Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating Paperback – July 7, 2005

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 :)

Extremely comprehensive, useful, and easy to use for knowledge and referral. Best book of this type I have found, to date!

I found this book to be a very solid approach to the subject of nutrition, grounded in good science and free of any extremist thinking that can make so many diet plans impossible to follow. It did a really great job of describing how scientific thinking goes back and forth, and how studies and recommendations are so frequently based on accomodations and politics. I would recommend it to just about everyone, with a few reservations:1. As one reviewer stated, the book is ten years old (with a six year old revision), so it's no longer cutting edge. Lots of what is said is all over the media, like the benefits of nuts. And much as I appreicated the discussion of overhyping calcium, there is more to dairy than just calcium and it's quite possible that milk products may be much better than the author thought in 2000. Yogurt especially should be considered as a potential health food. None of this is a refection on the author, of course, but just the inevitable impact of age on a book of this sort.2. Like so many books about food, the author is a bit sanguine about the difficulties of adopting a new diet. His diet plan is far less restrictive than some, but readers should still be prepared for just how much they will still crave foods like white bread and sweets. Far from being a social construct as the book suggests in one spot, the human preference for rich and highly refined foods is inborn and (I would speculate) based on the fact that such foods are simply easier to eat and digest.3. My personal approach is to buy the most natural food I can under most circumstances. Much as it recommends whole foods like grains and nuts, the book does not really discourage use certain margarines and artificial sweeteners. I would generally avoid such things simply based on the past experience that many factory foods have turned out to have more problems than anticipated.4. I would make more assertive use of supplements than the book recommends. I typically take 8 or 9 different tablets daily, including extra D and a B complex, and I think it is helpful.When it comes to exercise, healthy eating and weight loss, there is no such thing as "easy". There is such a thing as "possible", and this author does a pretty good job of getting us thinking on that track.