Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating

The content is nice, of course, but the book could be of higher quality, materialy speaking. It's not too big of a problem, though.

This is such a great book. I'm studying nutrition and have read lots and lots of books on this subject but this is definitely on the top of my list! Anyone interested in nutrition or trying to change his/her eating habits should read it!

This book should be mandatory reading for anybody who eats food (that would be ALL of us), and especially for my fellow residents of the United States, where we unforuntately suffer from what I might call "nutritional illiteracy". What makes this book great is that its purpose is NOT to promote a diet- its purpose is to inform the reader about nutrition. Willet does not have an agenda- he's not trying to sell you on a diet, a line of supplements, snacks, or pills. He's not trying to get you to subscribe to a program. He's just trying to inform you about NUTRITION. In simple, easy to read language, he explains what happens inside of your body when you eat particular foods, and what the greater impact of that effect is in the long run. Generally speaking, the points that Willet makes are painfully obvious, once explained. A perfect example of this is his clear explanation of how and why so many people with American, western pattern diets inflict diabetes upon themselves. I had always been told vague pieces of advice from well-meaning people who would say things like, "don't eat too much sugar, or you'll get diabetes" and "too much white bread/pasta/rice will give you diabetes". Unfortunately, nobody could tell me HOW or WHY this was the case. Willet explains, in very simple terms, how different foods are absorbed at varying rates of speed within our bodies... there is some slightly more advanced science behind this, but basically refined foods (like refined sugar and enriched flour) break down too quickly, and force our insulin production to spike. The more frequently this is done, the worse off your body will be, and it creates a vicious cycle of insulin spiking (not to mention the hunger and fatigue that result from eating refined foods). Thanks to Willet's clear explanations, I was finally able to understand what impact refined foods have on my body- and why I should stick to whole grains whenever possible. Another fine example is how Willet points out that the Food Pyramid was created by the USDA, whose purpose is to protect the interests of American farmers... so why would you ever trust what they were telling you to eat?! Fortunately, the Food Pyramid has been done away with, but a lot of us grew up studying that cursed thing (I'm 32). Finally, Willet puts into very clear terms that the single worst food you can ingest is refined sugar. Fat doesn't make you fat... SUGAR does! But wait, you say... what about sugar substitutes? Does Willet address those? Aren't they bad for you, too? Turns out they MIGHT be, but the existing body of evidence says no. Willet points out that nutritional science is always changing, because the research and data is ever growing- and he periodically revises his book to reflect that. I keep this book close at hand, and use it as a reference. Whenever I'm wondering about a particular food, I look it up in the glossary and take a moment to educate myself. There is nothing more important to your health than the foods you eat, and as such, this book is an invaluable resource. I'm so glad I discovered it, and took the time to read it. It will positiviely affect my health and well being for the rest of my life :)

Ein sehr detailliert recherchiertes Buch, dass kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt, was fehlgeleitete Regierungsempfehlungen angeht und wirklich nur die Sachen empfiehlt, die in großen, langjährigen Studien nachgewiesen wurden. Somit bleiben auch ein paar Fragen offen, die eben wissenschaftlich noch nicht hinreichend geklärt sind. Einziger Negativepunkt sind die Rezepte. Ob man die ausgewählten 77 Rezepte nun mag oder nicht, ist eine persönliche Frage (ich habe nur eines gefunden, was für mich in Frage kommt). Aber mit der Anleitung aus dem Buch ist es ja kein Problem im Internet Rezepte zu finden, die den Aussagen des Buches entsprechen. Was ich aber ziemlich doof finde ist folgendes: Im Buch wird an tausend Stellen gesagt, wie wichtig Gemüse ist. Die allermeisten Rezepte haben allerdings entweder gar kein Gemüse oder nur sehr kleine Anteile. Insofern sind die vorgestellen Rezepte zwar sicher gesund (und besser als das, was üblicherweise sonst gegessen werden würde), aber der Kernaussage des Buches werden sie leider nicht gerecht.

Great book. Arrived in good condition and timely. The book is a good read. From general nutritional information to a more in depth look of amino acids it’s worth it for people who are interested in nutrition. If you want general information without the writer leaning towards a specific diet, this is for you.