Editor: Shashi A. Chiplonkar

Micronutrients: The Key to Good Health

eBook: US $49 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $104
Printed Copy: US $79
Library License: US $196
ISBN: 978-981-5040-26-5 (Print)
ISBN: 978-981-5040-25-8 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2022
DOI: 10.2174/97898150402581220101

Introduction

Micronutrients, which comprise minerals and vitamins, are essential for a variety of biological processes such as growth, immune response, regulation of gene expression and cognitive functions. Micronutrients: The Key to Good Health presents key information about the causes, signs and symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies along with remedial dietary measures. The book also provides authentic knowledge of the nature, structure and metabolic functions of vitamins and essential minerals in a reader-friendly manner. The aim of the book is to provide comprehensive knowledge about micronutrients and their role in a balanced diet for maintaining personal health.

Key features:

- Covers the basics of nutrition and the importance of micronutrients in health over 5 reader-friendly chapters

- Covers metabolic functions of micronutrients

- Covers the development of micronutrient rich food products

- Includes information about micronutrient deficiencies with remedial dietary measures in terms of ready-to-eat food supplements in a precise manner

- Includes information about phytochemical nutrients, prebiotics and probiotics

- Informs the reader about myths on micronutrients

- Includes several informative illustrations, tables and appendices on daily nutrient requirements, diet assessment and composition and much more

This book serves as a ready reference for the health science students, public health workers, nutrition professionals, and health-conscious readers.

Audience: health science students, public health workers, nutrition professionals, and health-conscious readers.

Foreword

Good nutrition encompasses a diversified, balanced and healthy diet which helps in preventing malnutrition as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension. In recent times, because of increased availability of variety of foods, food consumption patterns have changed. This has resulted in imbalanced diets and nutritional deficiencies leading to obesity. Micronutrients along with phytochemicals have attained a greater significance in public health policies since extensive nutrition research has brought more understanding of their biological functions in maintaining good health and newer roles beyond deficiency disorders.

Micronutrient malnutrition is widely prevalent around the world with low- and middle-income countries bearing the disproportionate burden. To overcome this challenge, healthy-nutrition practices need to be inculcated in the lifestyle through the authentic research/evidence-based information about the role of micronutrients in health and their daily requirements.

There are several books on nutrition in which micronutrients form a small part. This book is specifically focused on micronutrients. The book covers all aspects from Basics to mechanisms to health implications and diseases associated with deficiencies as well as the sources of both traditional and non-traditional foods that provide micronutrients. The differences between supplementation, fortification and food-based approaches are described to facilitate the reader to understand these terms as well as their indications and implications better. There is a chapter elucidating non vitamin and non-mineral bioactive substances in foods and their health benefits.

This is a comprehensive source of information that could be a resource material for nutritionists as well as non-nutritionists who wish to understand and confirm what they see and hear in the real world about micronutrients.

My compliments to the author for her effort and intent.

B. Sesikeran
Former Director,
National Institute of Nutrition,
Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad
India