You know the old adage, “You are what you eat?” It’s fairly accurate in terms of overall health. If you eat for health, you will be healthy. If you eat solely for taste…maybe, maybe not! There are ways to eat healthy and still enjoy your food, but with all of the misinformation floating around out there in cyberspace, how do you know which choices to make? The following books about health and food will set you on the right course.
- What to Eat
This book by Marion Nestle is a good starter, nice and simple and straight to the point. Nestle walks you through each major food group, and explains in everyday terms which foods to limit, which to eat regularly, and why. She breaks down those labels that none of us understands and explains that healthy food choices is about a lifestyle of balance rather than finding the perfect crash diet. Available here for under $20.
- Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
Michael Pollan, author of the popular In Defense of Food has published this new literary gem, in which he guides you through one-page explanations of a vast array of foods. He teaches you how to make good decisions about each food you encounter, rather than trying to memorize a diet plan. He also incorporates culinary culture and tradition into his explanations, so you will emerge from this book more educated in multiple ways. Available here for under $30.
- How Not to Die
This is really the end goal for most of us, right? In this book, Dr. Michael Greger covers how to prevent and reverse many diseases and other ailments from the inside out…in other words, through the food we eat. This is a great read for those who enjoy learning about the science behind their gustatory experiences. Available here for about $20.
- Eat to Live
If we are eating to not die, we are eating to live. If you’re looking to live more lightly, this book by Dr. Joel Furhman will teach you how to get there without starving yourself. He dives into the issues of toxic hunger and food addiction that plague us subconsciously. He teaches you how to win the battle against the self in order to achieve healthy hunger and quit the abuse of food. Available here for under $10.