Food Science for Gardeners: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Nutrient Dense Foods

Everyone's guide to using the power of science to produce healthier and tastier fruits and vegetables

From garden to fork, Food Science for Gardeners is everyone's guide to optimizing the quality of garden produce and preparing the most delicious and nutritious food possible.

Beginning with a high-level overview of food quality and nutrient density, this invaluable resource then takes a deep, but accessible, dive into:

• The essential nutrient groups--proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber--as well as phytonutrients and their antioxidant properties
• Factors affecting food safety such as pesticides, microplastics, bacteria, and other forms of chemical and biological contamination
• The pros and cons of a host of approaches to storage and preservation including canning, drying, pickling, and fermentation
• An extensive variety of cooking methods and how they affect nutrient availability
• Gardening techniques for growing nutritious food, including the use of organic practices, selecting the right cultivars, and enhancing soil health to improve food quality
• A complete section dedicated to the best growing methods for common fruits and vegetables.

Whether you're a home gardener, local food enthusiast, or small-scale farmer, Food Science for Gardeners demystifies the science of food, enabling you to put the best quality vegetables and fruits on your plate.

Robert Pavlis is a Master Gardener with over 45 years' experience in the art and science of horticulture, with a particular focus on soil chemistry and health. He is the owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a 6-acre botanical garden featuring 3,000 varieties of plants. A sought-after speaker and lecturer, Robert has published many articles in magazines such as Mother Earth News and Ontario Gardening. He maintains a widely read blog - gardenmyths.com - and a well-known YouTube channel, Garden Fundamentals, with tens of thousands of subscribers. Robert is the award-winning author of many published works, including the popular Soil Science for Gardeners series and Building Natural Ponds. He lives in Guelph, Canada.