31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World

by Ocean Robbins, Joel Fuhrman (Foreword)

31-DAY FOOD REVOLUTION is your guide to liberation from a toxic food world. Author Ocean Robbins reveals the secrets the industrialized food industry doesn't want you to know, how specific ingredients and methods could be making you sick-and what to do about it. And he shows you how-in just 31 days-you can use the amazing power of delicious food to heal your gut, lose excess weight, and lower your risk for disease, all while contributing to a healthier planet.

Ocean's plan includes 31 simple and affordable step-by-step actions that give you a road map to healthy, ethical, and sustainable food. He breaks it down into four parts:
Detoxify: Get rid of the unhealthy foods and environmental factors making you sick.

Nourish: Fuel your body with the healthy micronutrients you need to thrive.

Gather: Build your community and surround yourself with supportive, positive people.

Transform: YOU can be part of the solution. It's a lot easier to change the world than you imagine!

You'll discover amazing secrets, such as how to stop food cravings, why nuts are one of the best snack foods, time-saving habits, and how to catch dangerous ingredients hiding in food labels.

In his nonjudgmental and down-to-earth way, Ocean Robbins meets you wherever you are on your personal journey with food. Then, he provides you with tools that make it easy to eat less sugar, processed foods, and unhealthy animal products-and to happily enjoy whole plant foods, and more fair trade, local, organic, and otherwise consciously sourced fare. Ocean helps you make small improvements that lead to big results. If you want to feel better, enjoy your food more, and help sustain the planet, start reading this book today. In just 31 days you can change your health for the better. And your body will thank you for the rest of your life.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Food, Nutrition, Diets, Cookbooks, Cooking

544 pages, Hardcover

Published February 5, 2019

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband has already been eating this way for several years now and it's played a huge part in keeping him healthy despite the fact that he has the autoimmune disease CIDP. He went from liters of soda a day (for the caffeine to help him through his high stress job), few fruits and vegetables and lots of processed foods to eating a Whole Food Plant Based diet. Instead of now being in a wheelchair, as his doctors predicted, his disease has barely progressed and we think his intensely nutritious way of eating and drinking (he has a 72 ounce smoothie a day, full nutritious ingredients) has kept him so healthy.

It's me who needs to find tune (an understatement) my way of eating. Emotionally I'm attracted to the processed foods of my youth but that is something I can work on and am working on. Even though I was very familiar with the advice in this book, it has helped me to read the step by step chapters towards eating in a healthier way. The only thing I would like from a book like this is for the recipes to be more "Marilyn" friendly (but that's a tall order). I'm still having a hard time taking the steps towards making and liking most of the recipes that the book contains. I do think that if I enjoyed cooking more, I might make more progress with the recipes. Sure wish I had my husband's steel stomach because he happily throws everything in his smoothies, including cooked mushrooms. He's getting all the good stuff but while I gag in the background.

Still, with the help of this book, I'm remembering why I want to put in the effort to eat more fruits and vegetables and ditch processed foods for good. Reading the book over 31 days allows one to make a change each day, with guidance and encouragement. I'm so lucky to have someone in my home who is showing me how it's done and showing such awesome results.

[Joy Schwabach · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the style of this book that makes it such an intimate, fun read. It's like talking to a friend who also has his vices -namely potato chips. Yet his strengths are so great that they inspire yours. And the recipes look great!

I've read at least seven books on plant-based eating and yet, I'm still learning new things, especially from this book.

For instance, we plant-based eaters are always asked: "Where do you get your protein?" Besides detailing the major sources, Ocean Robbins details a study that showed that those who ate a high protein diet between the ages of 50 and 65 were four times more likely to die of cancer than those on a low-protein diet.

I also learned that "more Americans are dying from diet-fueled disease each year than died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the war in Afghanistan and both Iraq wars combined."

Participants in a study "who ate greens regularly halted their mental decline by an average of 11 years."

"Phytoestrogens in soy are relatively weak, and have actually been found to block harmful estrogenic effects."

