ABSTRACT
In order to understand the basis of the dietary guidelines discussed in Chapter 2, to interpret and evaluate new evidence of health risks and benefits from changes in diet, and appreciate the way in which nutrition is important for the maintenance of the normal integrity and functions of the body, it is necessary to understand the chemistry and metabolism of the body. This chapter reviews the basic principles of chemistry that are important for an understanding of nutrition and metabolism, and the structures of biologically and metabolically important compounds.
