Book

Top 100 food plants / Ernest Small.

Small, Ernest, 1940- (Author). National Research Council Canada. (Added Author).

Summary:

This monograph reviews scientific and technological information about the world's major food plants and their culinary uses. An introductory chapter discusses nutritional and other fundamental scientific aspects of plant foods. The 100 main chapters deal with a particular species or group of species. All categories of food plants are covered, including cereals, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, herbs, spices, beverage plants and sources of industrial food extracts. Information is provided on scientific and common names, appearance, history, economic and social importance, food uses (including practical information on storage and preparation), as well as notable curiosities. There are more than 3000 literature citations in the book and the text is complemented by over 250 illustrations. - Publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 0660198584 (pbk)
ISBN: 9780660198583
ISBN: 9780660197982
Physical Description: xvii, 636 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.
Publisher: Ottawa : NRC Research Press, 2009.

Content descriptions

General Note:	Issued by: National Research Council Canada. "NRC No. 49730"--T.p. verso. CatMonthString:dec.12
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Formatted Contents Note:	Common name guide to food plants discussed in detail -- Scientific name guide to food plants discussed in detail -- Abstract/résumé -- Acknowledgments and dedication -- Preface -- Warning -- [pt. 1]. Introduction -- How the choice of the leading 100 food plants was made -- Format of presentation -- [pt. 2]. Human nutrition in relation to plant foods -- What people eat -- Relative importance of animal foods in the human diet -- Vegetarianism -- The evolution of the human diet with respect to plant foods -- Nutritional success by combining cereals and pulses -- The principal food plants -- Economic and environmental reasons for diversifying food plant production -- The geographical origin of food plants -- Natural toxins in food plants and their potential for harm -- Plant foods as medicine -- Culinary purposes : why most food is not consumed raw -- Food preferences -- Food allergies -- Ethnic/racial/geographical genetically determined nutritional susceptibilities -- Achieving nutritional balance in the modern diet -- Carbohydrates -- Fats -- Proteins -- Vitamins -- Minerals -- Fiber -- Antioxidants -- Eating patterns -- The addictive nature of food and the resulting fat pandemic -- Modern nutritional crimes, culinology, and the mediocrity of mass-marketed prepared foods -- Slow food -- The future of food plants -- [pt. 3]. Detailed information on food plants (100 chapters, alphabetized by common name, from almond to yam) -- appendix 1. Technical aspects of plant names -- Common names -- Scientific names -- Cultivar names -- Illustrative example -- appendix 2. Sources of illustrations presented in this book -- appendix 3. General literature sources of information -- English common name and culinary word origins -- Scientific plant name origins -- Correct scientific plant names -- Food history -- Food encyclopedia -- Plant encyclopedia -- Fruit -- Vegetables -- Herbs and spices -- Nuts -- Monographs on special groups -- Cookbooks for unusual food plants -- Edible wild plants -- Nutritional periodicals -- Food plant periodicals -- Books on healthy eating -- Glossary -- Indexes -- Complete index of common names -- Complete index of scientific names -- Culinary terms and dishes.
Immediate Source of Acquisition Note:	Donation ; 2012/12.
Language Note:	Includes abstract in French.