"To secure milk for humans, baby calves are typically taken away from their mothers in their first day of life."

A good reason to choose organic is to avoid plants raised with "sewage sludge, irradiation, genetic engineering, and most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers."

We also get to hear the story of John Robbins, Ocean's dad, who turned away from an ice cream fortune with Baskin-Robbins to lead his own crusade for healthy eating. This inspired his son, who was nearly named "Kale."

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the author's personal story in this, so for that, I'll round up because this wasn't quite 3 stars for me. I didn't find anything new here. I'm already vegan. The whole idea of eating this way and healing the body isn't new to me. The most inspiring part though was how the author is so passionate and dedicated to this way of life. When his dad opted out of running the Baskin Robbins empire it altered his dad's life. (and of course his.) Those changes in lifestyle are a banner this author raises high. I applaud him for that. So 3 stars.

[Dyane Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Ocean Robbin's book "31-Day Food Revolution"! If anyone could inspire someone to revamp her lifestyle for the better, Robbins can do it, His book is a true labor of love and shows his dedication and passion for sharing his wisdom about true, lasting health with others. Robbins has a vast amount of knowledge from growing up with his mother and father, the bestselling author John Robbins (the classic "Diet for a New America"), and he has a wonderful, positive, and motivating attitude which permeates his writing. I highly, highly recommend reading Robbins' book and buying it as a gift for all those you care about.

[Natalie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good and interesting info and advice.

[Terrie Case · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 31-Day Food Revolution consists of four stages: Detoxify, Nourish, Gather and Transform.

In Detoxify, you learn to stop eating the foods that are bad for you such as processed foods with are high in sugar. Since my diet consists mainly of carbs, this section was important for me to see that the foods that I am currently eating are not providing my body with healthy nutrients, just satisfying my cravings.

In Nourish, you learn to replace the foods you have been eating with healthy choices of real wholesome foods. This is difficult for me and I discovered that my diet is very lacking in nutrients when quizzed.

The Gather section discusses the fact that if we don’t surround ourselves with people who believe in healthy foods and living that it is difficult to maintain our excitement.

The Transform section ends with was to grow our own healthy foods. As a senior, I did not feel that this section necessary pertained to me but it would be helpful to someone with the desire and ability to do so.

Overall, I felt that this book was a good change to a healthy food plan rather than dieting. I felt that the intent to change the mindset of people rather than just helping them to lose weight was a good approach. I enjoyed the recipes and believe they will be easy to cook.


I received an ARC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

[Diane D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never been much of a meat eater with the exception of an occasional burger and turkey on Thanksgiving. I prefer pasta dishes, soups and every type of veggie. I often thought it would be easy for me to become a vegetarian but, I just never took the plunge.

I borrowed this book from the library and was intrigued after listening to the first few chapters on audio. So I decided to order the print edition realizing that there was lots of info I'd like to highlight and refer back to afterward.

The book is written by the vegan grandson of the founder of Baskin Robbins ice cream. So much of what he writes just made sense and the book has also been promoted by people like: Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Mark Hyman, Paul McCartney and several others.

If you are interested in healing your body, losing extra weight and freeing yourself of toxic foods this book provides some easy enough to follow guidelines.

The book is divided into (4) parts -- 1) Detoxify, 2) Nourish, 3) Gather and 4) Transform.

**Detoxify - discusses what foods to eliminate (think all processed foods) from our diet and our shelves.
**Nourish - discusses how to go about fueling our bodies to beat breast cancer and heal your gut by focusing on healthy super foods.
**Gather - discusses the social aspects of food and how lonely people are often negatively impacted by poor food choices as opposed to people who are socially involved.
Transform - educates us as to how to be part of the solution by choosing organic foods and making **our food choices cruelty free.

I the book was well-organized with great ideas for changing your eating habits bit by bit. I learned several interesting things and, I was surprised to learn that eating a high-protein after age 50 just might contribute to cancer and, how eating lots of greens can ward off dementia. The book does not promote a specific diet, it's not preachy and it includes some pretty easy and delicious sounding recipes as well. I really liked this book a lot and, I have already taken steps to purge my pantry and restock it with healthier alternatives as I get ready for beginning the 31-day challenge.

4.5/5 stars

[Brandi D'Angelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, some good messages here. I liked how she expanded beyond the "eat healthy" into eat ethically and environmentally. And, besides the Medical Medium, she's the first author I've found to tout the benefits of celery. I do think there's something to it.

"...if half the lawns in the nation were converted to organic gardens, fruit and vegetable production could double."

"California's livestock industry alone uses more water than all the homes and businesses in the state combined."

[Robin Blankenship · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I do like the idea of this book. A change in eating and habits instead of dieting. Changing a mindset is always better than fad diets. I liked the recipes. But honestly, the book was rather dry for me and really dragged in parts. It was not a fast read at all.



I received an ARC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes at the end are the best part of the book. If you’re already a healthy eater, there’s not a lot of new news in the book. But if you’re just getting started on a healthy journey this book is an excellent resource.

[Casey]

I skimmed half of this book. I didn't learn anything new.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the information in this book, but it isn't really a "31 Day" plan. It's more of a set of guidelines that could be done in a few days or a few months or hopefully implemented for the rest of your life.

My notes:

P 20 If you want to boost your protein levels, consider hemp seeds, flax seeds, or chia seeds.
The Clean Label Project tested 134 of the most popular protein powders sold and found that 55% tested positive for BPA and at least one heavy metal. - cleanlabelproject.org

P 21 Valter Longo of the Longevity Institute at the USC tracked 6,381 adults over the age of 50 for close to 20 years. The study showed that participants who consumed a high protein diet (20% or more of their calories from protein) were 4x more likely to die of cancer than those who consumed a low-protein diet. The increased cancer risk was equal to smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

P 34 2013, Institute for health metrics and evaluation at University of Washington. 678,282 Deaths in United States Annually Caused by an unhealthy diet.More Americans die from diet and disease, Then died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War,The war in Afghanistan, and both Iraqi wars combined.

P 55 Almost one third of Americans are on a diet.Dear than 1% of diets result in successful or sustained weight loss.

P 62 When you start to change your diet,Your body will also go through changes.You can be normal to go throughSymptoms of withdrawalAnd have flulike symptoms.

P 65 BPA is a known hormone disruptor linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease,Asthma, cancer, infertility, low sperm count, liver problems, and ADHD.There are no safe plastic food storage containers.Glass and stainless steel are your best bets.

P 71 Most breakfast foods are essentially garbage. Leftovers from a healthy meal make a gread breakfast. Storing leftovers for another meal is like paying it forward for your future self.

P 75 Cooking takes practice, just like every other skill you acquire. Failure is okay.

P 78 Doctors don't really understand nutrition. Journal of Biomedical Education, 2015 - average doctor leaves medical school with 19 hours of nutritional education. In the US, only a quarter of all medical schools require even a single course in nutrition. Most nutrition courses are focused on specific problems that arise from deficiency of isolated nutrients.

P 89 The human body has about 22k human genes and about 40 trillion fungi, bacteria, and other single celled organisms (known as the microbiome). Antibiotics are designed to wipe out the microbiome.

P 92 Monsanto assured the public that DDT was safe to use. It's never wise to trust a poison manufacturer to confirm the safety of its products.

P 134 Cacao tree produces pods. Inside the pods are cacao beans. Cacao beans that are exposed to heat are called Cocoa. Most chocolate comes from West Africa and is purchased by huge companies such as Hershey, Nestle, Mars, and Cadbury. ~1.5 million children are subjected to forced labor and slavery in the farming of cacao and the industry spurs on human trafficking.

P 213 Every time you buy a food, you are casting a vote. You are not only casting a vote for your health and what you want to look and feel like, but you are also casting a vote for the world you want to live in and giving feedback to the companies that produce our food. What does your vote say? Do you want to end child slavery and human trafficking? Do you want animals treated with respect and free from torture? Do you want your family and our society to be healthy? You have the power to choose what you put into your body. You have the power to buy that will replenish your health or you can buy food that will invite disease and sickness into your body. How will you vote?

