American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide

I have read the first edition prior to this one and it was such an informative book that I bought myself the second edition. Researching nutrition for years, I must say this has to be my favorite out of all other nutrition books I've encountered. Of course each book has its own purpose and flavor, but if you want a good entry book into health and overall well-being (for yourself and/or your family) driven by nutrition, this is the one you need.
Through simple language and well-structured organization of the chapters, Duyff delivers a vast load of information mostly based on the Food Guide Pyramid, a guide used to quantitatively approximate the proportions of food consumed by categories. By no means is this a strict regimen of daily diet lists, however. The author covers the basics of food components to give a scientific/clinical basis for the nutrition guidelines suggested for good heath. You chose the specific foods yourself!

The author also covers food shopping and preparations. Topics range from reading nutrition labels to preparation safety. Not only do you want to make sure you know the quality of food you are getting (by its chemical components) you also want to make sure your kitchen habits minimize your exposure to harmful bacterial contamination and other health risks. One of my favorite features of the discussions are the myth-dispelling and "ambiguous label claims" clarifications. After reading this book you will look at "what people say" in a completely different light. Also, if you want to know what supplements work and do not work, you will find it here.

Special nutrition topics cover guidelines for people of different lifestyles. It includes ages from infants to the seniors. It even covers mothers and the special needs of women! Small sections discuss athletes, vegetarians, and allergies.

Overall, to sum it up, I would say that this book is about using nutrition as part of your lifestyle to optimal health through disease prevention and enhanced physical energy (though these two seem to be somewhat synergistic). It is not about quick methods to loose weight or cures for ailments. If you want to lead a nutritious lifestyle based on physiological health and well-being, and you have the patience and persistence to stick to common principles for a long time, this book is definitely worth reading as well as keeping as a shelf reference.