this and why. Some weightloss ways.
5.Finding evidence for diet’s influence on health, and use of results. How this is gathered. Prudent diet guidelines (mostly on the good and bad of each... and the antioxidant use risks surprised me). Publicising healthy-eating messages (food labels, food pyramid/plate pictures).
6.Under-nutrition (non-ED) in developing and developed countries. Three conditions and the most affected groups. Some reasons for them and under-nutrition in general.
7.Vitamins and minerals: why needed. Shorty on those in each group (functions, sources, effects of lack/overload). Fruit and vegetable compounds. How much needed of each.
8.Functional foods (and what they do): List of some superfoods. The supplements question (who really do benefit, which useful single-ones for all, what are useless). Market regulation suggestions. Buying them safely.
Yeah, I just listed what was in each chapter shortly, but this is a book full of things explained shortly. Sometimes what was said went a bit over my head, but not very often. This is solid, basic information, and one can go on from there to those parts that stood out for the reader, if one wants. It gave me what I expected (and a few things unexpected, too).
This book takes us through the essential information on nutrition (and the basics only, in most subjects). At the end is a short glossary and further reading/websites. There is some UK-centredness in here, but that’s really to be expected, since the VSI series is UK-produced.
So, what’s here?
Firstly on why eat: energy source, body maintenance. Water needs of the body (input/output). How body signals hunger, satiety and appetite. On taste and smell. Two most common eating disorders. Food preference reasons (there are many)…. I do disagree in considering chicken-meat-only or seafood-only as vegetarians!
Then on energy nutrition: for work, moving and maintaining. Calories and Joules (yes, there was a guy with Joule as a surname). Measuring energy using levels of action vs. rest. Why fat needed. Effects of fasting. Use in exercise (and after).
3.Protein nutrition: why needed when growing is happening? (For nitrogen balance.) And what being off nitrogen balance can do. Average protein requirement (with some variation). Protein supplement needs (good for some sick persons). Nutritional value (yes, vegetarians get enough of value, besides carbs and vegetables).
4.Overweight and obesity: the risk was realised in early 20th c. Measuring with BMI. Health risks. Fat distribution (and importance of waist circumference number). The increase of people who are like this and why. Some weightloss ways.
5.Finding evidence for diet’s influence on health, and use of results. How this is gathered. Prudent diet guidelines (mostly on the good and bad of each... and the antioxidant use risks surprised me). Publicising healthy-eating messages (food labels, food pyramid/plate pictures).
6.Under-nutrition (non-ED) in developing and developed countries. Three conditions and the most affected groups. Some reasons for them and under-nutrition in general.
7.Vitamins and minerals: why needed. Shorty on those in each group (functions, sources, effects of lack/overload). Fruit and vegetable compounds. How much needed of each.
8.Functional foods (and what they do): List of some superfoods. The supplements question (who really do benefit, which useful single-ones for all, what are useless). Market regulation suggestions. Buying them safely.
Yeah, I just listed what was in each chapter shortly, but this is a book full of things explained shortly. Sometimes what was said went a bit over my head, but not very often. This is solid, basic information, and one can go on from there to those parts that stood out for the reader, if one wants. It gave me what I expected (and a few things unexpected, too).
May 21, 2024
The British-born Nutritional Biochemist David Bender published Nutrition: A Very Short Introduction in 2014. The book has illustrations and tables. The book has a glossary, a section of “further reading” (Bender 99), and an index. I have the book on my Kindle. The main text of the book is only 96 pages. I agree with the Goodreads reviewer named 7jane that Bender’s book is a little centered on the United Kingdom (UK), but as 7jane points out the series is published in the UK. I think a non-British person like me will still find the book helpful. I found Bender’s book to be very readable. The first chapter is an introduction to the field of nutrition. The second chapter is on the relationship between nutrition and energy. The third chapter is entitled “Nutrition of Protein” (Bender 27-33). The fourth chapter is on the relationship between being overweight or obesity and nutrition. The fifth chapter is on the relationship between “diet and health” (Bender 47-60). The sixth chapter is on the issue of malnutrition. Chapter 7 is on “vitamins and materials” (Bender 67-87). The last chapter is on the meaning of certain concepts that a person hears when a layperson hears about certain beneficial foods. This chapter also covers supplements. David Bender’s Nutrition: A Very Short Introduction is a well-done short introduction to the field of nutrition. I found the review by the Goodreads reviewer named 7jane helpful in writing this ‘review.’
June 1, 2021
Everything I've read about food and nutrition recently was novel or even controversial, so it was a good mental exercise to read something that was basically a primer on dietary common knowledge. It was the shortest of the "very short introductions" I've read so far, a bit too short in my opinion.
March 10, 2019
Interesting, informative, concise. Does exactly what it says on the tin.
April 24, 2019
Useful and provided some basics. But could be a lot better if focus less on some details and more about fundamental concepts/problems regarding nutrition.
August 25, 2019
Short as the promised yet is packed with engough information to get you started with the subject. I highly recommend it.
December 15, 2019
Great short reading for travelling. Mostly about how body uses uses different nutrients as fuel of energy.
December 27, 2020
Good summary of basics. Very conservative in recommendations (MyPlate, no supplements).
December 3, 2021
A good intro. I expected to learn more than I did. I'm conscious about what I eat. If you're interested in learning more about nutrition basics, this is a good place to start.
