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The Real Food Grocery Guide: Navigate the Grocery Store, Ditch Artificial and Unsafe Ingredients, Bust Nutritional Myths, and Select the Healthiest Foods Possible
Understand food labels and cut through the myths, hype, and misleading information on "healthy" food choices. Make the best choices with The Real Food Grocery Guide.
The Real Food Grocery Guide helps you navigate every aisle of the grocery store by clearly outlining what foods are truly the healthiest, the freshest, and the most economical—and which ones belong in the garbage rather than your grocery cart!
Now you will finally know for certain whether fat-free and gluten-free are actually healthier, what hidden meanings you're missing in food labels, and if organic vegetables and grass-fed meat are worth the extra cost.
The Real Food Grocery Guide is the most comprehensive and actionable guide to grocery shopping and healthy eating available, with advice on:
What to eat for health, balanced weight, and longevity
How to shop to save a significant amount of time and money
How to decipher food "buzz words" (like natural, grass-fed, wild, organic, gluten-free, etc.): know which to buy and which to leave on the shelf
How to select the most nutritious and delicious produce, every time (no more getting home with brown avocados or tasteless melon)
Why the quality of animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy is crucial—and how to choose the healthiest kinds
How to store fresh food properly so it will stay fresh longer
Why calorie counting is futile—and what you should look for instead to determine the healthiness of any food
How to decipher what a food label is really saying
How to avoid being duped by sneaky food industry claims and choose the best packaged products every time
Stop guessing when you're in the grocery store. Grab The Real Food Grocery Guide and get the real facts on what labels are telling you. No spin.
The Real Food Grocery Guide helps you navigate every aisle of the grocery store by clearly outlining what foods are truly the healthiest, the freshest, and the most economical—and which ones belong in the garbage rather than your grocery cart!
Now you will finally know for certain whether fat-free and gluten-free are actually healthier, what hidden meanings you're missing in food labels, and if organic vegetables and grass-fed meat are worth the extra cost.
The Real Food Grocery Guide is the most comprehensive and actionable guide to grocery shopping and healthy eating available, with advice on:
What to eat for health, balanced weight, and longevity
How to shop to save a significant amount of time and money
How to decipher food "buzz words" (like natural, grass-fed, wild, organic, gluten-free, etc.): know which to buy and which to leave on the shelf
How to select the most nutritious and delicious produce, every time (no more getting home with brown avocados or tasteless melon)
Why the quality of animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy is crucial—and how to choose the healthiest kinds
How to store fresh food properly so it will stay fresh longer
Why calorie counting is futile—and what you should look for instead to determine the healthiness of any food
How to decipher what a food label is really saying
How to avoid being duped by sneaky food industry claims and choose the best packaged products every time
Stop guessing when you're in the grocery store. Grab The Real Food Grocery Guide and get the real facts on what labels are telling you. No spin.
272 pages, Flexibound
First published May 1, 2017
64 people are currently reading
873 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 4, 2022
My eyes were rolling hard before I even opened the book. FoodBabe wrote one of the recommendations and she mentions artificial and unsafe ingredients in the subtitle. Sigh. Here comes the pseudoscience. The book was a gift, thankfully, but I'm very disappointed because the person who purchased it is usually smarter than that about nutrition.
Inside she references the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" - one of the biggest loads of crap in the organic movement, although at least she does not perpetuate the myth that organic is grown without pesticides. Her website, listed in the back of the book as a source of additional information, talks about superfoods, except there's no such thing. It's just a marketing gimmick for so-called diet gurus.
And then there's the cartload of bull-crap and flat-out wrong information she provides about GMOs. She claims there are no large studies demonstrating their safety and immediately follows that with an assertion that a series of small independent studies prove they might be dangerous. None of that is true. She claims that the only studies that show they are safe are paid for by the companies that developed them, which is partly true but neglects the fact that who pays for the research is less important than the independence of the researchers (university professors for the most part). This is the way most university research is funded, and the money is never dependent on the results. She conveniently neglects to mention that the smaller studies that support her bias are almost universally paid for and conducted by researchers with a vested interest in proving these things are not safe. The organic industry pays for most of this, and they are a powerful lobby despite their claims to the contrary. They pay for results. I've read some of these studies, and the things they claim to prove are usually pretty weak, relying on carefully massaged data, innuendo, and a poor understanding of things like standard deviation. Failing to prove something is safe does not prove it is unsafe - that's like trying to prove that bacteria don't exist because you haven't figured out how to detect them yet.
