This browsable, easy-touse reference examines, explains, and traces the basics of nutrition; the value of vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins; the science behind food-processing; and the modern food industry. It explains how to read food labels and what to watch for in food additives, as well as tracing nutrition—and nutritional misconceptions—throughout history. You'll find well-researched answers to nearly 900 common questions, including: How do our muscles obtain energy? What is a calorie in terms of nutrition? How does human taste work? Why is high fructose corn syrup so controversial? And what are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?