Consider This 11.11 Sucralose – a Sweet Story
A yellow packet of "Splenda" sugar substitute contains sucralose. Since its debut on the market in 1998, its retail sales have soared to $188 million per year–more than its competitors of Equal and Sweet'N Low combined. Use the resources of the Web to answer these questions.
a. How many Calories are in a package of Splenda?
b. Equal advertises that it is 200 times sweeter than sugar; Sweet'N Low is 300 times sweeter. What is the comparable value for Splenda?
c. Retail sales of sugar substitutes are just one market. What other types of products may contain sugar substitutes?
d. Splenda's slogan is "Made From Sugar, So It Tastes Like Sugar." Is that a correct statement or false advertising? Explain.

Consider This 11.13 3-D Amino Acids
Structural features of amino acids are more readily apparent if you look at their three-dimensional representations. Such images can be viewed on the Web using several different molecular modeling programs. Use a program available to you to view structures for several different amino acids.
a. How is the three-dimensional structure of glycine more informative than the two-dimensional structure shown in your text?
b. Glycine is the simplest amino acid. It contains only two functional groups
(—NH₂ and —COOH) and only the elements C, H, O, and N. Browse through a Web-based collection of amino acids and then describe two ways in which their structures are more complex than glycine's.
c. In leucine, what four groups are bonded to the central carbon atom? Is this molecule optically active? Explain.

Consider This 11.14 Protein Complementarity
Use the Web to find at least two additional examples of protein complementarity.
a. What essential amino acids are involved in the combination?
b. Do these combinations involve common foods of that country (such as peanut butter and bread in the United States )?

Consider This 11.16 Megadosing Vitamin C
In the past, there have been claims that megadoses of vitamin C prevent the common cold and may be effective against certain types of cancers. Use the Web to find evidence to either support or refute the claims. Hint: A search for "Linus Pauling" and "vitamin C" is a good place to start.
a. What dose of vitamin C constitutes a megadose?
b. Where was the research conducted?
c. What were the results of the research?

Consider This 11.18 Getting Well Using Radioactive Iodine
Hyperthyroid individuals suffer from an overactive thyroid and accelerated metabolism. Use the Web to find out how radioactive I-131 is used to treat hyperthyroidism.
a. What role does I-131 play in the treatment?
b. Isn't radioactivity bad for the patient? Explain.
c. What further treatment does the patient need after I-131 therapy?

Consider This 11.20 Calories by Gender and Age
Consider the information in Table 11.6 and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 to answer these questions.
a. Do males and females of the same age require the same number of calories for the same level of activity? Explain.
b. As an active male or female ages, how does the estimated calorie requirement change?
c. The values given in Table 11.6 were published in 2005 and differ considerably from earlier recommendations. How were these newer values determined?

Consider This 11.22 Is Chocolate a Health Food?
Chocoholics have reason to rejoice that certain types of chocolate are reported to have health benefits. Critics point out, however, that chocolate is full of fat, is addictive, and has empty calories. Use these questions to explore the controversies.
a. Do the reported health benefits apply to all types of chocolate?
b. Is the main fat found in chocolate saturated or unsaturated?
c. Is there any scientific evidence that chocolate is addictive?
d. What components of chocolate have been shown to have health benefits?

Consider This 11.23 Step Up the Pyramid
The USDA's 2005 symbol and interactive food guidance system can be found at the USDA Web site. Explore MyPyramid and then consider these questions.
a. Enter your age, sex, and physical activity level into My Pyramid Plan feature. What did you find out about what you need to eat?
b. For a more detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level, click on MyPyramid tracker. What did you find out?
c. What features of the interactive Web site are most helpful to you? Explain.
d. When unveiling the MyPyramid symbol, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said that the symbol was "deliberately simple" to encourage consumers to get more in-depth information about healthier food choices. Do you think the symbol accomplishes that goal? Why is a person walking up the steps of the pyramid?
e. The USDA has no budget to promote the Dietary Guidelines or the pyramid itself. How will the information be distributed to the public?

Consider This 11.24 Comparing Diets
The growth in girth of Americans has been accompanied by a proliferation of diet plans: Weight Watchers, the Atkins diet (phase I and II), the South Beach diet, and the Dean Ornish diet (very low fat), among others. The American Heart Association also promotes healthful eating.
a. Pick two of these diets and compare their features. How close are these to your own diet?
b. What scientific arguments lie behind the diets you selected?
c. Report on another diet that is different from those above.

Consider This 11.25 Worldwide Trends in Undernourishment
Over the past two decades, progress has been made in many regions in reducing the percentage of the population that is undernourished. Use the information in Figure 11.22 and the resources of the Web to answer these questions.
a. How has the percentage of population in developing countries that are undernourished changed from 1969-1971 to 1999-2001?
b. Have any regions shown an increase in the percent undernourished? Discuss possible reasons.
c. In developing countries, has the decrease in the percentage of undernourished been accompanied by a decrease in absolute numbers? Explain.
d. Which region of the world has experienced the greatest decrease in the percentage of undernourished people? Offer some possible reasons.

Consider This 11.28 Food Irradiation . . . Thanks or No Thanks?
Food irradiation remains controversial. Use the Web to prepare a position paper in relation to one specific food item. You can write from the standpoint of a food company executive, a manufacturer of irradiation equipment, a government official, an activist, or simply a hungry citizen. Be sure to cite your sources.