Book Review

The Cambridge World History of Food

N Engl J Med 2001; 345:550August 16, 2001

Article

The Cambridge World History of Food
Edited by Kenneth F. Kiple and Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas. 2153 pp. in two volumes, illustrated. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2000. $150. ISBN: 0-521-40216-6

The title of this book implies that it is a history of food, yet its 163 “essays” (as the editors term the chapters) cover much more. Virtually every chapter mentions contemporary issues, and in several instances the focus is almost entirely on current understanding. There is broad coverage of the cultural aspects of food, including a continent-by-continent review of specific uses of foods and beverages. A number of chapters deal with nutrition and health, whereas others discuss food-related government policies. There is ample coverage of the effects of various foods on physiology and health. Given this broad scope, it is not surprising that it took 10 years to complete the book or that the length (2153 pages) requires two volumes.

The presentation is organized into seven parts: the diets of our ancestors, staple foods, dietary liquids, nutrients, food and drink around the world, the history of nutrition, and contemporary food-related policy issues. Within this structure are chapters by leaders in the fields of history, nutrition, food, or health. As one might expect, there is some overlap among the chapters, but the editors note that this was not only inevitable but also actually encouraged, so that each chapter could stand alone. The final part of the second volume is a 175-page dictionary of plant foods, covering over 1000 foods from around the world — for many readers, this alone will be worth the price of the book. The 236-page subject index refers not only to the many topics covered in the chapters but also to each food item by both its common and its scientific name.

The range of the chapters devoted to specific foods is very broad. Staples such as maize and wheat as well as less common foods are described in detail; for example, there are 24 chapters on animal food sources, ranging (alphabetically for convenience) from American bison to yak. Should readers wish to know more about camels, dogs, or insects used as food, there is a chapter on each. The wealth of information can be seen in the chapter on fungi. It begins with a historical background on the use of edible fungi (including mushrooms and yeast in fermented drinks and as a leavening agent in bread) in several countries and regions of the world, dating back to the Neolithic period. The next section describes fungi eaten now and in the past by humans and is followed by tables that give the chemical composition and nutrient content of several species of fungi. The chapter concludes with a list of foods and beverages that require fungal processing and information on fungal metabolites.

The book also provides a comprehensive exploration of nutrients. The 37 chapters on the theme of nutrition cover individual nutrients and diseases associated with their deficiencies. Food allergies, obesity, and associations between diet and chronic disease are discussed. These fascinating chapters look at the history and evolution of nutritional science and at how advances in this field have led to appropriate dietary recommendations. Later in the book, a section on history, nutrition, and health examines associations between nutrition and mortality, infection, height, and mental development. Although many of these topics are controversial, the presentations are generally balanced. The particularly difficult topic of vegetarianism is covered in two chapters, by authors with differing views of the history and benefit of eliminating animal foods from the diet. A chapter of particular relevance for health professionals considers the history of the medicinal uses of food and discusses garlic as an example of a food that has been assigned a therapeutic value.

Given the scope of the book, virtually anyone with an interest in food will find it useful, and those with a professional interest in food and nutrition will find it indispensable. It is a superb reference — especially for the identification of foods from unfamiliar cultures or countries. Furthermore, unlike many reference books, it is a pleasure to read even when one is not seeking a specific fact or topic. Although each author brings his or her own perspective to a chapter, the coverage is uniformly scholarly. In addition, there is refreshingly little use of jargon. As a result, even a reader without a background in physiology or nutrition will find these volumes interesting and informative; they would be a fine addition to almost any reference library. The Cambridge World History of Food is truly a book to savor, as one centered around the subject of food should be.

Suzanne P. Murphy, Ph.D., R.D.
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813