The Oxford book of health foods /

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

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.