Scientific American: Nutrition for a Changing World
Third Edition
Publication Date: June 15, 2026
Paperback ISBN: 9781319609566
Where expert science meets rich storytelling.
The third edition of Nutrition for a Changing World connects students to the science of nutrition through real stories, real people, and real discoveries. Each chapter opens with a compelling narrative that brings the latest nutrition research to life, while stunning visuals and dynamic
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Scientific American: Nutrition for a Changing World
ISBN: 9781319609566
Scientific American: Nutrition for a Changing World
CHAPTER 1
The Science and Scope of Nutrition
Exploring the Science of Nutrition
A new field in nutrition research is revealing surprising details about how food
affects our genes
Introducing the Science of Nutrition
Food Provides Nutrients and Energy
What Is Malnutrition?
Nutrient Intake Recommendations
Energy Recommendations
Nutrition Science in Action
Credible Sources of Nutrition Information
Health Goals for Americans
Assessing the North American Diet
Chapter 1 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 2
Healthy Diets
From Factory to Fork
Can ultra-processed foods fit into a healthy diet?
Healthy Diets Feature Variety, Balance, Adequacy, and Moderation
Understanding the Nutrient Density and Energy Density of Foo
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Global Nutrition
Understanding the Labeling on Food
Chapter 2 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 3
Digestion
Invisible Allies
Understanding the Vital Role of the Human Microbiome
Overview of the Digestive Process
Gastrointestinal Tract and Accessory Organs
Overview of Mechanical and Chemical Digestion
The Path of Digestion from the Mouth to the Large Intestine
The Role of Bacteria in the Gastrointestinal Tract
Digestive Disorders
Chapter 3 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 4
Carbohydrates
Whole Grain Hype
Can Science Help Us Navigate the Perils of the Cereal Aisle?
What Are Carbohydrates?
The Digestion of Carbohydrates
Added Sugar
Sugar Alternatives
Understanding Fiber
Carbohydrate Intake Recommendations
Chapter 4 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT A
Nutrition and Diabetes
A Global Pandemic
A Projected 850 Million People in the World Will Be Living with Diabetes by the Year 2050
What Is Diabetes Mellitus?
Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes Treatment and Prevention
Spotlight A Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 5
The Lipids
Is Fish Really Brain Food?
Dietary Lipids Can Profoundly Affect Our Risk of Developing Dementia Later in Life
Dietary Fat
Overview of the Lipids
Lipid Digestion and Absorption
Lipoprotein Transport
Essential Fatty Acids
Trans Fats
Current Fat Intake and Recommendations
Chapter 5 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT B
Lipids in Health and Disease
Death in Bogalusa
From Tragic Deaths in a Southern Town, Insights into Heart Disease
Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease
Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
A Heart-Protective Diet
Fat-Intake and Health—Beyond Cardiovascular Disease
Spotlight B Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 6
Protein
The Protein Craze
Is the Popular Macronutrient the Ticket to a Healthier Life?
Recommendations for Protein Intake
Protein Synthesis
Digestion and Absorption of Proteins
Varied Functions of Protein
Protein Turnover and Nitrogen Balance
Older Adults May Benefit from Higher Intakes of Protein
Protein Sources
Protein Quality
Protein Deficiency
High-Protein Diets
Chapter 6 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT C
Plant-Based Diets
Pass the Plants, Please
What Does a Spanish Study Say About the Benefits of Following a Mediterranean-Like Diet?
Vegetarian and Semi-Vegetarian Diets
Benefits of Diet Rich in Plant Foods
How Cancer Develops
Benefits of Phytochemicals
Nutritional Considerations and Concerns Associated with Plant-Based Diets
Plant-Based and Vegetarian Guidelines
Spotlight C Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 7
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Biofortification in Bangladesh
Can a Public Health Crisis Be Solved with Rice?
