What to Eat

"This book was recommended based on interest in the book "In Defense of Food" which I loved. This book has the information that shows people are too hung up on balancing a diet, when eating FOOD is really what we need to focus on, fruits, vegetables, etc. that give individual bodies nutrients and energy without having to calculate and quantify all elements of food. "
~ Written on 2008-08-28

"This book answers practically every question that today's confused American consumer could possibly have about food. It is valuable information, organized to be very user-friendly. Ms. Nestle cuts through the conflicting information that is available regarding so much of our food supply, and offers clear, sane guidance that will be a benefit to anyone who seeks it."
~ Written on 2008-08-08

"This is really two books that would have been better separated. The author takes us through a supermarket, showing us what to look for on the shelves and what various labeling means. Much of this information is very interesting (she has one of the clearest explanations of what a calorie is that I've ever read; she explains how mercury in fish becomes so toxic to humans). Unfortunately, even though the book is only two years old time has not been kind in other areas. She advises us that after going through a processing plant she has fewer concerns about pre-packaged salads and vegetables (oops!) and she still subscribes to the mostly-debunked link between dietary fat and heart disease (recommending nonfat milk [shudder]).

However, commingled with the useful information are rants about how politics have corrupted our food supply. Again, some of this is very interesting (for instance, due to the efforts of the sugar trade association, in the U.S. getting 25% of our calories from added sugars is considered okay; most other countries cap it at 10%). However, this information isn't helpful as you're wandering the supermarket; it belongs in a separate book and in fact can be found in her book Food Politics. That's where it should be, and removing this would have made the book a much more manageable length."
~ Written on 2008-07-11

"At last, an easy to read, comprehensive book that explains the ins and outs of the food industry. The author delivers the information without any kind of prejudice, just facts. Food is big business, and your health is not a priority to these companies; they vie for premium shelf space to appeal to you and your children, are allowed to misrepresent nutritional value in their products in the hopes of fooling you into buying it, and answers all those little questions that go around in your mind as you shop, wondering what's healthy and what's not. This book is for everyone who cares about what goes into their bodies , and having read it, you can enter any grocery store with confidence and know exactly what to buy and what to avoid."
~ Written on 2008-07-09

"Marion Nestle's What to Eat is a scientific examination of the health claims that food manufacturers and marketers use to move products. Organized by supermarket aisle, the book covers every food product in the produce, diary, meat, fish, frozen, processed, baby and specialty food aisles. Nestle helps the reader decipher both nutrition labels and marketing claims such as `certified organic,' `fair trade,' and `American Heart Association certified.' She exposes the food industry's role in our national nutrition and food policy and roots out the truth the sound bite headlines for scientific studies on diet.

What to Eat serves up 600 pages of indispensable advice, but the author is also willing to sum it up quickly: "Eat less, move more, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, go easy on junk foods.""
~ Written on 2008-02-09