Food and Nutrition: What Everyone Needs to Know®

by P.K. Newby

From gluten-free to all-Paleo, GMOs to grass-fed beef, our newsfeeds abound with nutrition advice. Whether sensational headlines from the latest study or anecdotes from celebrities and food bloggers, we're bombarded with "superfoods" and "best ever" diets promising to help us lose weight, fight disease, and live longer. At the same time, we live in an over-crowded food environment that makes it easy to eat, all the time. The result is an epidemic of chronic disease amidst a culture of nutrition confusion-and copious food choices that challenge everyday eaters just trying to get a healthy meal on the table.But the exhilarating truth is that scientists know an astounding amount about the power of food. A staggering 80% of chronic diseases are preventable through modifiable lifestyle changes, and diet is the single largest contributing factor. And we also know the secrets to eating sustainably to protect our planet.In Food & Nutrition, Harvard- and Columbia-trained nutrition scientist Dr. P.K. Newby examines 134 stand-alone questions addressing "need to know" topics, including how what we eat affects our health and environment, from farm to fork, and why, when it comes to diet, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts-and one size doesn't fit all. At the same time, Newby debunks popular myths and food folklore, encouraging readers to "learn, unlearn, and relearn" the fundamentals of nutrition at the heart of a health-giving diet. Her passion for all things food shines through it all, as does her love of the power of science, technology, and engineering to help create healthier diets for ourselves, and a more sustainable future for the planet we share.

Genres: Health, Food, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Science, Self Help

316 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2018

Reviews

[Annie Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking to read the truth about the most controversial questions in nutrition - this is a really good one to check out.
PK knows of what she speaks, is a clear authoritative voice and does not hold back with detail.
If you want ALL the background biochemical explanations as to why things are as they are...if you want to know the line between what is proven and what is not, here it is.
Detailed.

If you are looking for an easy book to help you eat well...and want pictures...and don't have time to read...this isn't the place to start.

[Jung]

There are a lot of dietary choices out there, and trying to pick foods that are healthy for both you and the planet can be overwhelming. But some ground rules do exist: Ultra-processed foods and concentrated animal feeding operations can contribute significantly to harmful carbon emissions and climate change. By paying attention to labels, you can keep a better eye on nutritional value, as well as support humane farming practices. Finally, you can seek out probiotic and prebiotic foods to support a healthy digestive system.

Actionable advice:

Drink filtered coffee.

Coffee is an excellent source of antioxidants. If you drink between three and five cups a day, you may lower the risk of heart disease and even stave off type 2 diabetes. But all coffee is different, of course, so how do you pick the kind that’s best for you? Well, you’ll get the most benefits by drinking filtered coffee, while coffee containing grounds can mean an increased amount of “bad cholesterol” – which negates all of coffee’s potential health benefits.

What to read next: Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Weston Andrew Price

If you’d like to learn more about the dangers of processed foods, you’ll enjoy Nutrition and Physical Degeneration: A Comparison of Primitive and Modern Diets and Their Effects. You’ll discover how the sugars and sodium in processed food can harm our bodies – and how we might benefit from looking back at what our ancestors ate before the Industrial Revolution.

[Tuğrulcan Elmas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few new info, and a lot of discussion on inconclusive studies. The book would benefit from a bit of structuring. The paragraphs felt like word cloud of studies.

Some insights I got, hopefully will apply for new years
- Avoid processed meat (associated with colorectal cancer) and reduce red meat (I think I'll reduce red meat to eating kebabs out with friends)
- Frozen and canned vegetables are good unless they contain extra salt and sodium. They may be even better if they are canned or frozen after picked up from the farm, than regular vegetables
- Natural, raw, clean eating are just buzzwords and plants from organic and conventional farming don't really matter (there are other variables but they are just too complex to write here or manage at all)
- Grass fed beef is better than grain fed but I'm going to reduce red meat so does not really matter
- Big breakfasts and light lunches and dinners may be better
- Consume less salt and have your salt iodized
- Eat tofu
- Limit saturated fat, consume sunflower or olive oil
- Have a diverse diet to take all aminoacids
- 5 fruits and vegs combined a day
- Gluten free may be bad for you if you are not allergic
- Milk is healthy but you do not need it since most people take the same nutrients from elsewhere
- Look for live active cultures of bacteria in yoghurt to find good yoghurt
- Filtered coffee is better than boiled (Turkish) coffee (oops)
- Stop eating when 80% food (okinawan mantra)
- It's better to eat and chew fruits and mixed nuts than drink in a smoothie even though the smoothie still contains the fiber because you feel more full with the former (the concept of caloric compensation)

[Isabel Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good, especially for the scientific minds that want to have the details of every single aspects around food. I really enjoyed her honnesty and writing.

It might be a bit difficult for some to follow. It seems to be more science and academic style.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a very comprehensive overview of nutrition. This is a great place to start your search for health, but might not bring much to the table if you've read a pile of nutrition books.

[Nick Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thorough but very dry skim through most food and health topics. Little analysis of power and politics of food, rather a narrow focus on weight, biomarkers and nutrition panels. Some odd references, a strange love of big tech, and an overuse of 'salubrious'.

[Vikrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars - Really really good information, but I wish that there was a little more context and a little more stories about the discoveries. Even if it made the book longer, it’d be faaar more interesting a read, and truly reach Bill Bryson levels if redone and done well!

[Mary Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of great information on food and nutrition. Written by a doctor.

[Mills College Library]

613.2 N535 2018

[Nicole Heinlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t learn anything new from this book, but justified what I already knew about nutrition. This is a great book for someone who wants the basics or are starting on a health journey.

[Cameron_Asao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent so far. Exactly what I was looking for. Will continue.