---
title: Nutritional Biochemistry
description: This scientific discipline explores the molecular and chemical interactions of nutrients within the human body. Learners will understand metabolic pathways, nutrient-gene interactions, and how specific chemical compounds in food influence cellular function and overall health.
category: health-medicine
subcategory: nutrition
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/nutritional-biochemistry
---

# Nutritional Biochemistry

This scientific discipline explores the molecular and chemical interactions of nutrients within the human body. Learners will understand metabolic pathways, nutrient-gene interactions, and how specific chemical compounds in food influence cellular function and overall health.

## Where to start

Start with Principles of Biochem, a free HarvardX course on edX covering enzyme kinetics, major metabolic pathways and their regulation. If you only use one resource, make it Biochemical, Physiological, and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition by Martha H. Stipanuk and Marie A. Caudill, a textbook spanning the chemistry and physiology of human nutrition. To check what trials show about specific nutrients and supplements, use Examine.com.

## Available Resources

3 Books • 1 Courses • 4 Websites

## Websites

### 1. Examine.com

Independent research database that summarises the scientific evidence on dietary supplements, nutrients and diets, rating effects by outcome and study quality. Readers can check what trials actually show about a supplement's benefits, dosage and safety before acting on nutrition claims.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://examine.com/

**Tags:** supplements, nutrition-science, evidence-based-nutrition, research-summaries

### 2. nutrition.org

Nutrition.org is an educational resource that explains nutrition fundamentals, with accessible explanations of macronutrients and micronutrients, dietary guidelines, and key nutrition concepts. It provides evidence-based articles and learning materials for students and anyone seeking foundational knowledge in nutrition.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://nutrition.org

**Tags:** websites, health-medicine, nutrition

### 3. NutritionFacts.org

**Author:** Michael Greger

Nonprofit site founded by physician Michael Greger that summarises peer-reviewed nutrition studies in short videos, articles and podcasts, searchable by food and disease. It argues consistently for plant-based eating, so readers can follow the research behind that position and check its sources.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://nutritionfacts.org

**Tags:** plant-based-diet, nutrition-research, chronic-disease-prevention, evidence-summaries

### 4. eatright.org

EatRight.org is the consumer site of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offering evidence-based nutrition guidance, healthy eating tips, meal planning ideas, and resources to locate a registered dietitian.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://eatright.org

**Tags:** websites, health-medicine, health-and-wellness

## Books

### 1. Biochemical, Physiological, and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition

**Author:** Martha H. Stipanuk, Marie A. Caudill

A graduate-level reference that explains nutrition through biochemistry, physiology, and molecular biology: digestion and absorption, macronutrient metabolism, vitamins, minerals, and regulation of energy balance. Readers can trace how specific nutrients act at the cellular and molecular level.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1437709591?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, health-medicine, nutrition

### 2. Advanced Nutrition: Macronutrients, Micronutrients, and Metabolism

**Author:** Carolyn D. Berdanier, Janos Zempleni

A textbook on the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, emphasizing biochemical pathways, gene-nutrient interactions, and hormonal control. It prepares readers to explain how nutrient intake is regulated and used at the cellular level in health and disease.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1420055526?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, health-medicine, nutrition

### 3. Nutritional Biochemistry

**Author:** Tom Brody

A biochemistry-focused textbook covering digestion, carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, vitamins, minerals, and energy regulation, with experimental data and clinical examples. It equips readers to connect enzyme pathways and molecular mechanisms with measurable nutritional outcomes in humans.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0121348350?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, health-medicine, nutrition

## Courses

### 1. Principles of Biochem

HarvardX course pairing macromolecular structure with a biochemical view of cellular function. Covers protein function and enzyme kinetics, then major metabolic pathways and their regulation, working outward from red blood cells to muscle and liver, and links pathway disruption to human disease.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.edx.org/learn/biochemistry/harvard-university-principles-of-biochemistry

**Tags:** courses, science-research, chemistry

---

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