Read
May 10, 2022An instruction manual for your diet. It's all in there.
August 1, 2022
A very correct intro to Nutrition
December 25, 2022
A nice overview of nutrition, although it could need a new edition to review the latest scientific findings.
March 28, 2025
Really good book, as the title says it's a VERY short introduction and I think it does the job well
November 7, 2019
A scientific read that is unavoidably dry but filled with important yet concise information on the topic of nutrition.
August 8, 2019
From the book:
Biotin acts in a small number of metabolic reactions, and also has a role in controlling cell division and proliferation. The vitamin is widespread in foods, and deficiency has only been reported in a small number of people who consumed abnormally large amounts of uncooked egg white (typically a dozen or more raw eggs a day for several years). The protein avidin in egg whites binds biotin so that it is not available for absorption. However, when the egg is cooked, avidin is denatured and can no longer bind biotin.
--------
Imagine eating that many raw eggs.
Biotin acts in a small number of metabolic reactions, and also has a role in controlling cell division and proliferation. The vitamin is widespread in foods, and deficiency has only been reported in a small number of people who consumed abnormally large amounts of uncooked egg white (typically a dozen or more raw eggs a day for several years). The protein avidin in egg whites binds biotin so that it is not available for absorption. However, when the egg is cooked, avidin is denatured and can no longer bind biotin.
--------
Imagine eating that many raw eggs.
August 23, 2016
Recommended reading. It's less than 100 pages and contains lots of interesting tidbits. We all know you're more likely to get type II diabetes if you're obese, but 20-80 times?! I didn't realise it was so stark. One more interesting thing is that the NHS spends twice as much money on malnutrition than they do on overweight people. Wasn't expecting that one.
It also provokes some (food for) thought:
"As we reach satiety with one food, so another, different, flavour is offered to stimulate our appetite. A number of studies have shown that, faced with only one food, people tend to reach satiety sooner than when a variety of foods is on offer. This is the difference between hunger and appetite—even when we are satiated, we can still ‘find room’ to try something different."
So if you wanted to lose weight, whilst allowing for diversity on the scale of your overall diet, perhaps you would profit from keeping it rather lacking in variety on the scale of individual meals? You'd then make up for any lack of nutrition in that meal with a completely different subsequent meal, which would again be narrow, but complement the previous one. Maybe...
What about vitamin supplements? Go ahead with vitamin D if you don't get much sunlight. Get some C if you don't consume much fruit and veg. Fish oil too. Everything else - don't bother apparently.
Two main criticisms:
1. Sometimes reads like a conversational Wikipedia page. Could do with a few more stories.
2. Sometimes too remedial. Obviously, this series is supposed to be, to some extent, but who would need to be told the following?
"Some people are naturally adventurous, and will try a new food just because they have never eaten it before. Others are more conservative, and will try a new food only when they see someone else eating it safely and with enjoyment. Others are yet more conservative in their food choices; the most conservative eaters ‘know’ that they do not like a new food..."
3 stars for readability and 4 for content. Given the price for a 100 page book, we'll call it 3.
It also provokes some (food for) thought:
"As we reach satiety with one food, so another, different, flavour is offered to stimulate our appetite. A number of studies have shown that, faced with only one food, people tend to reach satiety sooner than when a variety of foods is on offer. This is the difference between hunger and appetite—even when we are satiated, we can still ‘find room’ to try something different."
So if you wanted to lose weight, whilst allowing for diversity on the scale of your overall diet, perhaps you would profit from keeping it rather lacking in variety on the scale of individual meals? You'd then make up for any lack of nutrition in that meal with a completely different subsequent meal, which would again be narrow, but complement the previous one. Maybe...
What about vitamin supplements? Go ahead with vitamin D if you don't get much sunlight. Get some C if you don't consume much fruit and veg. Fish oil too. Everything else - don't bother apparently.
Two main criticisms:
1. Sometimes reads like a conversational Wikipedia page. Could do with a few more stories.
2. Sometimes too remedial. Obviously, this series is supposed to be, to some extent, but who would need to be told the following?
"Some people are naturally adventurous, and will try a new food just because they have never eaten it before. Others are more conservative, and will try a new food only when they see someone else eating it safely and with enjoyment. Others are yet more conservative in their food choices; the most conservative eaters ‘know’ that they do not like a new food..."
3 stars for readability and 4 for content. Given the price for a 100 page book, we'll call it 3.
July 2, 2016
Nutrition is a topic that many people talk about but few studies. Nutritionists unintentionally spread misinformation when they are only given a few minutes in TV. The general attention deficit of people means that most of the knowledge comes from columns of newspapers or worse from half-digested or downright misleading information in websites.
This very short introduction provides a good summary of the key concepts in the first few chapters but later breaks down into a list of impenetrable jargons, especially in the chapter on minerals and vitamins. But for these defects, this book is necessary to get the basics right in this age of (mis)information.
This very short introduction provides a good summary of the key concepts in the first few chapters but later breaks down into a list of impenetrable jargons, especially in the chapter on minerals and vitamins. But for these defects, this book is necessary to get the basics right in this age of (mis)information.
August 29, 2014
Loved this book!
July 9, 2015
Very short at 98 pages but it covers all the bases. Several tables clarify the text.
July 7, 2016
good book.
Read
April 24, 2015613.2 B4583 2014
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews