can anyone recommend a book please?

eamor

Hi Folks,

I'm looking for advice on a good nutrition book. There are just millions out there and I don't really know where to start.!! I'm not looking for a 'diet book' per se,(although I do want to lose weight) I just want a basic solid Nutrition 101 type of book. I figure If I can get my head around the science and the basics of nutrition then I'll be better informed as to what foods to eat? I'm 35, 2 children, one is 3 and the other is 3 weeks so I won't be doing anything for awhile apart from trying to sleep . I LOVE to cook, and I love reading cook/foodie books. I would say generally we don't eat a lot of processed foods in our house..but I still find the whole nutrition side of things confusing.
Thanks in advance...
eamor

Sapsorrow

The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson without a doubt the best starting place for anyone. I wish I'd started out on it myself, it would have saved me years of confusion. It's also very fun to read and you'll even laugh out loud from time to time. Link with free postage and huge discounts (best place to buy books ever!): http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780982207703/The-Primal-Blueprint

And there's an accompanying cookbook here: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780982207727/The-Primal-Blueprint-Cookbook


If you want something a bit heavier on the science and politics everyone loves the diet delusion by Gary Taubbes: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780091924287/The-Diet-Delusion

his good calories bad calories is generally very highly reccomended also: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781400033461/Good-Calories-Bad-Calories

Whatever you do, just please, please avoid books by Patrick Holford like the plague, he is a charlaton of the highest degree.

--Kaiser--

Sapsorrow wrote: »

The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson without a doubt the best starting place for anyone. I wish I'd started out on it myself, it would have saved me years of confusion. It's also very fun to read and you'll even laugh out loud from time to time. Link with free postage and huge discounts (best place to buy books ever!)

+1
I haven't read the book but I enjoy reading his blog, not just about nutrition but about exercise and lifestyle in general.....The Primal Blueprint seems really easy to follow!

http://www.marksdailyapple.com

Red Cortina

I have just finished reading Protein Power Lifeplan by Drs Eades. I thought it was an excellent read

El_Dangeroso

Red Cortina wrote: »

I have just finished reading Protein Power Lifeplan by Drs Eades. I thought it was an excellent read

Agreed, I think that's a great primer on the biochemistry part. Gets you hungry for more info.

Red Cortina

Any other follow on books from Protein Power Lifeplan which you would recommend?

El_Dangeroso

Red Cortina wrote: »

Any other follow on books from Protein Power Lifeplan which you would recommend?

The Diet Delusion is the next logical step, but lest you start thinking that carbs are the root of all dietary evil (they're not) it's good to read about healthy cultures and the diverse range of foods they eat:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Dr. Weston Price Free book online.

Red Cortina

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

The Diet Delusion is the next logical step, but lest you start thinking that carbs are the root of all dietary evil (they're not) it's good to read about healthy cultures and the diverse range of foods they eat:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Dr. Weston Price Free book online.

Looks like I've done things backwards! I read the Diet Delusion when I was on hols in April. And I paid good money for Nutrition and Physical Degeneration which I have next on the agenda...

Dixie Chick

Thanks sapsarrow for that book rec( primal one!), ive just ordered it now from the book depository, by the way, a dangerous website, i have to log off before i break my visa!!!

metamorphosis

Pringting off weston price as i type. Deffo getting my hands on primal blueprint.

I did it arseways aswell it seems - read Diet delusion THEN protein lifeplan. Want to get my hands on bad science too.

I like michael pollan - in defense of food was interesting (if not a little repitative throughout) and want to get my hands on the omnivores dilemma based on saps reccomendation

Dixie Chick

I lost my weight this year through a LOW GL plan and I did read th low GL diet book by PH but to be honest, i just skipped over the whole chapter about suppliments and its pretty clean eating after that and some very nice receipes

. I am however, now dying to read this Primal Blueprint book. I suppose i understand the whole blood sugar thing now cos of the Low GL diet but i know there is stack of more info out there that I could be using to maintain and just dont know it.

Magic Eight Ball

The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain deserves a mention.

Sapsorrow

The GL diet by Holford, for a book supposidly about blood sugar control and related topics isn't very informative at all. It's just an easy to read weight loss plan but it's not an in depth discussion whatsoever. There are many much more interesting resources and books on the whole blood sugar control area. Patrick Holford isn't really interested in the science, he's just interested in using science, no matter how shoddy, to make a quick buck for himself.

I started to read the paleo diet by Cordein but it felt like he was trying way too hard to sell himself, and I didn't find it a good read compared to the PB. It was too repetative. Also he was banging on the whole time about lean meats and 'unhealthy' saturated fats which annoyed me so I gave it to a friend in the end. His published papers that are largely available free online are excelllent though!

El_Dangeroso

Sapsorrow wrote: »

The GL diet by Holford, for a book supposidly about blood sugar control and related topics isn't very informative at all. It's just an easy to read weight loss plan but it's not an in depth discussion whatsoever. There are many much more interesting resources and books on the whole blood sugar control area. Patrick Holford isn't really interested in the science, he's just interested in using science, no matter how shoddy, to make a quick buck for himself.

I started to read the paleo diet by Cordein but it felt like he was trying way too hard to sell himself, and I didn't find it a good read compared to the PB. It was too repetative. Also he was banging on the whole time about lean meats and 'unhealthy' saturated fats which annoyed me so I gave it to a friend in the end. His published papers that are largely available free online are excelllent though!

I tried to wade though the paleo diet too, and tbh, Cordain has an awful tendency to stretch his references a little further than they were ever intended to go. He takes research in a test tube and extrapolates it to actual human beings without a second thought. I'm sure you'd do well following that diet, just a bit too strict though, even for me!

