Ongoing review.

Chapter One, 'The Science of Nutrition,' Two, 'The Healthy Diet,' Three, 'The Food Supply,' and Four, 'Human Digestion and Absorption' should probably be read by everybody with a body. 'Healthy Diet' overviews what constitutes a good diet and way, and helps define empty calories, the over-emphasis of animal proteins in U.S./Canada in contrast with the majority of the world, and the prevalence of 'food insecurity,' a concept developed to categorize the awful phenomenon of people who aren't sure where their next meal is coming from but who aren't technically 'starving.' 'Food Supply' is a nice overview to the way food makes its way to the table/restaurant that includes genetic modification in food, storage issues, irradiation, and food-borne illnesses. 'Digestion' is a fast, solid review of anatomy and physiology, written at high-school level. For those that might want a little more detail, there is a detailed appendix about the digestive process, including some hormone feedback systems and chemistry.

I found the text very current with lots of citations (always appreciated in such a constantly changing field), with multiple links for those who wish to fact-check or explore certain issues further. I liked the acknowledgement of the cultural aspect of appetite, a challenging topic in many levels as to what constitutes 'food,' and its importance in rituals and celebrations.

Visually, there is a nice variety of graphics that make it more accessible to more visual learners. I also appreciated the way it includes nods to potentially controversial issues like gluten sensitivity, antibiotic overuse and organic foods.

What I've learned so far is a lot, but fun factiods:

The stomach can vary in size from 50 mL when empty to 1.5L when full to 4 L when very, very full (and probably over-conditioned!)

We pass anywhere from a pint to 4 pints of gas a day.

Take that, Mary Roach!