Nutrition for Life capitalizes on students¡¯ natural interest in nutrition by demonstrating how nutrition relates to their health. A unique aspect of the text is its presentation of nutrients based on function, not on chemical classification. The book offers a chapter on vitamins and one on minerals, but within these chapters micronutrients are organized based on their functions within the body (tissue guardians, antioxidants, energy generators, essential electrolytes, mineral power plants, blood fortifiers, bone builders), enabling students to think about micronutrients on a conceptual level. This discourages rote memorization and promotes true understanding of the micronutrients¡¯ importance. For instructors who still want their students to understand the traditional chemical organization, each chapter lists a table and brief discussion of the vitamins or minerals grouped into the water-soluble and fat-soluble categories.
Beyond the functional approach of the book, Nutrition for Life includes applied features such as Nutri-cases, Nutrition Label Activities, and See for Yourself activities. The text also provides hands-on, practical boxes that give students specific, prescriptive information about improving their diets, while the new Healthwatch sections highlight the health effects of nutrition.
1. Nutrition: Making It Work for You
2. The Human Body: Are We Really What We Eat?
3. Carbohydrates: Bountiful Sources of Energy and Nutrients
4. Fat: An Essential Energy-Supplying Nutrient
5. Proteins: Crucial Components of All Body Tissues
6. Vitamins: Micronutrients with Macro Powers
7. Minerals: Building and Moving Our Bodies
8. Fluid Balance, Water, and Alcohol
9. Achieving and Maintaining a Healthful Body Weight
10. Nutrition and Physical Activity: Keys to Good Health
11. Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle
12. Nutrition Issues: The Safety and Security of the World¡¯s Food Supply
Appendices
Answers to Review Questions
Glossary
Index
Credits