The Science of Nutrition offers a rigorous, science-based approach to nutrition that capitalizes on readers' natural interest in nutrition by demonstrating how nutrition relates to their own health. The text uses an applied approach to vitamins and minerals, organizing them based on their functions and effects on the body. This applied approach is evident in the functional organization of the micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) chapters. Rather than requiring readers to memorize all the vitamins and minerals and their characteristics, the authors present them based on their functions (like fluid and electrolyte balance, antioxidant function, bone health, energy metabolism, immunity, and blood health) so that readers can understand their effects on the body. This approach also allows for going into greater depth on processes like energy and metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, antioxidants, blood health, bone health, and how micronutrients work in each of these functions. The Role of Nutrition in Our Health, Designing a Healthful Diet, The Human Body: Are We Really What We Eat?, Carbohydrates: Bountiful Sources of Energy and Nutrients, Fat: An Essential Energy-Supplying Nutrient, Proteins: Crucial Components of All Body Tissues, Metabolism: From Food to Life, Nutrients Involved in Energy Metabolism, Nutrients Involved in Fluid and Electrolyte Balance, Nutrients Involved in Antioxidant Function, Nutrients Involved in Bone Health, Nutrients Involved in Blood Health and Immunity, Achieving and Maintaining a Healthful Body Weight, Nutrition and Physical Activity: Keys to Good Health, Disordered Eating, Food Safety and Technology: Impact on Consumers, Nutrition Through the Lifecycle: Pregnancy and the First Year of Life, Nutrition Through the Lifecycle: Childhood and Adolescence, Nutrition Through the Lifecycle: Adulthood and the Later Years, Global Nutrition For all readers interested in nutrition.