Diana Hunter – Author of FoodSmart

Welcome Diana Hunter to the Interview Room.

Diana wrote FoodSmart Understanding Nutrition In The 21st Century.

1. Why did you write FoodSmart?

To provide people with a concept on understanding nutrition that would allow them to make sense of conflicting nutrition information and make educated dietary choices for life.

2. What makes FoodSmart different from other books on nutrition?

It’s very unconventional. To begin with, it’s a reference book that has standard reading in it and vice-versa. It contains references at the bottom of the pages so you can see where the information came from or find more information with ease, wider top and bottom margins so you can take notes or add your own information, and varied writing styles to make it interesting; for example, a Q & A chapter on organics and a chapter on sugars and sweeteners that’s set up like a glossary. The chapters are in differential order to keep the reading interesting too. It even has an extended index where many of the subjects are crossed-referenced so they can be found easily in the text. What’s most different, however, is my approach to getting people to understand how they can use nutrition to their advantage without all the mystery and confusion. In chapter one I lay out why nutrition is confusing by describing the main types of variables that affect foods and related products. In chapter two I actually describe what many of those variables are for certain foods, beverages, and products and how to use them to your advantage when making nutritional choices.

3. What are some of the specific topics you cover in FoodSmart?

Dieting, organics, sweeteners, supplements, food irradiation, genetically modified (GMO) foods, food safety, food marketing to children, and life-cycle nutrition from pre-birth through adulthood. I also provide pros and cons for many commonly consumed foods as well as useful listings of food and drug interactions, regulatory contacts, and safe food storage durations.

4. What’s your take on where nutrition as a whole is headed?

In the scheme of things, nutrition is in its infancy. We’re constantly learning more about foods and nutrients, so our depth of knowledge on the subject will certainly increase – along with the number of new types of foods and nutritional products. At the same time we’re focusing on meeting the needs of a growing population. As these two realities collide we’ll encounter a wide range of challenges and benefits associated with food development and health.

Thank you Diana for visiting the Interview Room. For more information about Diana or her book FoodSmart, visit her website at http://www.foodsmart.org/