Contrary to the zealous, jealous rigidity of food faddists, there should be no dogma, ritual, or mystery about good nutrition as a way of life. Carlton Fredericks, 1960

{HISTORY}

Some called him the nation's nutritionist and the father of holistic medicine. Others called him a health food nut and a supplement pusher. But whatever camp you may have known or not known him to be in, Carlton Fredericks (1910-1987) was unquestionably determined to introduce Americans to a healthier lifestyle.

Controversy aside, The Carlton Fredericks Cook Book for Good Nutrition details a lot of common sense information when it comes to healthy eating habits and exploring how good nutrition affects your body.

Receiving his master's degree at NYU in 1949 and his doctorate in nutrition and public health in 1955, Carlton retained a philosophy throughout his long career as both a writer and radio program host, that food could be the salve and the solution to many health issues.

During the mid-20th century, this philosophy was threatening to food corporations who were promoting canned and frozen convenience products and processed foods. It was threatening to medical doctors and pharmacologists who were developing drugs to cure various diseases. And it was threatening to the Federal Food & Drug Administration, who accused Carlton of giving more weight to vitamins and supplements than was medically provable. 

This type of push-back was not uncommon in the mid-to-later half of the 20th century for many nutritionists who espoused healthier eating habits. Adele Davis was another example who faced scrutiny from the government and big brand food companies during the 20th century.

Despite Carlton's five-decade-long career in foods and nutrition, a devoted fan base of Design for Living, his 30-year running nationally syndicated nutrition-focused radio call-in show, and over a dozen published books concerning health and nutrition, Carlton's work is still tied up in unclear controversies.

Depending on which research sites you consult these days, information around his work is still split down the middle as to whether or not what he touted was nutritionally effective. It would take a lot more research into Carlton's ideologies to determine the validity of his claims regarding what vitamins would specifically cure what ailments, but as far as overall healthy eating goes, he offers pretty of sound advice in this cookbook.

Published in 1960, The Carlton Frederick's Cook Book for Good Nutrition offers basic, common sense, and helpful advice for meals that will help maintain the proper functioning of your body.  On the practical side, he suggests some of the following:  cook vegetables just until tender and save the cooking water for future use, don't skip breakfast, select the freshest ingredients possible, aim for 4-5 light meals a day instead of three heavy meals, etc. On the recipe front, he shares an array of interesting dishes incorporating common health-food ingredients like brewer's yeast, wheat germ, milk solids, unprocessed cheese, undegerminated cornmeal, and unbleached flour. 

Understanding, when it came to some of the trickier aspects of feeding a group of family members made up of individual appetites, Carlton offered solution-focused options relevant for mid-century lifestyles.

Knowing that finding enough meal-prep time was an issue for busy families, that kids naturally loved sugar, that teenage girls worried about their physical appearance which in turn affected their appetite, that getting young kids to try new foods could be a challenge, and that changing diet fads continuously confused men and women into knowing what exactly their bodies needed to function properly, Carlton addressed each situation with careful thought and creativity.

Cooks will find recipes for all meals of the day including snacks and desserts. Adventurous epicureans will delight in an array of liver recipes as well as an entire chapter on sweetbreads, organ meats, and more exotic fare. Health-food shoppers will find many-plant-based options via recipes that incorporate brewer's yeast, wheat germ, banana flakes, honey, soybean flour, etc.

In addition to Carlton's direction, this book also includes cooking notes from a previous owner. A treasured item in that cook's kitchen, pencil notes mark favorite recipes and tweaked ingredient measurements. Between Carlton and this previous owner, it's like having two extra helpers in the kitchen guiding you towards good food and good nutrition.

Photo of Carlton Fredericks courtesy of The Houston Post, October 11th, 1974

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1960 Edition, Second Impression
• 290 pages including detailed index
• Interesting recipes include Oatmeal Spice Cake, Leftover Grilled Sandwiches, Frederick' Basic Beef Stew, Good Nutrition Macaroni and Cheese, Enriched Tamale Pie, Wheat-Germ French Bread, Beet-Top Soup, Salmon Chowder, Cheese Pastry Filled Turnovers, Cranberry Pudding, Breadless Sandwiches, Eggs Benedict with Cheese or Hollandaise Sauce, Citrus-Herb Dressing, Wheat-Germ Biscuits, Flourless Carrot Cake, Applesauce Muffins, Raised Griddle-Baked English Muffins, Spicy Apple Cider Sauce, Breakfast Cereal squares, Potato-Rye Bread, French Toast Cheese and Bacon Sandwiches, and Banana-Bran Muffins
• A sampling of exotic recipes include Honeyed Tongue, Liver Knishes, Sweetbread Kabobs, Liver with Brown Rice, Brains a la King, Braised Heart with Apples, and Kidney Diabolo

{CONDITION}

In well-loved condition, this cookbook bears a random sampling of cooking spots and stains on the interior pages. Notes written in pencil by a previous owner, are included alongside 1/3rd of the recipes. The orange coverboards are clean and bright. A previous owner's name is stamped on the inside front endpaper, which also bears some tanning marks. The author's name is written in pen along the bottom tail-edge of the book. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (length) x 6" inches (width) x 1" inch (thickness) and weighs just a smidge over 1 lb.