Red Cortina

The Paleo Diet was the first book I read as I embarked on educating myself more on nutrition. Also the trainer that I go to seems to live and breath by the bloody thing. But to be honest it was only when I started to up my fat intake as recommended by the good folks here that I started to feel not as ****ty and feel a bit more human and not drained of energy the whole time

Red Cortina

ULstudent wrote: »

Pringting off weston price as i type. Deffo getting my hands on primal blueprint.

I did it arseways aswell it seems - read Diet delusion THEN protein lifeplan. Want to get my hands on bad science too.

I like michael pollan - in defense of food was interesting (if not a little repitative throughout) and want to get my hands on the omnivores dilemma based on saps reccomendation

Cheers for the heads up on these:) They are on the 'To Be Purchased' list

Red Cortina

I know is it not related to Nutrition and Diet but a book that I read while on hols there recently which I would recommend is Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives which looks as womens' health from an evolutionary point of view,
found it really interesting

eamor

thank you everyone for your recommendations. I agree with your comments re: Patrick Holford. I did read a little of one of his books that I got from the library...(after catching him on Pat kenny!!:rolleyes:) I was not impressed...REALLY pushing the supplement angle...surely if your eating the right foods you wouldn't need supplements?? Ok I know there is always a case for something, but I felt that he pushed it... Interestingly I was speaking to my local friend health food shop man yesterday and he also recommeded Mark Sisson, and NOT Holford.....

ApeXaviour

Sisson goes on the reading list...

Red Cortina wrote: »

I have just finished reading Protein Power Lifeplan by Drs Eades. I thought it was an excellent read

Love that book. Tickled my science taste buds. Meal recommendations are a little difficult to follow though, but otherwise very well written and stimulating read that will teach you a lot about your body's biochemistry.

The science behind Barry Sears "The Zone" books (there are way too many of them) is sound but they're awfully awfully written! Sensationalist, annoying and repetitive. If you want to do a Zone diet I'd recommend downloading the crossfit.com summaries and meal plans instead of buying anything he writes.

The Ketogenic Diet by Lyle McDonald is another nerdy one (it's an interesting one as he's not specifically advocating it, just telling you all about it, the science behind it, what happens to you, it's pros and cons etc.)

He has a few other books (they are a little pricey though, so I'd only pick the one if you are gonna buy one, or acquire them from a friend or "elsewhere"... ahem)

For the beginning dieter I'd say his Guide to Flexible Dieting is your best bet. it details the common pitfalls of dieting and techniques to avoid them and to help yourself circumvent your failing willpower and maintain good dieting practice.

For the obsessive but slightly overweight beginner who wants something a little aggressive (say for a wedding coming up etc): The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook is difficult, but damn it works (I have the print version of this book and have tried it).

ApeXaviour

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

I tried to wade though the paleo diet too, and tbh, Cordain has an awful tendency to stretch his references a little further than they were ever intended to go. He takes research in a test tube and extrapolates it to actual human beings without a second thought. I'm sure you'd do well following that diet, just a bit too strict though, even for me!

haha totally agree! He's clearly a smart chap and makes a lot of excellent points (I still subscribe to his newsletter). But yeah... I think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to things like milk/cheese (unless you have a hayfever-like reaction, or are lactose intolerant etc.). Paleo is good but it's not a puritanical religion and some people take it too far IMHO.

ApeXaviour

Just wondering has anyone read Carbohydrate Addict's diet? And would they recommend it for a beginner? I wanted to give a book as a gift to a Japanese friend but none of the above (protein power, primal blueprint, good calories bad calories etc) can be got in Japanese as far as I can find. The carbohydrate addicts diet can. Reviews seem to suggest it's easier to stick to than atkins as it utilises free meals etc. Anyway, wonder if anyone knew if it was any use or barely worth the paper its written on (like the umpteens of zone books)

El_Dangeroso

ApeXaviour wrote: »

Just wondering has anyone read Carbohydrate Addict's diet? And would they recommend it for a beginner? I wanted to give a book as a gift to a Japanese friend but none of the above (protein power, primal blueprint, good calories bad calories etc) can be got in Japanese as far as I can find. The carbohydrate addicts diet can. Reviews seem to suggest it's easier to stick to than atkins as it utilises free meals etc. Anyway, wonder if anyone knew if it was any use or barely worth the paper its written on (like the umpteens of zone books)

All I know about it is that it's the only low carb diet Oprah has ever tried and well, it clearly didn't work.

I think they allow you one 'free' meal per day. Which seems like a bit of a crazy idea for someone with an addiction. Kind of like allowing an alcoholic 2 whiskeys a day.

I know 'Life without bread' was originally written in German and has been translated into a few languages. Is that available?

ApeXaviour

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

I know 'Life without bread' was originally written in German and has been translated into a few languages. Is that available?

Unfortunately not that I could find. I've ordered and sent it onto her anyway. It was cheap as chips (€6 delivered, similar enough to a pint) and can't do any harm (I hope). Apparently it has some info in there about insulin which is a start even if it is light on the science.

Incidentally I (literally) just ordered Primal Blueprint there. Thanks Sapsorrow, and also thanks for linking that book depository website. Waaaay cheaper than amazon or ebay, so cheers!

Maybe my friend can tackle it when I'm done reading.

kirstenplotkin

I have read this post with great interest. I do have something to add; I believe evidence over the past 40 years conclusively proves that diets don't work. Not ever.

Our body has not been designed to diet. Nor was it designed to eat stodgy carbohydrates foods which were never present in our diet until after the 2nd world war.

I guess, what I'm trying to say is that weight problems began around the time we abandoned our traditional diet, which was fundamentally a protein diet.

The word addiction in relation to the word carbohydrate ought to suggest that no matter what type of 'low carbohydrate diet' is chosen, no long term weight loss will succeed until that addiction is cured.

Kirsten Plotkin