This book presents research findings about 50 foods that are commonly touted as healthy and educates readers about the medical problems they purportedly alleviate or help prevent.

It is always in the best interest of those who market foods to make grandiose claims regarding their nutritional value, regardless of whether actual scientific proof exists to support such a claim. Even diligent and educated consumers often have difficulty discerning facts from mere theory or pure marketing hype.

As the incidence of childhood obesity in the United States continues to increase at an alarming rate and food costs skyrocket, this book arrives at a perfect time for health-conscious consumers, providing an authoritative reference for anyone looking to make wise eating decisions at home, work, school, or in restaurants. Healthy Foods: Fact versus Fiction is the result of a collaborative effort between a medical doctor and an award-winning journalist and author on nutrition. This book provides actual research findings to shed light on the true benefits of the most popular health foods-and in some cases, debunk misconceptions surrounding certain foods.

Myrna Chandler Goldstein is an independent scholar and writer who has won awards in journalism as well as the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award.

Mark A. Goldstein, MD, is chief of the division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.