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Summary
Summary
Health foods and dietary supplements are widely used throughout the world - it is estimated that more than seventy million people in Europe regularly buy these products, and it is a billion dollar business in the USA. Health foods include vitamins, minerals, cereals, nuts, herbal medicines, functional foods, and many others. A large number of people use these foods in the belief that they contribute to their general health, while, in most countries, little or no information is given on products explaining their therapeutic values.The Oxford Book of Health Foods begins with an account of modern concepts of human nutrition, followed by a series of over one hundred accounts of individual health foods and dietary supplements. In all cases the importance of these products in human health is explained, and, for herbal medicines, the evidence for their claimed therapeutic value is given, and toxic effects are described. Full-colour illustrations accompany these accounts.The Oxford Book of Health Foods will be of interest not just to health professionals, but to all people with an interest in health foods and healthy eating. The text is supplemented by a glossary, explaining the more technical terms, and a bibliography listing sources for further reading.
Author Notes
J. G. Vaughan is Emeritus Professor of Food Sciences at King's College London. He has written many books on botany and food plants
P.A. Judd is Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Central Lancashire. She was awarded a Fellowship of the British Dietetic Association in 1999 for her contribution to the profession of dietetics, particularly in the education of dieticians
Reviews (2)
Choice Review
This entertaining, charmingly illustrated book describes 100 plants commonly identified as having medicinal value. Vaughn and Judd, food science professors in the UK, include origins and cultivation, descriptions, culinary and nutritional value, claims and folklore, and, most importantly, scientific evidence of efficacy. The burgeoning interest in plant extracts as dietary supplements makes this a timely work. "Health food" stores proliferate in malls without benefit of FDA oversight. The authors commence with alfalfa and conclude with yarrow. Of greatest benefit are sections describing preparation, side effects, contraindications, and interactions with other substances. An enormous percentage of "herbal medicines" are considered unsafe for women during pregnancy and lactation. The authors list botanically similar plants that may trigger allergic reactions. Coffee and tea have antioxidant effects in addition to stimulation; honey may heal sores but also cause botulism poisoning in infants; coltsfoot may contain carcinogenic alkaloids; and oil of hyssop can induce seizures. The authors are appropriately cautious in their recommendations, often noting if an extract is approved in Germany. Caveats abound. Almost all plant extracts require more investigation; there is no standardization of preparation and often little evidence for plants' therapeutic value. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through professionals. M. K. Snooks University of Houston--Clear Lake
Library Journal Review
A cross between a coffee-table book and a serious work on nutrition, this work provides scientific information on herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nuts, cereals, and other foods "commonly found in health food stores." After an introduction summarizing current nutritional principles, entries on individual products include the substance's origin, a description of it, claims and folklore about each plant or food, and a review of the scientific evidence for the claims. No references are given after the individual entries, although an annotated bibliography lists general sources. The best feature of this book is that it is beautifully illustrated with botanical drawings and colorful photographs. Although academic libraries will need books that give more detailed information on supplements and herbs, this work is recommended for public libraries.-Natalie Kupferberg, Biological Sciences/Pharmacy Lib., Columbus, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
Introduction | p. xiii |
Alfalfa | p. 1 |
Algae | p. 2 |
Aloe | p. 4 |
Angelica | p. 6 |
Arnica | p. 8 |
Artichoke | p. 9 |
Astragalus | p. 10 |
Balm | p. 11 |
Bamboo | p. 12 |
Bee products | p. 13 |
Beverages | p. 17 |
Bilberry | p. 21 |
Borage | p. 22 |
Buchu | p. 24 |
Burdock | p. 25 |
Californian poppy | p. 26 |
Carob | p. 27 |
Cat's claw | p. 28 |
Cayenne pepper | p. 29 |
Celery seed | p. 30 |
Centaury | p. 31 |
Cereals | p. 32 |
Chamomile | p. 43 |
Chickweed | p. 46 |
Coenzyme Q[subscript 10] | p. 47 |
Coltsfoot | p. 48 |
Comfrey | p. 50 |
Cramp bark | p. 51 |
Cranberry | p. 52 |
Dairy products | p. 53 |
Damiana | p. 56 |
Dandelion | p. 57 |
Deadly nightshade | p. 59 |
Devil's claw | p. 60 |
Dried fruits | p. 61 |
Drosera | p. 62 |
Echinacea | p. 63 |
Elder | p. 65 |
Evening primrose | p. 66 |
Eyebright | p. 68 |
Fennel | p. 69 |
Feverfew | p. 70 |
Fish oils | p. 72 |
Garlic | p. 73 |
Ginger | p. 75 |
Ginkgo | p. 77 |
Ginseng | p. 79 |
Glucosamine and chondroitin | p. 81 |
Goldenseal | p. 82 |
Guarana | p. 83 |
Hawthorn | p. 85 |
Helonias | p. 86 |
Hemp seed | p. 87 |
Henna | p. 88 |
Holy thistle | p. 89 |
Hops | p. 90 |
Horsetail | p. 91 |
Hyssop | p. 92 |
Ipecacuanha | p. 93 |
Jojoba | p. 94 |
Kava kava | p. 95 |
Lavender | p. 96 |
Lecithin | p. 98 |
Lime | p. 99 |
Linseed | p. 100 |
Liquorice | p. 101 |
Lobelia | p. 103 |
Lycopodium | p. 104 |
Margarines and spreads | p. 105 |
Marigold | p. 106 |
Marshmallow | p. 107 |
Meadowsweet | p. 108 |
Milk thistle | p. 109 |
Mistletoe | p. 110 |
Motherwort | p. 111 |
Nettle | p. 112 |
New Zealand green-lipped mussel | p. 113 |
Nutritional supplements | p. 114 |
Nuts | p. 115 |
Orris | p. 117 |
Parsley piert | p. 118 |
Peppermint | p. 119 |
Pilewort | p. 120 |
Pineapple | p. 121 |
Plantain | p. 122 |
Prickly ash | p. 124 |
Probiotics | p. 125 |
Pulsatilla | p. 127 |
Pulses, peas, beans, and lentils (legumes) | p. 128 |
Pumpkin seed | p. 131 |
Quassia | p. 132 |
'Quorn' | p. 133 |
Raspberry | p. 134 |
Red clover | p. 135 |
Rose hip | p. 136 |
Rue | p. 137 |
Sage | p. 138 |
Saw palmetto | p. 139 |
Senna | p. 140 |
Sesame | p. 141 |
Sk(c)ullcap | p. 142 |
Slimming products | p. 143 |
Slippery elm | p. 145 |
Soya bean | p. 146 |
Sports supplements | p. 149 |
St John's wort | p. 151 |
Strawberry | p. 153 |
Sumach | p. 154 |
Sunflower seed | p. 155 |
Sweet flag | p. 156 |
Sweet violet | p. 157 |
Tea tree | p. 158 |
Thuja | p. 159 |
Uva-ursi | p. 160 |
Valerian | p. 161 |
Vitamin, mineral, and trace element supplements | p. 162 |
White bryony | p. 167 |
White willow | p. 168 |
Wild yam | p. 169 |
Witch hazel | p. 170 |
Yarrow | p. 171 |
Recommended reading | p. 173 |
Glossary | p. 175 |
Index | p. 178 |