Not everything in the book is pseudoscience, however. The information about selecting, storing, and preparing fruits and vegetables is great and makes up nearly a third of the book. The grain chapter has a great list of gluten-free alternatives for those who need them. Most of the chapters covering specific food groups have some good information, although her bias makes itself apparent here and there. Keep that in mind and this is still a decent resource (I'll be keeping the book despite the pseudoscience). Oddly enough, most of the side panels (food myths, expert tips, time-saving tips, money-saving tips, and FACTS) are pretty solid, except for those that feed directly into her pseudoscience - the one on page 40 about organic vs. local produce, for example.
Inside she references the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" - one of the biggest loads of crap in the organic movement, although at least she does not perpetuate the myth that organic is grown without pesticides. Her website, listed in the back of the book as a source of additional information, talks about superfoods, except there's no such thing. It's just a marketing gimmick for so-called diet gurus.
And then there's the cartload of bull-crap and flat-out wrong information she provides about GMOs. She claims there are no large studies demonstrating their safety and immediately follows that with an assertion that a series of small independent studies prove they might be dangerous. None of that is true. She claims that the only studies that show they are safe are paid for by the companies that developed them, which is partly true but neglects the fact that who pays for the research is less important than the independence of the researchers (university professors for the most part). This is the way most university research is funded, and the money is never dependent on the results. She conveniently neglects to mention that the smaller studies that support her bias are almost universally paid for and conducted by researchers with a vested interest in proving these things are not safe. The organic industry pays for most of this, and they are a powerful lobby despite their claims to the contrary. They pay for results. I've read some of these studies, and the things they claim to prove are usually pretty weak, relying on carefully massaged data, innuendo, and a poor understanding of things like standard deviation. Failing to prove something is safe does not prove it is unsafe - that's like trying to prove that bacteria don't exist because you haven't figured out how to detect them yet.
Not everything in the book is pseudoscience, however. The information about selecting, storing, and preparing fruits and vegetables is great and makes up nearly a third of the book. The grain chapter has a great list of gluten-free alternatives for those who need them. Most of the chapters covering specific food groups have some good information, although her bias makes itself apparent here and there. Keep that in mind and this is still a decent resource (I'll be keeping the book despite the pseudoscience). Oddly enough, most of the side panels (food myths, expert tips, time-saving tips, money-saving tips, and FACTS) are pretty solid, except for those that feed directly into her pseudoscience - the one on page 40 about organic vs. local produce, for example.
December 7, 2017
This book is pure information. It is amazing. It doesn't preach but it sure is convincing. Anyone concerned about the health of themselves or their families should read this.
February 11, 2022
The sections on how to keep and store produce are great. The Food Babe woo woo stuff is annoying. So read this book with a grain of salt.
March 23, 2021
There's so much great information presented here! Marlowe breaks down her guide to shopping for, buying, and eating food into four sections. I absolutely loved the detailed look at vegetables and how to tell when each one is ripe, when they're in season, and which ones are worth buy organic vs. the ones that aren't.
I did some side research and came across this really useful website which shows a similar breakdown of seasonal veggies (Seasonal Food Guide).
There's also lots of great detail in here on grains, legumes, beans, nuts/seeds, meat and eggs, as well as her suggested pantry staples and which foods are worth buying frozen.
I did some side research and came across this really useful website which shows a similar breakdown of seasonal veggies (Seasonal Food Guide).
There's also lots of great detail in here on grains, legumes, beans, nuts/seeds, meat and eggs, as well as her suggested pantry staples and which foods are worth buying frozen.
July 11, 2019
If you're like me at the grocery store a.k.a. you go in for some fruit and stuff to make dinner and end up spending 45 minutes deciding which of the 12,000 different kinds of bread to get while having a nervous breakdown every 5 minutes, then this book needs to be on its way to you like ...yesterday! I hate grocery shopping (zealously, with the passion of a thousand flames). I hate how complicated it's become, I hate that I can't really trust that spending $800 dollars on tomatoes is actually going to get me something fresh and healthy that didn't grow up in a petri dish. I hate the process of shopping, the crowds, the decisions - everything. I hate the galaxy of variety that just crushes your soul every time.
I got this book at the office yesterday and did little to no work cause I couldn't put it down. Once I got home and was able to devour it in one sitting, I feel like I can't wait to drive my butt to Whole Foods and start a new chapter - one where food is enjoyable again.
It's the process of going through the pages that is captivating. If you're into wellness and healthy eating there may be a lot of things that you're already aware of, but there will be things that will blow your mind over and over. Habits that you thought were in favor of your health and wellbeing, but have actually been pushing you closer and closer to ignorance. It's also not a book that you read once and put down just like that. Mine is already folded up in the most important spots that I know I will want to reference again. It's a book that you'll come back to at the most random moments. It's the best crash course in nutritional education you could get regardless of your level of expertise on the subject.
I got this book at the office yesterday and did little to no work cause I couldn't put it down. Once I got home and was able to devour it in one sitting, I feel like I can't wait to drive my butt to Whole Foods and start a new chapter - one where food is enjoyable again.