P 223 GMO crops such as corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, and sugar beets were never designed to increase flavor, nutritional values, or crop yields. They were never engineered to use less water or fewer pesticides. They were designed to provide intrinsic pesticide production and/or herbicide resistance.

P 254 Journal of Poultry Science calculated that if humans grew at the same rate as today's chickens, a human would weigh 660 pounds by the age of eight weeks. No wonder they can't stand up.

P 255 In many countries, there are laws against animal cruelty. But in the US, each state exempts animals bred for human consumption from those laws. This essentially gives animal producers freedom to do whatever they want without any repercussions. Animals in productions are routinely abused in ways that, if done to a dog or cat, the abuse would lead to the owners being thrown in jail. 94% of Americans believe that animals raised for food deserve to be free from abuse and cruelty. US states have developed "ag gag" laws to hide animal abuse from the general public. This includes jail time for anyone who takes pictures or videos of animals without permission.

P 258 Antibiotics - to keep animals alive in such large numbers within confined areas, the meat industry mixes antibiotics into the feed that the animals receive. It's not just sick animals that recieve medicine, but rather all animals. Antibiotic resistant bacteria (or superbugs) are developoing. These superbugs are no longer treatable with antibiotics and threaten to make common infections lethal.. Many public health officials believe we are entering a "post-antibiotic world" that will allow millions to die. You could say that today's factory farms have become biological weapons factories - they are breeding more bacteria that are killing more people than all forms of terrorism in the world combined. - CDC 2013. - # of Casualties Due to Terrorism Worldwide between 2006 and 2016, Statista July 2017

P 260 Many people in the modern world would be horrified at the thought of eating dogs or cats, as we see them as akin (part of our families) to us. But this is simply a cultural construct.

"Simply to live in the world is to partake, in some way, in death as well as in life. As a human being of conscience, I want to do the least harm, and the most good, that I reasonably can. I want to bring consciousness to the real impact of the choices we make, so that we can be as congruent as possible with the values that we hold not just for the animals, but also for ourselves."

P 267 The USA does not feed the world. We, as a people, have been lied to. We've been told that the US needs GMO crops to produce more food so that we can export it to hungry/starving people around the world. Farmers that use GMO seeds have seen crop yields drop every single year and their amount of indebtedness go up every single year. This is the modern form of indentured servitude. The farmers borrow money from banks to buy the seeds and equipment, then are promised amazing results from the from the likes of Monsanto, but it doesn't happen. Year after year they are given new seeds and new promises and year after year, it fails.

P 273 With your few food choices, you literally have the power to shift the course of your destiny. You can eat the standard diet, in all likelihood you'll suffer from the standard diseases. You can contribute to the status quo, in which food is fueling the torture of animals, destruction of our environment, and diseases for our farmworkers and our consumers.
Or you can make a change-And set yourself on a new path. You can stand for another possibility and seek greater alignment between what you value for your life and for your world. With knowledge comes responsibility. Some things in life are like that. What you know, you can never go back.
Cancer does not care what you think or what you believe. Diabetes does not care what you think or what you believe. Heart disease does not care. Dementia does not care. But these diseases do care what you eat. Because what you eat, determines how you will live. Will you live in sickness? Or will you live in health? How will you help your life be better? How will you help the world be better?

P 274 - 275 Imagine the future. Where is your life headed? When you look back at the end of your life, who do you want to have been? How do you want to have lived? How do you want to have cared for your body? How will your food choices have influenced your life?

At this moment, you have a choice. You can continue on the current path that you will arrive where you were headed. But be aware, a bigger, better, healthier opportunity is available - right now. What diseases do you NOT have to experience? What suffering can you avoid?

Consider for a moment how you feel about clean water and healthy food? How do you feel about the fate of planet Earth. How do you feel about the reality of factory farms? How do you feel about your own health and longevity?

At this moment in time, our entire species faces a choice. We know that factory farms, chemicals, antibiotics, sugar, and processed junk leads to suffering, sickness, and environmental and economic chaos. We also know that when you eat plant-based, your physical and mental health can improve, you have more energy, you sleep better, and experience a sense of connection and compassion.

Which choice will you make?

P 325 Thrive market
localharvest.org/csa
eatwellguide.org - local restaurants, farms, markets that grow sustainable food.
urgenci.net - international community supported agriculture network
foodnotlawns.com

[Adrienne Michetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would probably give 3.5 but I'll give Ocean Robbins the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately much of this book has a judgy tone, even though in several parts he reminds the reader not to judge.. Including one sanguine story where he's in line behind a woman at 7-11 paying for the junk food in her basket using food stamps, which he notices only moments after he silently judges her food choices. There is a lot of that tone peppered throughout, often disguised in anecdotal introductions to chapter topics... For example, this opening to a chapter on breakfast: "Recently, I took my kids on a road trip... The hotel's idea of breakfast was fried bacon... white flour pancakes smothered in "maple-flavored" high fructose corn syrup... No offense to anyone who might enjoy these foods... But this wasn't what I wanted to feed my kids." etc etc, you get the idea. And I'll add that nearly every chapter opens with an anecdote like this -- a story of his own family or a friend or someone he knows and how they came around to "making better choices" when it comes to food. I am all for the encouragement of others to make better food choices -- the evidence is clear that it's killing us and the planet to not make those choices! -- but this kind of smarmy language isn't going to convince most people who actually need convincing.

Back to that research: this book is indeed *filled* with research and it is referenced and mostly unbiased (ie. not cherry-picked) and in that sense alone it deserves accolades. I knew a lot about food choices and their effects on health and our environment before reading this book and still I was prompted in the best way possible to do more of my own research in my community. For example the chapter on pesticides really increased my awareness -- and this is something I thought I knew a lot about due to my own health issues and its links to endocrine disruptors in food. But Robbins' research gave me much more to ponder and take action on.

In general, a worthy book if you can get over the tone. I recommend it in small doses to get past that! His father's book, Healthy at 100, is also highly recommended and has far less of a judgy tone. These two books together offer much in the way of educating us on how to make food choices that will positively impact the planet and our health.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who has read most every significant plant-based nutrition and animal ethics book to come out in the last five years, I’m tired of reading books by people who aren’t actually vegan capitalizing on the vegan train that is hot right now. And as an actual full-time plant-based vegan, I don’t need someone like Ocean Robbins to preach at me about animal ethics while admitting—in his very privileged, new-age, enlightened white male tone—that he occasionally “sources” wild fish and eggs. This tidbit doesn’t come out until about 160 pages in, but it explained the first part of the book that read very neutral on the topic of meat consumption up until that point. In short, something was already fishy, but when Robbins admitted to eating flesh, it all became clear. I just wish I’d known that before I invested in the book, which also intentionally, it seems, shows only vegan food on the cover. The whole text comes across as a vegan manifesto written by someone unwilling to live out these principles in his own life, thus the message seems quite muddled at times. Robbins also often celebrates his own “awareness,” offering stories of times when he was a little boy champion for animals or a “humbled” customer standing behind a single, poor mother in line at the checkout. (He notes that he sent a littler prayer her way.) This patronizing tone was the end for me and the reason I’m compelled to write this review. I only gave it two stars because, word up, those walnut cookies on page 315 are divine, though they are one of the only recipes that doesn’t have 1/2 cup of oil dumped into them. Otherwise, don’t waste your time on this confidence man who ends every chapter with the recommendation that you take a quiz or read some page at his personal website where they’ll gladly sell you snake oil.

[Grazyna Nawrocka · Rating 5 out of 5]

#foodrevolution

It was just a pure pleasure to read this book. The style, language, and the way information is presented are very smooth, sometimes humorous, and always interesting. I am not going to become a vegan any time soon, but it opens my eyes to reality of present problems with food industry. It will cause me to limit severely my meat consumption, and try to establish permanent menu of vegan dishes.

My reasoning was always, that I read so many books, attended webinars and this seemed unending chore to find out what was good for me, but my predecessors just cooked, ate, and lived to late 80s. How is it possible? They didn't go to all this trouble. Then I found out that the soil is not providing sufficient nutrients to our food, and also (as I already knew), adding chemicals, radiation, factory farms, and genetic modifications, created "frankenfood," which is killing us slowly.

I do believe a lot of information in the book is biased, but perhaps I'm wrong. And again, it would appear that it is not only plant eating that will save us, but either having own gardens or eating organic plants. Not many people will be able to afford this.

Who are those monsters, anyway, who are so debased as to create and profit from animal factory farms?

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written, and well-researched book introducing plant-based eating. Ocean Robbins’ arguments are convincing without being dogmatic. I became acquainted to this type of eating through free masterclasses by Robbins and others. Plant sources, like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, organic vegetables and fruit as well as non GMO grains are on the menu. Processed foods are discouraged, even if they claim to be vegan and natural. I was so impressed that I joined the Food Revolution, an online community which offers support, both recorded and live sessions, plus loads of delicious recipes.
That being said, I am not “all in”. I struggle most days to get adequate protein without augmenting my diet with processed smoothies. It demands more time in the kitchen plus what can I say, I miss hamburger, chicken and fish. I do aim for at least two plant-based days a week whenever possible. I am attempting these adaptations for health reasons. I have found that my intake of fruit and vegetables has increased dramatically.
I recommend giving this book a read as it has a lot of good advice in it.
#foodrevolution

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was an eye opening book talking about eating more fruits and veggies (highlighting the benefits of a plant based diet), eliminating BPAs (no more plastic for leftovers!), supporting a GMO after kitchen, healthy lifestyle, and how these changes add up to less disease and an overall better lifestyle. This book is less about recipes (there are a handful at the end of the book) and more about how you live your life. Life stories from the author (grandson of Baskin Robbins founder) and practical ways to live healthier. A big takeaway was the question, “what if I can’t afford to buy organic produce?” He supports a plant based diet regardless! If you can’t achieve perfection, good is still good! Also, it’s ok the take a break from your strict eating habits to enjoy that vacation where you might not be able to get GMO-free organic vegetables, enjoy the potluck and eat foods lovingly prepared by others, give yourself a break and not a guilt trip. This was a library book but I’d love to own it!

[Bernard Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written by Ocean Robbins, the grandson of Irv Robbins of Baskin Robbins fame. His father, John Robbins, refused to take up the family business on an ethical point - Ice Cream was not healthy. He and his father are reknowned leaders in the campaign to affect change in the diets of all Americans.

The core of this book repeats an established theme in diets : we would all be healthier if we had a plant based diet. And in the course of doing so, we would also be saving the planet and upholding animal rights.

But Robbins does this in a way that is less dogmatic than most. He does not expect a one or zero. What he preaches is to simply start with awareness - of what you are eating, how it has been processed, where it comes from and whether it does you more harm than good. And then to take baby steps towards a healthier future.

Carnivores will not like this book but should read it anyway. Has it affected me? Yes. My first project is to go 31 days without soft drinks. Alcohol is fine.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great, I learned so much. I’d rate it a 4.5/5. It was an easy read, the author writes in a way that is easy to understand, and he gives insight on various important health/diet topics: how American diet is related to disease, the difference between organic vs conventional, roundup/glysophate and so much info about Monsanto, the sourcing/factory-farming of animals, keeping our planet sustainable, and he also gives a plan for diet/recipes.

This book confirmed what I’ve read elsewhere, but also adds other topics I’ve never thought of (like how raising animals in industrialized factories is actually horrible for the planet). The book was really fascinating and FULL of powerful statistics.

It definitely has encouraged me to maintain healthier eating habits, buy organic produce from farmer’s markets, and consume meat from a trusted farmer. I highly recommend it if you want to learn how food can destroy health!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this nonfiction about eating healthier and what healthy foods do for our bodies and minds. In addition to information about food, the author gives a good perspective on food as a connection to others and also how our food choices affect the planet. I liked how it had all of those different aspects of food and not just the actual food part.

I eat healthy and have always enjoyed my veggies but this inspired me to eat even better, as well as eat more vegetarian meals. The author has been vegan but he includes meat (consciously sourced) in his information to appeal to a broader range of readers.

Everyone should be more informed about food and how our choices affect our bodies and our planet. This type of stuff (nutrition, the science behind nutrition, our food system) interests me and I loved reading this.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope everyone reads this. While I still prefer How Not to Die which advocates absolutely no harmful animal products, this still is packed with information on why plant based diets are best for the health of people and the environment, and does touch on the horribly unethical factory farming atrocities. I’m personally not a fan of him saying it’s okay to occasionally eat animal products but I do agree that every little bit helps and is absolutely better than the typical SAD. But obviously, no animal products is best, so why not go all in for your health and the planet? But that’s just my stance! :)

[Cobagibu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, I have two ratings for this book. If you have not read anything from Michael Pollan or Dean Ornish than I would give this book four stars. If you have read anything than the rating is a solid three.

I have taken several nutrition classes as well as food ethics classes and as such about 75% of the book was simply a rewording of information that is already out there for the reader. But again, if this is your first foray into wanting to change your eating habits for either your health or to help the planet, Robbins book is an easy read.

[Ann Duddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been eating like this for years, albeit with hits and misses. I read this to get back on course after the holidays, because I respect this author’s father’s writing, and to see how this author approached the topic. I was very pleased. If you are toying with living a whole foods lifestyle - please do, for your health and the health of the planet - this is a wonderful guidebook.

Fun fact: Mr. Robbins’ grandfather was the founder of Baskin Robbins. His father is John Robbins, one of the pioneers of the whole foods movement.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read all kinds of health related books, trying to find the right fit for me. I have a couple of auto-immune diseases, can’t eat night shades, and my husband lives the keto life putting us in opposites sides of the spectrum. That said, this is definitely one of the better books I’ve read. It covered a lot of territory, while mostly feeling relatable. There was a lot to cover, but I really like how he broke the challenges down to simplistic things. Overall, for anyone wanting to eat healthier and more natural, this is a great resource.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of books like this. The information is not new to me, but I find it re-energizing and renewing to always read more. Ocean Robbins presents a very kind and gentle strategy to leave behind the poor standard American diet, to change for one's health and the health of the planet. He offers strategies to dip your feet in to try initially, to push it a little more, and go the whole hog, for each of the subjects he covers in the book.

[The Farmer's Wife · Rating 2 out of 5]

O. K. A good introduction to nutrition; in fact, a solid foundation everyone should start with. However, it's fairly "preachy" in tone; and he throws in quite a bit that is off-topic. In addition, a lot of his book is based on anecdotal stories: such n such did this and cured their diabetes. Or personal history: I apologized to my father for eating chocolate cake at a birthday party in second grade.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would probably give it a 3 1/2 stars for the recipes and food stories the rest is a regualr rehash of a lot of environmentl fea mongering with No real basis in science. Though I agree that WFPB is the way to go food wise-an increase in health and reduction in medical interaction would be huge.

The vast majority of such dietary changes would have no REAL impact on the environment.

global cooling/ice ages/global warming.....

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life. It totally convinced me to embrace a vegan life style. I've seen positive results 2 weeks after shedding what I thought was a healthy diet of lots of vegetables with dairy and some meat. A whole foods plant based diet is the only way to go. It will truly save the health of humans, all life on the planet, and the planet.

[Adriana Tomie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, full of valuable information about how you can help your body do its job by feedling it a whole foods plant based diet. The book has lots of great recipes to help you on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

[Daylynn Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reading this along side The Fate of Food! What a challenge! Has a lot of good information in it, easy to read, lots of resources in the back. Recipes, but I won't be making these particular ones.