Like much of what tries to pass for modern science, nutritional research is tainted by the influence of those with a vested interest in the outcome. A healthy dose of skepticism is completely understandable. But there are things I believe we are learning. For instance, while it's been known for centuries that sugars and what we now recognize as high-glycemic starches tend to encourage obesity, it's only fairly recently that we've come to understand why. The role of various micronutrients, again long suspected to be important but not fully understood, is now coming into sharper focus. We're learning that many pesticides and herbicides are far more toxic to humans, especially over long periods of time, than was known previously. Many cancers, autoimmune disorders, and other illnesses are now known to be triggered by entire classes of substances previously regarded as safe. It is now known that we are actually symbionts, that our intestinal flora are such an important part of our normal digestive and immune system functioning that we cannot live healthy lives without them. These are just a few of the newer revelations off the top of my head, and I'm not in any way an expert in the field. So, here as in all areas, I try for a healthy balance of skepticism and openness. Truth does eventually come out.