Unsavory Truth How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat

Description

Every day, we are bombarded by commercials, advertisements, and news reports alerting us to the latest foods that will help us live longer and be healthier. Almonds boost your memory! Milk builds strong bones! Dark chocolate lowers cholesterol! Blueberries prevent erectile dysfunction! We count on nutrition science to help us make smart food choices. But when food companies paid for that research, can we trust the findings?

In Unsavory Truth, renowned food expert Marion Nestle reveals the pitfalls of industry-funded nutrition research. Whether it’s a Coca-Cola-backed study hailing light exercise as a calorie neutralizer, or a POM Wonderful advertisement claiming pomegranates “cheat death,” food companies want research they can promote. Nutrition scientists may believe themselves immune to the influence of industry sponsorships, but like studies funded by tobacco or drug companies, those funded food companies almost invariable favor their sponsors’ interests. Without understanding who paid for the research, it’s hard for anyone to know what dietary advice to follow.

Written with unmatched rigor and insight, Unsavory Truth reveals how food companies bias nutrition research findings, influence dietary advice, and confuse the public. It also recognizes the funding dilemmas faced by nutrition researchers, professional societies, and journals, and suggests how to deal with the dilemmas and restore trust in nutrition science. Finally, it gives consumers a fighting chance to recognize industry-skewed information and make better food choices.