Encyclopedia of foods: a guide to healthy nutrition. (Book Reviews).

Mayo Clinic, Dole Food Company, Academic Press, San Diego, 2002, 516 pages, $74.80, ISBN 0-12-21198034

The vision for this book, according to the acknowledgments, belongs to David H. Murdock, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Dole Food Company Inc, the largest distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables in the world. The purpose of the book is to answer the questions 'What am I eating?', 'What should I eat?' and 'Why?' and to provide information so that people can make well-informed dietary choices. In the words of Mr Murdock 'the Encyclopedia of Foods is a practical guide and personal reference tool of food, nutrition and health' created by 'many physicians, doctors of philosophy, nutritionists, dietitians, researchers, writers and editors'. The book is divided into two sections, Part I providing the reader with an overview of the principles of nutrition, nutritional needs throughout the lifecycle and dietary recommendations. Part 2, the encyclopedia part of the book, provides information on the history, origins and uses of individual foods, and their nutrient contents.

This book is written for the lay person, and on the whole it is written in a friendly style, and the facts are accurate. Information is given in easily digested portions with plenty of tables, sidebars, boxes and colour illustrations to break up the text. The authors do experience some difficulties, however, with the level at which the text is pitched. Some of the concepts are presented in extremely simple terms while at other times sentences such as, 'The antioxidant beta-carotene is one of a group of phytochemicals known as carotenoids.', will slip in. The extensive food composition and reference dietary intake tables at the end of the book are more suited to professional nutritionists than general readers.

In addition to the chapters on nutrients and other food substances and the food-health connection in Part I there are two chapters devoted to planning 'healthful' meals. Fourteen daily menus for nutritionally balanced meals have been planned by a chef and a dietitian and are presented in a magazine style, with recipes. There are also several 'meal makeovers' in which favourite recipes are modified to 'maximise the nutritious value without jeopardising taste'. The menus are so unrealistic, however, that I do not believe anybody, not even the Americans they are obviously designed for, would eat them. Day 3 noon meal, for example, consists of a hamburger (three ounces extra lean ground beef) on a whole grain bun, a one-ounce individual bag of pretzels, two cups of salad tossed with two tablespoons of fat-free French dressing, 15 grapes and sparkling water!

Working through the book it occurred to me that different sections of the book are relevant to different audiences. The nutrition information chapters would serve well as a first text for junior science students while the meal planning section may appeal to those attempting to lose weight, reduce cholesterol or generally improve their diets. The encyclopedia, a source of some fascinating facts, would be useful to anyone interested in food, or who needs information on unusual foods, though the exotica in this book is not terribly exotic (the rambutan picture is rather pathetic and barely recognisable as such).

The real problem with this book is that its scope is far too broad. It cannot decide whether it is a nutrition text, a recipe book or a food dictionary. The result, while attractively presented with copious illustrations and full-page colour photographs, is that it does none of these things especially well.