In Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put in Us and on Us, George Zaidan delivers an enthusiastic introduction to nutritional epidemiology, or "the study of what foods are going to send you to an early grave." It's a user guide for readers who want to determine for themselves what foods are healthy, which chemicals are safe to apply on skin and how to interpret health-related scientific studies.
Zaidan is a scientist with a passion for chemistry and a robust media presence as the co-host of CNBC's popular show Make Me a Millionaire Inventor. He has made a name for himself translating science into everyday English in a way that both entertains and enlightens his television and web audiences. In Ingredients, he explains the complex chemical actions by which plants process sugar, starch, protein and fiber and how toxic plants are transformed into edible food. Readers will learn fascinating facts about how the human body responds to ingredients both natural and manmade. The humble Cheeto receives a good deal of attention as representative of the ultra-processed food category that makes up 58% of the typical American diet.
For long-term health decisions, it's important to know if convenience foods are bad for you. Or as the author phrases it, how much is life shortened with each bag of Cheetos, if at all? Using simple illustrations and his trademark humor to demystify scientific analysis that doesn't always prove cause and effect, Zaidan empowers readers to make their own dietary decisions and encourages a healthy skepticism toward attention-grabbing health and wellness news headlines. --Shahina Piyarali, writer and reviewer