Food, Genes, and Culture: Eating Right for Your Origins

by Gary Paul Nabhan

Vegan, low fat, low carb, slow Every diet seems to promise a one-size-fits-all solution to health. But they ignore the diversity of human genes and how they interact with what we eat. In Food, Genes, and Culture , renowned ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan shows why the perfect diet for one person could be disastrous for another. If your ancestors were herders in Northern Europe, milk might well provide you with important nutrients, whereas if you’re Native American, you have a higher likelihood of lactose intolerance. If your roots lie in the Greek islands, the acclaimed Mediterranean diet might save your heart; if not, all that olive oil could just give you stomach cramps. Nabhan traces food traditions around the world, from Bali to Mexico, uncovering the links between ancestry and individual responses to food. The implications go well beyond personal taste. Today’s widespread mismatch between diet and genes is leading to serious health conditions, including a dramatic growth over the last 50 years in auto-immune and inflammatory diseases. Readers will not only learn why diabetes is running rampant among indigenous peoples and heart disease has risen among those of northern European descent, but may find the path to their own perfect diet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Science, History, Food, Biology

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Gary Paul Nabhan is an internationally-celebrated nature writer, seed saver, conservation biologist and sustainable agriculture activist who has been called "the father of the local food movement" by Utne Reader, Mother Earth News, Carleton College and Unity College. Gary is also an orchard-keeper, wild forager and Ecumenical Franciscan brother in his hometown of Patagonia, Arizona near the Mexican border. For his writing and collaborative conservation work, he has been honored with a MacArthur "genius" award, a Southwest Book Award, the John Burroughs Medal for nature writing, the Vavilov Medal, and lifetime achievement awards from the Quivira Coalition and Society for Ethnobiology.

--from the author's website

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy of this book via NetGalley, without realizing the book had been published years ago.

I'd pretty much only recommend this book to someone who already has interest in the topic, though it has the capacity to pique someone's interest.

The first sentence of the introduction of Food, Genes, Culture: Eating Right for your Origins was nauseating. In fact, the entire premise detracted from what would have otherwise been a good book. Gary Nabhan intimated that the reader would be taken on a "culinary journey." While I understand the purpose of the cliché-- if we're talking about culture, it only makes sense to travel from place to place-- I was expecting a little more creativity on Nabhan's part. Food, Genes, Culture, while peppered with facts and interesting information, is for the most part extremely anecdotal. Delivering scientific information to the general public is challenging; the writing has to be engaging enough to keep us interested and simple enough that we understand. As someone with no medical qualifications no nutrition knowledge beyond the books I've read and documentaries I've seen, I can neither confirm nor deny anything Nabhan wrote, but I will comment that the book was easy to follow. The writing wasn't spectacular, but I don't suppose it needs to be.

If you're looking for definitive answers about what lies withing your own genes, this isn't the book for you. Besides the fact that human genealogy is complex and would require many volumes to explore in detail, Nabhan's research (and the research of his colleagues) proves that there's no real simple answer to genetic and nutritional issues. Nabhan does, however, prevent quite a few leads for people who are of Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Australian Aboriginal descent. For the rest of us, perhaps the information and diets presents are worth looking into, but there's no guarantee that we will see the same results as these ancient populations.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an elegantly written and thought-provoking book (and also, in passing, a highly persuasive debunking of whole "paleo-diet" trend). Although it focuses on the interplay of food and human genetics in a variety of indigenous populations, it should interest anyone who is curious or concerned about the impact of highly processed foods on the modern diet. And I especially like the fact that the author never indulges in a "one size fits all " prescription. He acknowledges that we're all a combination of heredity, culture, individual physiology, and personal taste.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

America, where the book to target,
food and health run by market,
root tangled, wealth dazzled.
A heretic, on modern medicine in harness.

world of the rest, ground of ancestral test:
favas tease mosquito itch;
chilies numb whereto twitch
......
Mid-far East/China are not addressed.
Ancient mud races had been blessed,
until globalization to arrest.
Together, economy progressed, health distressed.
Universal drug/vaccine/food, lives messed,
direful in a few generations guessed.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher provided a free copy of the egalley of this book through NetGalley. I was interested in this book as I have personal and professional interests in food and health, and am also interested in culture. I found a lot of food for thought in the book, which describes studies and histories of how groups of people and the places where they live affect their genetic and physiological response to certain foods. The author travels to several parts of the world and investigates everything from the relationship between fava beans, malaria, and genetic forms of anemia to why desert-dwelling peoples gain so much weight on the modern Western diet.

This book could be a call to action for someone with ancestry from a small region of the world, but is more challenging for those of us whose ancestors came from many different areas. The author recognizes that, but doesn't give any advice.

The version of the book I had didn't provide information on the author's background, and since the book is written in a (higher-level) conversational style, I wasn't certain whether he was a researcher. It turns out he is an agricultural ecologist and ethnobotanist. He is an expert in crops and biodiversity, but is also engaged in the role of culture and agriculture and food. His wife has a health background, so I expect they make a good pairing. Generally, though, the voice of the book is such that of a well-read and well-traveled friend telling you about his investigations into the ways that peoples have formed unique place-based relationships with the foods in their environments over the course of many generations.

This research is really fairly new in that there are a number of studies in different groups of people, but little consistent knowledge that can help people identify (with to without professional assistance) ways to explore the quirks of one's own genetic heritage and what it means for an individual's diet-related health. I do look forward to learning more about the topic over time.

[Christina Dudley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was a fascinating book about the interactions between diet and health, as developed over millenia in different ethnic groups and geographies. A lot of what Nabhan had to say about the both medicinal and toxic effects of plant chemicals dovetailed well with Mark Schatzker's book THE DORITO EFFECT.

Is there any sense in the Paleo diet? Nope. Because Paleolithic man didn't eat a uniform diet across the world. But there *is* sense in eating foods traditional to your ethnic group/culture for the past centuries, rather than abandoning them for the milled-flour, blood-sugar boosting diet of the West (to which Westerners have had centuries more time to acclimate but which still succeeds in making them unhealthy!).

I appreciated the author's very specific discussions of different groups' genetic heritages and how those heritages were indivisible from traditional diets. Diets influenced genetics and vice versa. I only wish Nabhan had concluded with a giant map of "traditional" diets across the world. What would be his best guess for what different ethnicities should be eating, if you weren't one of the few groups discussed in the book?

Some diet business could make money hand over fist, if they did genetic testing on individuals and then printed out their recommended, tailored, "traditional" diet. Anyone?

[Odette Cortés · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. I was intrigued at the idea of understanding how genes, food and culture were connected on our everyday diet. So I was excited to start reading. Food, Genes, and Culture: Eating Right for Your Origins by Gary Paul Nadhan was not entirely what I expected, not that it was anything wrong with that. When I approached the book I was mostly expecting a little table that said “you have these genes, therefore you need to eat this food” and move along into something else. But what really happened was that Nadhan took his time explaining where this theory comes from, what it the precedent and how his observations of everyday life allow him to refine what food is good for your genes.

Nonetheless, there is a point when I thought that the book was too anectodical when I wanted to go to the facts. This made my reading a little harder and a lot slower. The introduction had me all fired up and ready to learn more, but the subsequent chapters didn’t really charm me. But once the book got some momentum it was a very interesting read, and I do admit that I learned a lot.


I got this book from NetGalley.

[Angela Boord · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes an excellent case for a diversity of human diets based on genetic differences that have developed in different groups as a result of long histories of interaction with the foods in a certain environment. This is a really necessary point, in my opinion, in this age when everyone seems to be trying to find THE one right way for everyone to eat. According to this book, there probably isn't A one right way to eat. I wish, however, that he had taken it further, because I was left with a lot of frustrating questions. Most of the examples in this book are drawn from Native Americans, Hawaiians, Australian Aborigines, and other groups with a homogenous ethnic make-up and an identifiable traditional diet in the recent past. But where does this leave the average American, who may descend from many different ethnic backgrounds that might have very different traditional diets? How do you know what genes you've got? This isn't dealt with in the book at all.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book for NetGalley.

"You are what your grandmother ate" could be a subtitle of this fascinating and enlightening book.

I have long suspected a genetic link between diet and health from my own experiences with different foods - soy and I do not agree (it was not a common food of my Northern European ancestors) while dairy and I are great friends. That is why I decided to read Dr. Nabhan's book. It was very educational and entertaining - he has a clear and witty way of getting his point across.

I now have a better understanding between food, genetics/ancestors' diet(s), current diet and culture. There is no one perfect diet for all, and Dr. Nabhan's work drives that point home.

This book is an excellent starting point for anyone serious about what the best foods for that individual may be. I found it very useful and would recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.

Very knowledgeable and useful source of information.

[Milka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book 4 stars instead of 3 if it had been more factual and a bit less anecdotal, making it a little more difficult to maintain my interest, but otherwise it's a very interesting read.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as an ARC on Net Galley. I majored in History and International Studies under parts of my Liberal Arts major and having course like this would have been pretty fascinating.

Definitely buying this in the future, put it on Amazon Wishlist :)

[Andrea Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked this book and found it very interesting

[Manoj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this could just be a couple of pages long article than a book. There are just two basic ideas explored in the book -

1) People eating some specific foods for many generations may have developed some genetic adaptations to those specific foods. For example, people in a region eating lots of olive oil for the last 1000 years will get bit better at maintaining good health on high olive oil diets than people who are new to olive oil. So, don't assume that the diet that works for them will definitely work for you; sticking to the diets prevalent in your culture for generations might just be ok. Kinda obvious, really!

2) Even though some foods are considered unhealthy, it's mostly an issue of eating those foods in their natural state vs "processed" state. For example, carbs in apples are not as bad as carbs in packaged apple juice (or fruit based cold drink or powder or whatever). Again, kinda obvious. Eat natural foods, avoid over processed foods.

Yes, that's pretty much it. There are also some tidbits on how governments are clueless of what foods various ethnic populations may need and how modernization is destroying traditional cultural traditions, but that's kinda off topic. Rest of the book is mostly filler stuff.

[Chris Torretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very timely book for me. Although I've had it for years, I picked it up again recently because I'm starting to have dietary problems of my own. Time to rabbit hole into some research.

I love that he is sharing such an important part of how he figured this out, while also paying homage to his friend. It's also a fascinating topic. We're taught how to eat as kids and we basically just go with that, or what's the most convenient thing.

The author goes back and discusses how we used to it. Foraging, working for our food. Our ancestral diets being vastly different from what they are now. This may be more of an historian delving into diets, an archeologist unearthing various ways that we eat around the world. Intriguing for sure.

The author does mention that we're all mutts. A hodgepodge of ancestors that came before us, and they were a hodgepodge of the ancestors that came before them. Our bodies have been shaped by what our ancestors came across, and what we continue to eat.

Extremely interesting.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book is OK. I expected it to mostly be about the increased risk of obesity and diabetes amongst some ethnic groups, but he covered spice tolerance and other aspects as well. He quoted some studies where people go back to the diet their ancestors had and improve their health accordingly, but overall I think it is pretty simple regarding health - Western diet is scheit and whilst no-one should consume it, it is even worse for some ethnicities.
I also understand some of the genealogical aspect, as if you are born and raised in the same environment as your ancestors then surely the way of living impacts biology to adapt, so spice tolerance amongst many people from regions where spices are traditionally not used at all do not tolerate that as well. But it is also about exposure and training the tolerance I'm certain.
But! In the end, people should eat more greens and less beige.

[Jennifer Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some really fascinating info in this book, but it doesn't teach you how to eat for your origins. It gives a few guidelines that might be helpful if you happen to be descended from one of the few indigenous cultures that he speaks of, not really helpful for Northern Europeans. My biggest criticism of this book, and why I didn't give it more stars, is because it's not very accessible. If you have a background in genetics or biology this may not be a problem for you, but I'm university educated, well read, and have a background in botany, but it didn't help me out. It's not that it's dry; it's anecdotal, but the language is so insular that it's over my head. It's like listening to stories geneologists might tell around a campfire. Basically, I feel like about 25% of the information was lost on me

[Jim D'Ambrosia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's point is that food culture intertwines with genetics; for example, with lactose tolerance/digestibility. Even though the evolutionary time span is short.

When we eat a diet that is out of line with what our culture expects, we can get into trouble.

Good points, but the book consists mostly of examples, and not much that is prescriptive, unless you're a Pima Indian. And Nabhan notes that things are often too complex for many of us to know what to do here; my genetic heritage, for example, is reasonably diverse. So I guess the book was kind of interesting, but that's about it.

[Carl Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Information

I thought this book would be more of what to eat for your heritage. Instead it is a good look at culture/food interactions, and how we can eat in a manner mindful of our heritage. You need to research your culture for yourself and make good choices. Not a bad read at all.

[Sarah P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The individual case studies and stories were interesting, as was the general premise of the interaction of food, genes, and culture being an individual experience. However, it wasn't a particularly engaging read and seemed a bit repetitive. Maybe I would have retained more of the technical details if I had more of a background in science.

[N.A. Fedorak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readable, and interesting, but more hard facts would be useful. The author has not done enough statistical research to back up his claims.

[Boqian Jiang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea, but the author could have finished the book in just 100 pages.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and easy to read. Intuitively, even the title alone makes sense, and the evidence he provides from different studies thread the narrative.

[Hayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an interesting book! Although I know nothing about the topic I found it kept me wanting to read on which was really nice.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good read. Not entirely captivating, yet it is interesting. Finishes nicely.

[Janis Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Island Press for allowing me an ARC of this book via Netgalley for an open and honest review.

This is an amazing and informative book that I really connected to as I’ve held a long belief that the diets and food fads followed today should not be seen as blanket options and as one size does not fit all solutions.

In Food, Genes and Culture we explore how the foods we eat affect us not just because of their level of nutrition (or lack of it) but because of what foods we have grown up on and what foods fed our ancestors. All of these make us who we are and I really feel people to analyse all this when seeking better food guidance.

I could be reading into this book more than what was there, but I did find it helped support my belief that you need to find the foods that are good for you, not what all the “specialists” tell you to eat. I would also be fascinated to find out more about my allium intolerance that travels through the females on my maternal side. This book has helped give me the encouragement to learn more about it, what it may mean and has helped me discover it’s not just a quirk of mine… a lot of people have it.

What can I say about this book? Well, I found it a little bogged down and long winded in sections, will never look at chillies the same way again - after that study he mentioned in Mexico - and all in all found it a highly educational read.

Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. In fact it’s one of the books I already have been recommending to others. I’m known as a wholefood foodie and therefore tend to talk to people with similar interests. I’ve been recommending this book to anyone who is interested in seeking the best diet for their own health. They shouldn’t just read books on specific diet trends and fads – I’ve been strongly suggesting they read this book too as I really do feel it will help give them a better understanding of which foods may (and may not) be best for them.

Would I buy this book myself? Very tempted to. It really is the sort of reference book anyone interested in the origin of man and his interaction with food should own. However, I can see parts of it dating quicker than others so I’d almost like to own an electronic version that updated as needed.

In summary, this isn’t a little bit of light reading. This is something to sit down and become engrossed in as it helps explain the different cultures around the world, how modern food is killing some while barely seeming to affect others and all in all help you get back to the basics and understand why you need to find the foods best for you, yourself and your cultural and physical background.

A simply fascinating read and one I think anyone who calls themselves a foodie should read.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Island Press for a galley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book, while fascinating, is not a light read. It will not give you easy answers to "what should I be eating based on my ethnic origins?" The book does drag in parts, and it is full of anecdotes and studies that seem to repeat themselves.

That said, the data included in it is fascinating, and clearly very well researched. It provides a lot to think about, and forces people to consider what they're putting in their bodies and how it fits into their possible ancestral diets.

For me, the biggest problem may have boiled down to the fact that I was reading a galley on my phone, and this book feels like one that needs to be held, leafed through, and absorbed dynamically, rather than in a linear fashion. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had a physical copy, but in ebook format, it was still fascinating.

[Writers N Authors Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food, Genes and Culture explores how the foods we eat affect us. This book will become more of a reference book and a tool to find the foods that is good for ME, not what all the doctors and nutritionist say. I did learn a lot about food and the cultures, some food I will never eat again after reading this book. It was well written and very educational.

What I found with most people they read books for the current diet trend and we are always missing a step or three, I feel this book fills in some of those gaps and I would recommend it to other. You will learn how different people react differently to certain foods and the importance of knowing what will hurt you.

The writer obviously did extensive research in the eating habits of many areas around the globe. Food, Genes, and Culture was an eye-opener for me.. Read more https://writersnauthors.com/food-gene...

[Jimena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very interested in Food, Genes, and Culture because I'm trying to get my own diet right. A few months ago someone told me that my body might not be responding well to lactose due to my Asian ancestry. I reduced my lactose consumption and it makes me feel so much better and healthier.

In Food, Genes, and Culture ethonobotanist Gary Nabban takes us on a journey around the world to learn more about food traditions and responses to food. It gives me enough to think about. And it gives me a boost to finding out how my genetics react to food. This is going to be an interesting journey to find out what my perfect diet should be since I'm of mixed ancestry.

Thanks to Island Press who provided me a free copy via Netgalley.

[Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a thought-provoking and an interesting read.
This book is well researched and very well written. Although some of the points that re being made have been around for a while might and seem a bit outdated all in all I was thoroughly taken by the points made in this book. I especially enjoyed the authors point of view on the "One Size Fits All Diet".
Great read.

[Sandy D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wide-ranging and meticulously researched look at indigenous cuisines and their health benefits, especially for ethnic groups who traditionally ate those cuisines. Genes, environment, the evolution of both plants and people - all interacting to make the Mediterranean diet, the Hawaiian diet, the Seri Indian diet, etc.

Especially interesting in terms of diabetes, favism, and other genetic disorders/adaptations.

[Pam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A walk on the wild side of life, a fascinating insight about eating and its origins. How diabetes has grown to 22.3 million which is 7% of the populate and rising and how research shows that most of this can be attributed to your origins and genes,.