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Lore of Nutrition: Challenging conventional dietary beliefs
In December 2010, Professor Tim Noakes was introduced to a way of eating that was contrary to everything he had been taught and was accepted as conventional nutrition ‘wisdom’. Having observed the benefits of the low-carb, high-fat lifestyle first-hand, and after thorough and intensive research, Noakes enthusiastically revealed his findings to the South African public in 2012. The backlash from his colleagues in the medical establishment was as swift as it was brutal, and culminated in a misconduct inquiry launched by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The subsequent hearing lasted well over a year, but Noakes ultimately triumphed, being found not guilty of unprofessional conduct in April 2017. In Lore of Nutrition, he explains the science behind the low-carb, high-fat/Banting diet, and why he champions this lifestyle despite the constant persecution and efforts to silence him. He also discusses at length what he has come to see as a medical and scientific code of silence that discourages anyone in the profession from speaking out against the current dietary guidelines. Leading food, health and medical journalist Marika Sboros, who attended every day of the HPCSA hearing, provides the fascinating backstory to the inquiry, which often reads like a spy novel. Lore of Nutrition is an eye-opener and a must-read for anyone who cares about their health.
793 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2017
152 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
Tim Noakes
47 books116 followersTimothy David Noakes is a South African professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Cape Town. He has run more than 70 marathons and ultramarathons, and is the author of the running book Lore of Running.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 17, 2019
This was a great read. If you are interested in nutrition, science or law you should love it. I realize there are people who will quickly “disagree” with Dr. Noakes, as you do. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t read this. If you write off this book out of hand without reading it, you’re the quack.
Dr. Noakes is simply one of the best thinkers and scientists of our generation. He’s asking hard questions and seeking answers. Even in the face of great resistance.
This was an extremely interesting book!
Dr. Noakes is simply one of the best thinkers and scientists of our generation. He’s asking hard questions and seeking answers. Even in the face of great resistance.
This was an extremely interesting book!
November 5, 2017
Lore of Nutrition reads like a real-life John Grisham novel.
Our hero, Tim Noakes stumbles into the path of the wrecking ball of nutrition orthodoxy by learning new facts and changing his mind. He shares his new knowledge, and for that act of public service, the nutrition elite cabal of South Africa decide he must be annihilated. Brought up on false charges. Browbeaten by authorities. Shunned by his peers. Smeared in the press. His reputation destroyed in every way possible.
And also, just like a Grisham novel, our hero prevails despite all his enemies can do to take him down. He exposes their lies. Shows their collusion in their false prosecution. Reveals their deliberate distortions of the scientific record. Sheds light on the industry-driven nonsense that passes for dietary guidelines. And emerges triumphant, vindicated before the world.
Noakes, and his able chronicler Marika Sboros delve deep into the rampant corruption at the heart of South Africa's top universities. They show the amazing self-blinded sad excuses for scientists that fill the top posts of nutrition departments for what they really are. Partisans, not scientists. Idealogues, not researchers. The low-fat lie is their personal creed and no amount of evidence that it's ineffective will dissuade them from claiming it's the holy grail of nutrition.
The HPCSA's witch hunt against Noakes continues as they foolishly pursue an appeal of his being cleared of ALL charges against him. Apparently, they didn't listen to the vast scientific edifice of proof that Noakes and his witnesses laid out in abundance, proving HPCSA's arguments baseless and inaccurate in the extreme.
Lore of Nutrition should be required reading for all going into scientific research. Both as a warning of what lengths the orthodoxy will go to preserve their dead sacred cows, and also as a victory charge cry that truth will never stay silenced, no matter how many oppose it.
Ben Fury
Executive Director
SUGARbriety International
Our hero, Tim Noakes stumbles into the path of the wrecking ball of nutrition orthodoxy by learning new facts and changing his mind. He shares his new knowledge, and for that act of public service, the nutrition elite cabal of South Africa decide he must be annihilated. Brought up on false charges. Browbeaten by authorities. Shunned by his peers. Smeared in the press. His reputation destroyed in every way possible.
And also, just like a Grisham novel, our hero prevails despite all his enemies can do to take him down. He exposes their lies. Shows their collusion in their false prosecution. Reveals their deliberate distortions of the scientific record. Sheds light on the industry-driven nonsense that passes for dietary guidelines. And emerges triumphant, vindicated before the world.
Noakes, and his able chronicler Marika Sboros delve deep into the rampant corruption at the heart of South Africa's top universities. They show the amazing self-blinded sad excuses for scientists that fill the top posts of nutrition departments for what they really are. Partisans, not scientists. Idealogues, not researchers. The low-fat lie is their personal creed and no amount of evidence that it's ineffective will dissuade them from claiming it's the holy grail of nutrition.
The HPCSA's witch hunt against Noakes continues as they foolishly pursue an appeal of his being cleared of ALL charges against him. Apparently, they didn't listen to the vast scientific edifice of proof that Noakes and his witnesses laid out in abundance, proving HPCSA's arguments baseless and inaccurate in the extreme.
Lore of Nutrition should be required reading for all going into scientific research. Both as a warning of what lengths the orthodoxy will go to preserve their dead sacred cows, and also as a victory charge cry that truth will never stay silenced, no matter how many oppose it.
Ben Fury
Executive Director
SUGARbriety International
August 9, 2018
Fascinating, brilliant exposition of the science of nutrition AND exposé of the conspiracy against this science, the web of commercially-motivated misinformation and wilful ignorance of those who are supposed to be committed to "do no harm."
Read
April 4, 2018Really well explained and interesting.
December 14, 2018
It saddens and angers me that the events described in this book actually took place. The South African authorities and universities involved should be deeply ashamed. Sadly, they are probably not.
November 1, 2019
Author Tim Noakes is internationally known as a class A1 scientist (that's a thing in science), a medical doctor who does scientific research, with a long career and expertise in sports science and nutrition. (And I should mention here that several chapters in this book are contributed by his able collaborator, journalist Marika Sboros.)
Noakes is one of the world's leading proponents of eating a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet. The guidelines published by the establishment recommend exactly the opposite. The results have been an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and related often fatal illnesses.
For expressing certain beliefs about his findings, Noakes was attacked and falsely accused of unethical and unscientific practice by elements of the dieticians' establishment in a controversy that was fueled by so-called experts whose careers have been funded by the junk food industry and whose charges were obliterated when put to the test, resulting in Dr. Noakes being found not guilty on all charges. Despite this, he remains a target of vested interests, and both he and his family have suffered unjustly as a result.
I bought this book over a year ago at the recommendation of an acquaintance and started reading it. I put it down for a long time, in part because it was interrupted by other interests and in part because what I was reading was so surprising that I didn't know quite what to think or how to deal with it. I finally picked it up again a couple of weeks ago and pressed on through to the end, including the chapters on the scientific background, which is where Dr. Noakes's expertise lies.
Do I believe what Noakes has said in this book? Yes, I do. I'm not a scientist but do have a scientific leaning and am impressed by and prefer data over opinion. Do I know what I can do about what I've learned in order to benefit myself? Not yet. Noakes is a scientist who does research, not one who passes out explicit advice on what people should eat. For that, there are other books.
For one thing, without spewing my personal medical history in this book review, I have health that would be rated somewhere between very good and superior for a man of my age. Yes, I have a few minor problems, but I'm coping with them. For another, I'm a bonafide sugar addict and openly admit it. I don't mean simply that I like foods with sugar in them and would hate to give them up. I mean I'm addicted to it in the classical sense of that word. If I go two or three days without sweets, I'm liable to rip open and eat an entire box of cookies in a few hours. Most people these days are sugar addicts to some degree. And at my current stage of life, I don't know for sure just what I can do to make lifestyle changes. Frankly, I don't see myself suddenly changing my entire diet after a lifetime of surviving one way without a great deal of effort and grief.
I have, however, stopped taking statins. That's a start.
If you're under sixty years old and still see a future for yourself, I highly recommend you take a serious look at this book. It could change both the quality and length of your life in this system of things.