It's the process of going through the pages that is captivating. If you're into wellness and healthy eating there may be a lot of things that you're already aware of, but there will be things that will blow your mind over and over. Habits that you thought were in favor of your health and wellbeing, but have actually been pushing you closer and closer to ignorance. It's also not a book that you read once and put down just like that. Mine is already folded up in the most important spots that I know I will want to reference again. It's a book that you'll come back to at the most random moments. It's the best crash course in nutritional education you could get regardless of your level of expertise on the subject.
June 21, 2023
I appreciate this book for many reasons. It's filled with so many interesting facts about food, some that I already knew and some that I did not. It's a very good resource for me because I'm very mindful about ingredients in the food that I eat since receiving a diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis a few years ago. There's a section titled Pushing Pseudoscience as Fact which is not to be skipped. It's eye opening information and I appreciate her research. There's also a list included in the book that lists what you should always buy organic and what's more okay to buy conventional. I find that list to be very useful. As a personal preference I have always avoided anything labelled as low-fat, sugar-free or fat-free as something I didn't want to eat or drink and this book definitely reinforces my decision. Ditching unsafe ingredients is important to me so this book is excellent to me.
July 4, 2017
A must have in every household!
Did you know what GMO's are? Did you know that the most nutrition derived from egg is found in the yolk? Did you know that drinking fresh or unpasteurized coconut water is better than drinking any type of sports drink because it contained nutrients and electrolytes?
Well this book will guide you through the wonderful maze of food and guide you through any grocery aisle. I was wowed with all the myths about food that I've personally grown up with and will certainly make a better food choice after reading this amazing book.
Did you know what GMO's are? Did you know that the most nutrition derived from egg is found in the yolk? Did you know that drinking fresh or unpasteurized coconut water is better than drinking any type of sports drink because it contained nutrients and electrolytes?
Well this book will guide you through the wonderful maze of food and guide you through any grocery aisle. I was wowed with all the myths about food that I've personally grown up with and will certainly make a better food choice after reading this amazing book.
December 1, 2025
This is a beginners guide to how what we eat directly impacts our health. I would say at a bare minimum, this book will get you thinking and asking some questions. It is interesting and makes some valid points.
November 22, 2017
This is the WHY I have to or not have to get a diet!
May 27, 2020
A great guide for home cooks. Covers health benefits and storage tips for fruits and vegetables.
August 22, 2020
Well written and easy to follow. :)
April 20, 2022
Simple and easy to understand great information
October 16, 2024
Informative. Helpful guide when grocery shopping. I miss the days of growing our own food because there are not so good things in our food today.
January 12, 2025
Great information, easy to read & comprehend. Lots of good links to research .
July 9, 2025
trash!! expensive and waste of time!!
February 10, 2024
A useful book in general. Not all of it may be relevant to you and some of us health-conscious folks may already know much of the stuff in here, but it still is a good reference guide to have handy, and there are some bits of valuable info in here that perhaps you don't already know.
For me, the chapter on "pantry staples" that talked about different oils was interesting. I found out that, even though canola oil has omega-3 (which is healthy), due to the way the oil is processed, a lot of this omega-3 gets turned into trans fat. I learned too that the chemical extraction process for most oils is what makes them unhealthy. I was disappointed though, to not find sacha inchi oil and perilla oil mentioned. I read some years ago that these were supposedly healthier choices (and therefore made the switch to using these); it would be nice to get this info verified by other sources.
The chapter on seafood I also found helpful. There are many tables showing you which seafood is safe to eat in terms of mercury levels. There is a lot of info too on farmed fish and its potential harms.
The book is organised by food type: e.g. produce, grains, nuts & seeds, meat & poultry, eggs, dairy, frozen foods, snacks & sweets, etc - which makes a lot of sense. This makes it easy to find whatever you need to fast.
For me, the chapter on "pantry staples" that talked about different oils was interesting. I found out that, even though canola oil has omega-3 (which is healthy), due to the way the oil is processed, a lot of this omega-3 gets turned into trans fat. I learned too that the chemical extraction process for most oils is what makes them unhealthy. I was disappointed though, to not find sacha inchi oil and perilla oil mentioned. I read some years ago that these were supposedly healthier choices (and therefore made the switch to using these); it would be nice to get this info verified by other sources.
The chapter on seafood I also found helpful. There are many tables showing you which seafood is safe to eat in terms of mercury levels. There is a lot of info too on farmed fish and its potential harms.
The book is organised by food type: e.g. produce, grains, nuts & seeds, meat & poultry, eggs, dairy, frozen foods, snacks & sweets, etc - which makes a lot of sense. This makes it easy to find whatever you need to fast.
May 5, 2018
I found the information very enlightening and scary. I will be making changes to my shopping habits.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews