ABSTRACT
The old adage “you are what you eat” derives from the idea that you must eat good food in order to be t and healthy. The role of diet in health promotion and disease prevention has been acknowledged for centuries, based on experience and epidemiological data. Recent research has revealed the important role that diet plays in preventing and/or slowing the progression of major chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This has heightened popular awareness of the importance of diet in well-being (Barnes and Prasain, 2005). Diet has thus become a core component of public health plans geared toward preventing premature chronic diseases, promoting healthier aging, and maintaining optimum health throughout life.
