Abstract: A text designed for the lay public presents a compilation of articles including a wide variety of people dealing with different issues and aspects of nutrition, taken from journals, newsletters, speeches, books, letters, and testimony. The material comprising the text is grouped among 7 themes: recommended dietary allowances; food groups; dietary goals and guidelines - progress vs. presumption; nutritional value and controversies in meat vs. vegetables; the controversy of health, natural, and organic foods -foods or frauds?; the value and risk of vitamin and mineral supplements; and food safety concerns, including additives, contaminants, and disease risk. Numerous food and nutrition controversies are addressed throughout the text, with different articles taking different sides, includine speculations, skepticism, and science. Topics range from the scientific aspects to popular impressions to political policy to food industry processing.