Noakes is one of the world's leading proponents of eating a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet. The guidelines published by the establishment recommend exactly the opposite. The results have been an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and related often fatal illnesses.
For expressing certain beliefs about his findings, Noakes was attacked and falsely accused of unethical and unscientific practice by elements of the dieticians' establishment in a controversy that was fueled by so-called experts whose careers have been funded by the junk food industry and whose charges were obliterated when put to the test, resulting in Dr. Noakes being found not guilty on all charges. Despite this, he remains a target of vested interests, and both he and his family have suffered unjustly as a result.
I bought this book over a year ago at the recommendation of an acquaintance and started reading it. I put it down for a long time, in part because it was interrupted by other interests and in part because what I was reading was so surprising that I didn't know quite what to think or how to deal with it. I finally picked it up again a couple of weeks ago and pressed on through to the end, including the chapters on the scientific background, which is where Dr. Noakes's expertise lies.
Do I believe what Noakes has said in this book? Yes, I do. I'm not a scientist but do have a scientific leaning and am impressed by and prefer data over opinion. Do I know what I can do about what I've learned in order to benefit myself? Not yet. Noakes is a scientist who does research, not one who passes out explicit advice on what people should eat. For that, there are other books.
For one thing, without spewing my personal medical history in this book review, I have health that would be rated somewhere between very good and superior for a man of my age. Yes, I have a few minor problems, but I'm coping with them. For another, I'm a bonafide sugar addict and openly admit it. I don't mean simply that I like foods with sugar in them and would hate to give them up. I mean I'm addicted to it in the classical sense of that word. If I go two or three days without sweets, I'm liable to rip open and eat an entire box of cookies in a few hours. Most people these days are sugar addicts to some degree. And at my current stage of life, I don't know for sure just what I can do to make lifestyle changes. Frankly, I don't see myself suddenly changing my entire diet after a lifetime of surviving one way without a great deal of effort and grief.
I have, however, stopped taking statins. That's a start.
If you're under sixty years old and still see a future for yourself, I highly recommend you take a serious look at this book. It could change both the quality and length of your life in this system of things.
September 20, 2019
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/...
The other weblink below disappeared From the Lethbridge herald so I posted a national post article which is bias yet corrections will never been seen or issued at Appropriate time. The last one should be good for a few months.
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
I find it odd that health care providers, social workers, health association(that big food and big pharmacy are surrogates to influence government[diabetic Association heart association heart and stroke Association health Association deal with the Crown] from non-profit and have links to Coca Cola, cereals and sugar and refine flour industry or canola industry), pharmaceutical representatives, and doctors are all screaming baby murder for what the Stephan’s feed their baby in the morning for baby food is thought of. Maybe if the health care industry wasn’t trying to ruin the career of a vitamin manufacturer they wouldn’t hold so much contempt. That people working in the hospital shouldn’t feel so angry or mad when they make so much money. If you can’t take the stress with out ruining a family in crisis because of their line of work helping others for a difference whether it be a repeat of corporeal resupination tragedy. Culture has to much contempt, it’s nothing about tolerance or intolerant it plain wrong economical and observant of what that industry has done detrimentally to that family. And yes the herald is a reliable source for all those actuations of baby murder.
Either a broken recovery system or a person’s broken in the system.
Check out this book on Goodreads: Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35...
If your interested to know different court cases on what to feed you child in the morning for breakfast and it taken maliciously check out Tim Noakes book above. The whole court case of his with huge amount of data and research with the little research or data from the sugar and carb industry dietitians and doctors.
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
From a several year court case and millions into court cases from the crown that has these associations involved in.
Right around the same time this court case was an issue. Yet still ongoing.
Serious a great book. Anyone should be reading it in Lethbridge and buy it off amazon. I all ready lent my copy away but worth while book if you’ve been following court cases or want to hear more of court cases. This book was a three year court case finished in2016 same time Stephans court case was issued in 2012 written in 2017 and published 2018. So only a year old. Great book on court and medical court that has so much non profit and government involvement
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
Well done article from the herald as of sept.19
The other weblink below disappeared From the Lethbridge herald so I posted a national post article which is bias yet corrections will never been seen or issued at Appropriate time. The last one should be good for a few months.
