Carol Ann Rinzler is a former nutrition columnist for the New York Daily News and the author of more than 30 health-related books, including Controlling Cholesterol For Dummies, Heartburn and Reflux For Dummies, The New Complete Book of Food, the award-winning Estrogen and Breast Cancer: A Warning for Women, and Leonardo's Foot, which the American Association for the Advancement of Science described as "some of the best writing about science for the non-scientist encountered in recent years."

Introduction 1 Part 1: Nutrition 101: The Basic Facts about Nutrition 5 Chapter 1: Nutrition Equals Life: Knowing What to Eat to Get What You Need 7 Chapter 2: Digestion: The 24/7 Food Factory 21 Chapter 3: How Much Nutrition Do You Need? 31 Chapter 4: Bigger But Not Better 41 Chapter 5: Calories: Powering Up the Body 53 Part 2: The Good Stuff in Your Food 63 Chapter 6: Protein Power 65 Chapter 7: Facing Facts on Fat and Cholesterol 77 Chapter 8: Carbohydrates: A Complex Story 93 Chapter 9: Alcohol: Another Form of Grape and Grain 109 Chapter 10: Validating Vitamins 121 Chapter 11: Making Mineral Magic 139 Chapter 12: The Wonder of Water 155 Chapter 13: Added Attractions: Supplements 167 Part 3: Hunger, Health, and Habits 179 Chapter 14: Why You Eat When You Eat 181 Chapter 15: Why You Like the Foods You Like 193 Chapter 16: Building Your New and Improved Healthful Diet 207 Chapter 17: Choosing Wisely with Pyramids, Plates, and Patterns 221 Chapter 18: Eating Smart When Eating Out 237 Part 4: Food Processing 249 Chapter 19: Praising Food Processing 251 Chapter 20: Healthful and Delicious Heat 265 Chapter 21: How Freezing, Canning, Drying, and Zapping Protect Your Food 283 Chapter 22: Better Eating through Chemistry 295 Part 5: Food and Medicine 309 Chapter 23: When Food Fights Back 311 Chapter 24: Brain Food 321 Chapter 25: Food and Drug Interactions 341 Chapter 26: Using Food as Medicine 349 Part 6: The Part of Tens 359 Chapter 27: Ten Reliable Food and Nutrition Websites 361 Chapter 28: Ten Northern Nutrition Rules 367 Chapter 29: Ten Superstar Foods 371 Chapter 30: Ten Ways Coffee (and Tea) Make Life Better 377 Chapter 31: Ten Terrific Foods Starting with the Letter P 383 Appendix: Glossary of Nutrition Terms 391 Index 401