FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (NewsReleaseWire) October 28, 2010 -- FoodSmart: Understanding Nutrition in the 21st Century by noted nutrition researcher and FoodSmart Alliance founder Diana Hunter has been awarded the National Best Books 2010 Award in Health. The title, which also won this year's National Indie Excellence Award in Nutrition, presents an unconventional approach to learning about food both in concept and layout, has been gaining recognition as a beneficial resource among consumers, students, parents, and others since last August. Its launch was not without risks, however.

"Developing a book that doesn't follow the norm of what most reviewers are used to is risky," says Hunter. "But in order to help a greater number of people understand nutrition, I knew we had to take a chance."

In FoodSmart, Hunter teaches how to recognize basic variables associated with particular foods so people can make their own choices about what to consume based on their individual life circumstances. She emphasizes that nutrition can't be confined to a "one size fits all" approach.

"Everyone is different," states Hunter. "Many people have sensitivities, intolerances, allergies, or diseases, or are on one or more medications. Some are faced with a combination of these situations. You can't effectively provide blanket nutrition advice."

FoodSmart covers a wide variety of nutrition-related topics including dieting, organics, sweeteners, supplements, food irradiation, genetically modified (GMO) foods, and food safety, along with essential information on food marketing to children and life-cycle nutrition from pre-birth through adulthood. The book also provides pros and cons for many commonly consumed foods, along with useful listings of food and drug interactions, regulatory contacts, and safe food storage durations. Its unconventional format includes large top and bottom page margins, same-page footnotes, a chapter set up as an A-to-Z glossary of sweeteners, and a Q & A chapter on organics, among other things.

Hunter, who is currently on her "Be FoodSmart" national tour, has made hundreds of public and media appearances across the country educating both adults and children on how to make healthful yet tasty nutritional choices.

"I'm on a mission to change how America eats," says Hunter. "Losing weight and eating healthy, delicious foods are a lot easier than people think, and the benefits are many. My goal is to help them see that."

For more information visit FoodSmart.org.

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