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
I find it odd that health care providers, social workers, health association(that big food and big pharmacy are surrogates to influence government[diabetic Association heart association heart and stroke Association health Association deal with the Crown] from non-profit and have links to Coca Cola, cereals and sugar and refine flour industry or canola industry), pharmaceutical representatives, and doctors are all screaming baby murder for what the Stephan’s feed their baby in the morning for baby food is thought of. Maybe if the health care industry wasn’t trying to ruin the career of a vitamin manufacturer they wouldn’t hold so much contempt. That people working in the hospital shouldn’t feel so angry or mad when they make so much money. If you can’t take the stress with out ruining a family in crisis because of their line of work helping others for a difference whether it be a repeat of corporeal resupination tragedy. Culture has to much contempt, it’s nothing about tolerance or intolerant it plain wrong economical and observant of what that industry has done detrimentally to that family. And yes the herald is a reliable source for all those actuations of baby murder.
Either a broken recovery system or a person’s broken in the system.
Check out this book on Goodreads: Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35...
If your interested to know different court cases on what to feed you child in the morning for breakfast and it taken maliciously check out Tim Noakes book above. The whole court case of his with huge amount of data and research with the little research or data from the sugar and carb industry dietitians and doctors.
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
From a several year court case and millions into court cases from the crown that has these associations involved in.
Right around the same time this court case was an issue. Yet still ongoing.
Serious a great book. Anyone should be reading it in Lethbridge and buy it off amazon. I all ready lent my copy away but worth while book if you’ve been following court cases or want to hear more of court cases. This book was a three year court case finished in2016 same time Stephans court case was issued in 2012 written in 2017 and published 2018. So only a year old. Great book on court and medical court that has so much non profit and government involvement
https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/let...
Well done article from the herald as of sept.19
January 1, 2020
Brilliant!
December 31, 2019
Life changer.
October 10, 2018
This book holds life changing information. Everyone should read it.
December 31, 2018
Quality read from a top notch scientist.. will get you thinking about the powers that be when it comes to your daily nutrition
July 23, 2018
I am speechless. There are very few books that have ‘changed my life’. This is one. Prof Noakes is a scientist par excellence, but also a normal person with normal goals and a normal life. His defence to a coordinated attack from ‘junior’ academics (compared to his credentials) showed the conviction of his views to help mankind, poor and rich, to achieve a healthy life style. And there bye save billions in unnecessary health care costs. As a health care professional graduate of one of the Universities covering their names in ignominy, I am ashamed. As a country man (and no more), of Prof Noakes, I am proud and grateful for his scientific acumen, courage and vision.
What a book. Big multinational, unscrupulous food producers, we see through you!
What a book. Big multinational, unscrupulous food producers, we see through you!
March 9, 2018
A fascinating recap of the witch hunt perpetrated on Prof. Tim Noakes, a renowned scientist in South Africa. The South African health establishment and dieticians come out looking like complete anti-science buffoons. An enthralling yet sad tale.
August 27, 2018
Mind-blowing
Turns out pretty much everything I 'knew' about healthy eating was wrong. This is a long, detailed and moderately scientific read that isn't the easiest to get your head around, but you can't really afford not to.
Turns out pretty much everything I 'knew' about healthy eating was wrong. This is a long, detailed and moderately scientific read that isn't the easiest to get your head around, but you can't really afford not to.
November 17, 2025
Fantastic book.
I'll admit the story of the trial proceedings gets very long, but I learned a lot about how medical bureaucracies operate. It's an important story to tell
The information about health and nutrition is fantastic! Tim Noakes is a courageous, caring person!
I'll admit the story of the trial proceedings gets very long, but I learned a lot about how medical bureaucracies operate. It's an important story to tell
The information about health and nutrition is fantastic! Tim Noakes is a courageous, caring person!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews