ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION Covers the benefits of organic food and if inaccessible (for monetary or location reasons), then which foods have the least concentrations of pesticides/insecticides (chemicals). CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW The main contents of this book address which foods have the least concentrations and numbers of pesticides residues. The author always reminds us we should opt for organic based foods, but the point of this book is to show us which foods are least bad if we cannot access organic. Gives detailed descriptions as to each chemical and why it is bad. In short, chemical residues are bad because they bind to the body easily and alter normal functioning negatively. An increase in chemical concentrations increases cancers at a commensurate rate. Besides cancer, a host of other issues come from constant bombardment of chemicals. For example, decreased IQ, fatigue, decreased mental acuity, disease and organ issues, among others. In general, plant based foods have less toxins. This is because of bioaccumulation. Therefore, it is wise to increase consumption of plant based foods; grains, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, the author points out that North American’s truly intake an excessive amount of meat. Cut down on meat and choose leaner cuts (chicken & turkey). The fattier the animal, the more dangerous it is. The government is deceitful and favours economics over consumer health. This is because of cost constraints in the management of so many people. Furthermore, the government’s health standards for chemical quotas in food samples are for individual foods. This does not account for the wide variety of foods we consume, meaning, we almost certainly exceed the quota by a large margin. It is our responsibility to not be lazy and assess what we consume. Take charge. Most physicians have no formal training in toxicology, so their advice on food is uneducated. Furthermore, this means that food related issues are often misdiagnosed. Animal proteins are not superior to plant proteins. Stay the fuck away from all processed, fast-food, and general garbage. Awful for you! Buy fruits and vegetables of a variety of colours because this generally correlates to a wider variety of positive nutrients. The accumulation of toxins is difficult to remove from the body, but it can be done. (see contents) CONTENTS 1. Fruits and Vegetables Stay away from peanuts and raisins. Take skin off fruits (especially apples). Throw out outer pieces of lettuce. Go bananas for bananas! Least amount of pesticides. Thicker skinned fruits seem to occasionally have fewer pesticide residues. 2. Grains Grains have important fibres which serve to ‘escort out’ chemicals. If you are on a consistent diet and know you must eat bad food later in the day (for whatever reason), load up on fibre throughout the day. Whole wheat bread>white bread. 3. Meat and Poultry Basically, most are bad except chicken, lamb and turkey. Animal cruelty is a sad reality. Choose organic for other cuts. Always take off skin. Eggs aren’t so bad but cut down on them because they have an crazy high amount of cholesterol (4 times a cup of iced cream for one egg!). 4. Seafood Seafood is sketchy unless you get it from clean waters. Haddock is generally fine. 5. Dairy Stay away from butter and most cheeses. Humans do not really need to eat these. Margarine is better than butter but still not good. Low fat or chocolate milk is fine. 6. Prepared foods & Additives Stay away from fast-food and frozen pizza. Apple pie isn’t so bad (pesticide wise anyways). Best cooking oils are olive & canola. Stay away from vegetable oil, which includes soybean oil that mimics estrogen! 7. Drinking water Government water stats are based on averages. Your water could be dog shit. Get it tested. Drink through filters or quality bottled waters (best is mineral water). Old houses with lead piping cause lead poisoning. 8. Pregnancy & Baby foods If you want to be safe, eat everything organic. Babies and children have greater toxin sensitivity than adults. Exposure can cause permanent health issues. 9. Detox Toxins are stuck in fat. Exercise and vitamins bring toxins into the blood stream. Toxins leave the blood stream through sweat, urine, excretion, and fibres. To detox: eat clean (to prevent additions), exercise, sweat (saunas are a good tool) and be consistent. SPECULATION (empty) QUOTES “Most people today have no conception of true mental clarity. We have all been exposed to low-level chemical residues for so long that it is difficult to conceive of life without their subtle neurotoxic effects.” (page 10) REVIEW Good book. Author goes through great effort to provide reliable and realistic data. The studies used are high quality and from food that is prepared, thus, it is realistic to our consumption. The author favours details over conceptual understanding, which is frustrating because of the literal hundreds of chemicals he lists. Entirely non-biased and doesn’t promote anything. Entirely changed my perspective and diet. Although the ideas he presents in his book are profound and lifechanging, his actual delivery of the ideas are mediocre. WORTH READING IF STUDIED REVIEW? No RATING 7/10 Goodreads – 4/5
Diet for a Poisoned Planet is possibly the most useful food book I ever read, because it helped me figure out which foods are most toxic and where to put my organic-shopping priorities. I'd like to read a more recent edition, because I have a feeling a lot of the information in my copy is no longer correct.
Read this book the first time about 14 years ago, an earlier edition obviously. I have been a vegetarian ever since and I attribute it to this book 75%, there were a few others but this one was major. Never realized how much crud was actually in meat, UCK.