Beverages are consumed in every human culture and, as a major part of the new diet of affluence, can either enhance our health or be the cause of acute and chronic diseases. In Beverages in Nutrition and Health, an international panel of renowned authors-drawn from universities, research institutions, industry, and public advocacy and health care organizations-comprehensively reviews how the beverages we drink affect our health and nutrition. The authors discuss the health effects of a wide range of popular beverages, including alcohol, wine, fruit and vegetable juices, coffee and tea, chocolate, milk and milk products, weight management beverages, and soft drinks. Among the topics of major current interest considered are the beneficial effects of wine, the harmful interactions of citrus juices with prescription drugs, tomato juice as an anticancer agent, the benefits of herbal teas, probiotic organisms in dairy and fermented dairy products, the value of sports beverages, the risks associated with the consumption of soft drinks, and the quality and content of bottled water. Additional chapters detail the regulation of both beverage content and the marketing practices used to promote their consumption.
Comprehensive and authoritative, Beverages in Nutrition and Health offers food scientists, nutritionists, public health specialists, and those involved in the research and development of new beverages an exhaustive survey of how common beverages impact our health and nutrition, as well as a basis for research designed to produce healthier beverages.