Introducing the Vitamins
Properties of Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Chapter 7 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 8
Water-Soluble Vitamins
It's Not a Germ
Pioneering Research Uncovers Vitamin Deficiency Diseases
Characteristics of the Water-Soluble Vitamins
The B Vitamins
Choline
Vitamin C
Chapter 8 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 9
Major Minerals and Water
Potassium Power
Eating a Diet Low in Sodium and Rich in Potassium May Offer Protection from Hypertension
Overview of the Minerals
Mineral Absorption and Bioavailability
Minerals in Our Food
Calcium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus Have Diverse Structural Roles in the Body
Sulphur is a Component of Proteins
Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride Maintain Fluid Balance in the Body
Water
Chapter 9 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 10
Trace Minerals
Small Quantities with Big Importance
How Lack of Trace Minerals Can Wreak Havoc on Your Health
Introducing the Trace Minerals
Iodine: Sources and Functions
Iron
Zinc
Copper
Selenium
Fluoride
Other Trace Minerals: Manganese, Molybdenum, and Chromium
Ultratrace Minerals
Chapter 10 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT D
Dietary Supplements
Supplements, Herbs, and Functional Foods
Surprising Studies on the Value of Vitamin Supplements
What Are Dietary Supplements?
Regulation of Dietary Supplements
Understanding Supplement Labels
Are Dietary Supplements Harmful?
Functional Foods
Spotlight D Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 11
Energy Balance and Obesity
The Sitting Disease
Understanding the Causes and Consequences of Obesity
Energy In, Energy Out
The Biology of Hunger
A NEAT Cause of Weight Gain
Lifestyle and Energy Balance
Weight Loss Recommendations
Chapter 11 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 12
Nutrition and Fitness
Eating to Win
The Amazing and Exacting Science of Sports Nutrition
Components of Fitness
Fueling the Body
Measures of Exercise Intensity
Dietary Carbohydrates for Endurance Exercise
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
Body Building
Hydrating the Athlete
Physical Fitness: Not Just for Athletes
Chapter 12 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 13
Nutrition During the College Years
Determinants of Eating Behavior, Disordered Eating, and Alcohol
How Food Choices Are Influenced by Social Norms
Growth, Development, and Nutrient Requirements in Late Adolescence
Determinants of Eating Behavior
Eating Disorders
Alcohol
Chapter 13 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT E
Nutrition for Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Infancy
Nourishing Mother and Baby
New Research Suggests That Delaying Cord Clamping After Birth Preserves Iron Status
Changing Nutritional Needs
Energy and Nutrient Needs During Pregnancy
A Healthy Pregnancy
Food Safety
Postnatal Nutrition
Nutrition for the Growing Child
Spotlight E Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT F
Childhood Nutrition
Food Allergies and Intolerances
As Paradoxical As It MIght Seem, Could Dirt and Germs Make Children Healthier for Life?
Growth and Development in Childhood
What Are Children Eating?
Nutritional Recommendations for Children
Nutrients of Concern in Childhood
Childhood Obesity
Food Allergies
Spotlight F Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT G
Nutrition and the Aging Adult
Live Long and Prosper
Can You Eat Your Way to a Longer, Healthier LIfe?
What Happens When We Age?
Life Expectancy and Lifespan
Blue Zones
Energy Needs and Physical Activity
Special Nutritional Concerns for Older Adults
Nutrient Recommendations for Older Adults
Maintaining Physical Strength for a Lifetime
Blue Zone Secrets
Spotlight G Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
CHAPTER 14
Global Nutrition: Food Security and Sustainability
Feeding the World Now and in the Future
How Will We Combat Global Hunger While We Promote Feed Security and Sustainability?
Food and Nutrition Security
Sustainability
How Are Organic Foods Different from Conventional Foods?
Chapter 14 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
SPOTLIGHT H
Food Safety
How Cantaloupe Turned Lethal
Safe Food-Handling Practices from Farm to Table Can Dramatically Reduce the Risk of Foodborne Illness
A Brief History of Food Safety in America
Foodborne Intoxication and Infection
Engineering Food Safety: HACCP and Irradiation
Food Safety and Modernization Act
Food Safety in the Home
Spotlight H Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
(ONLINE ONLY) CHAPTER 15
Energy Metabolism: The Interactions and Transformations of Living Cells
The Brain on Ketones: Can It Be Good?
For Some Individuals with Epilepsy, a High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet Can Prevent ore Reduce Seizures
Overview of Energy Metabolism
The Breakdown of Glucose
Fatty Acid Oxidation Occurs in the Mitochondrial Matrix
Ketogenesis
Amino Acid Metabolism
Feasting and Fasting Cycle: Coordinating Metabolic Adaptations in Pathways of Energy Metabolism
Inborn Errors of Metabolism
Chapter 15 Bring It Home
Key Ideas
Need To Know: Review Questions
Appendix 1: Dietary Reference Intakes for Individuals
Appendix 2: Conversions
Appendix 3: Key Functions of Micronutrients
Need To Know Review Question Answers
Glossary
References
Index
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