The Nutritionist Now in an updated and expanded new edition, The Nutritionist: Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition, provides readers with vital information about how to simply but radically improve their daily lives with the science of nutrition, balance their diets to achieve more energy, and improve health and longevity. Complete with many informative and easy-to-read tables and charts, The Nutritionist: Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition, utilizes the findings of the latest biological and medical studies to give experts and non-experts alike a comprehensive account of the needs of our bodies and the ways that healthy eating can improve performance in day-to-day activities. Author Dr Robert Wildman, renowned nutrition expert, debunks myths about carbohydrates, fat, and cholesterol, elucidates the role of water in nutrition, and clearly explains the facts of human anatomy and physiognomy, the process of digestion, and vitamin supplements. Complete with a practical and comprehensive guide to the nutrition information printed on the packaging of most food items, The Nutrition- ist: Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health, Second Edition is a necessary and extremely useful nutrition resource for anyone interested in the science and practical benefits of good nutrition. Dr Robert E.C. Wildman is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Florida State University, and Ohio State University, and is currently on the faculty at Kansas State University. Dr Wildman is also the author of Sports and Fitness Nutrition (2002) and editor of The Handbook of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, Second Edition (Taylor & Francis, 2007). The Nutritionist Food, Nutrition, and Optimal Health Second Edition Dr Robert E. C. Wildman First published 2002 by Haworth This edition first published 2009 by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Simultaneously published in the UK by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2009. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © 2002 Haworth © 2009 Taylor & Francis All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Wildman, Robert E. C., 1964– The nutritionist: food, nutrition & optimal health / by Robert E.C. Wildman. p. cm. 1. Nutrition. I. Title QP141.W487 2009 612.3—dc22 2008029707 ISBN 0-203-88700-X Master e-book ISBN ISBN10: 0–7890–3423–9 (hbk) ISBN10: 0–7890–3424–7 (pbk) ISBN10: 0–203–88700–X (ebk) ISBN13: 978–0–7890–3423–6 (hbk) ISBN13: 978–0–7890–3424–3 (pbk) ISBN13: 978–0–203–88700–4 (ebk) For David Contents About the Author ix Preface x 1 The Very Basics of Humans and the World We Inhabit 1 2 How Our Body Works 18 3 The Nature of Food 49 4 Carbohydrates Are Our Most Basic Fuel Source 66 5 Fats and Cholesterol Are Not All Bad 96 6 Proteins Are the Basis of Our Structure and Function 124 7 Water is the Basis of Our Body 145 8 Energy Metabolism, Body Weight and Composition, and Weight 155 9 Vitamins Are Vital Molecules in Food 191 10 The Minerals of Our Body 233 11 Exercise and Sports Nutrition 274 12 Nutrition Throughout Life 307 viii Contents 13 Nutrition, Heart Disease, and Cancer 334 Appendix A: Periodic Table of Elements 365 Index 367 About the Author Dr Robert E.C. Wildman is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Florida State University, and Ohio State University, and is currently on the faculty at Kansas State University. Dr Wildman is also the author of Sports and Fitness Nutrition (2002) and editor of The Handbook of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, Second Edition (Taylor & Francis, 2007) as well as founder of TheNutritionDr.com (www.thenutritiondr.com) and Demeter Consultants LLC (www. demeterconsultants.com). Preface The seeming simplicity of our daily activities is greatly contrasted by the complexity of our true nature—quite a paradox, no doubt. It is simple in that, on the outside, the goals of our body may appear few. We internalize food, water, and oxygen while at the same time ridding ourselves of car- bon dioxide and other waste materials. These operations support repro- duction, growth, maintenance, and defense. Yet on the inside our body may seem very complex as various organs participate in a tremendous number of complicated processes intended to meet the simple goals previously mentioned. Nutrition is just one part of this paradoxical relationship. The object- ive of nutrition is simple: to supply our body with all of the necessary nutrients, and in appropriate quantities, to promote optimal health and function. However, in practice, nutrition is far from that simple. There seem to be too many nutrients, controversial nutrients, and differ- ent conditions, such as growth, pregnancy, and exercise, to allow nutrition to be a simple topic. Although we have long appreciated food, it has only been in the more recent years that we have really begun to understand the finer relationship between food and our body. Most nutrients have been identified within the last century or so and right now nutrition is one of the most prevalent areas of scientific research. This is to say that our understanding of nutri- tion is by no means complete. It continues to evolve in conjunction with the most current nutrition research. It seems that not a week goes by without hearing about yet another discovery in nutrition. It is hard to believe that just a few decades ago the basic four food groups were pretty much all the nutrition known by most people. Today nutrition deeply penetrates into many aspects of our lives, including pre- ventative and treatment medicine, philosophy, exercise training, and weight management. Our diet has been linked to cardiovascular health, cancer, bowel function, moods, and brain activity, along with many other health domains. We no longer eat merely to satisfy hunger. Without doubt, nutrition has become a matter of great curiosity and/or concern for most of us today. Preface xi A few problems have developed along with this most recent illumin- ation of nutrition. One such problem is that we may have generated too much knowledge too fast. Even though we, as humans, have been eating throughout our existence, the importance of proper nutrition seems to have been thrust upon us suddenly. We did not have time to first wade into the waters of nutrition science, slowly increasing our depth. The reality is that we may be in over our heads, barely treading water to keep up with the latest recommendations. Sometimes, all we can do is try our best to follow the latest nutrition recommendations without really having the background or accessibility to proper resources truly to understand the reasons behind the recommendations. Although nutrition has become a very complex subject many authors still try to present it in an overly simplified manner. Perhaps they believe that people are not interested in the scientific details and merely wish to be told what to do. This book attempts to break that pattern. We will spend time laying a foundation in some of the basic concepts of science and of our body in hope that it will actually make nutrition a simpler subject. I believe that deep down a scientist lurks within all of us. Everyday we ponder the effects of certain actions before performing them. This is the so-called cause and effect relationship, the very basis of scientific experimentation. Furthermore, since most of us give at least some thought to the foods we eat, we are all a special breed of scientist. We are nutrition scientists! A nutrition scientist is one who ponders the relation- ship between food components and their body. You do not have to work in a laboratory to be a nutrition scientist. All you need is simple curiosity and the dedication of your time to pursue a greater understanding of nutrition. This book is written in a question and answer format to satisfy your curiosity. Fundamental questions regarding nutrition and our body will be posed and then answered based upon the most current research. If your edu- cational background includes a solid foundation of biology and chem- istry you may wish to skip the first few chapters. However, if your science background is weak or far in the past, you may find the first few chapters of service. So, here we go. Good luck and good science! 1 The Very Basics of Humans and the World We Inhabit Have you ever stopped and wondered why we (humans) are as we are, and why we do what we do? It is truly remarkable what our bodies are capable of doing and how our bodies operate to perform various tasks. Yet, we are just one of millions of different species inhabiting this planet, all with a unique story to tell. And, like our fellow planet-mates, we must abide by the basic objectives of life, namely to function as an independent being (self-operate), defend ourselves both externally and internally, nourish ourselves, and of course to reproduce, which is without question the ultimate objective of all life-forms.