PREFACE
Beliefs about food and health are among both the most important and the most potentially dangerous ideas we can have. Mostly they have their origins in particular cultures and are tested in traditional ways. But sometimes the ideas become distorted with time or become irrelevant as the original justification for them disappears. New ideas also appear, many of dubious validity, but some worthy of further investigation, development and evaluation.

We decided to document many of the current ideas about food and health, to consider their origins and value, and to indicate what scientific validity they may have. Food: Questions and Answers is the result. Ultimately, our responses to the ideas discussed in this book are our 'best judgements' based on current information. As more information becomes available, we should all be prepared to change our views, attitudes and behaviour. It is the ability to live with uncertainty and to be as rational as we can, which is the underlying philosophy of our book.

Mark L. Wahlqvist Melbourne, 1991

David R. Briggs Geelong, 1991