Foodology: A Food-lover’s Guide to Digestive Health and Happiness

by Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

"The book will take you on a joint culinary and scientific journey through the gut. It is an unapologetic celebration of what I believe to be the most amazing organ of the body, that will enhance and enlighten the way you cook and eat." —Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

Written by a gastroenterologist and award-winning food writer, Foodology offers a unique perspective on the joy of eating. Explaining the process of digestion and how the food we eat influences the way we feel, Saliha draws on the latest science and her own experiences as both a doctor and a cook, to bring the subject to life. From childhood memories of devouring Indian street food to why munching on a jam doughnut brings gastronomic happiness, Saliha offers 50 new, simple, delicious and mostly vegetarian recipes to help you explore your gut health and find your own gastronomic happiness.

Foodology takes you on a journey from the first smell of food and bite of goodness through to the time it takes for food to leave the system, and all the processes in between. Have you ever thought about why certain smells can make your mouth water, how the texture of food can impact your taste and why some foods can make you bloat? Saliha takes you on an extensive journey through the gut to show you the true joy of food and why gastronomic happiness is so important to our lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Cookbooks, Science, Health

336 pages, Hardcover

Published October 12, 2021

Reviews

[Morten Kølln · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give five stars for Saliha's jokes alone, but there is a lot of knowledge to be gained from "Foodology" that will stay with you for life. The author's background of being both a doctor (gastroenterologist) and a chef (winnner of the british MasterChef competition) gives her a advantageous dual point of view, so you don't just learn what you should be eating, you are also rewarded with recipes that will make you actually want to eat those things that are good for you.

[Paul Foote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saliha Ahmed has written a really informative health/ memoir/ cook book with Foodology. There is a lot to enjoy in this book, with her voice coming through genuinely and well articulated! I've yet to try any of the recipes but I certainly will, as each one included is based around the well-researched and considerately picked foods mentioned within the book. This is definitely worth a read and I'm sure, an attempt at trying the recipes, which all sound delicious and achievable, will be well worth it, for my gut and my appetite. The information given about the gut and our inner workings is really fascinating as well!

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an informational read on creating healthier eating habits, creating better food, and the process our bodies go through when digesting (and afterwards). I learned a lot about spices, how taste buds work, different flavor profiles, cooking tips, gut health, and other digestive knowledge. The author is very upfront with the scientific knowledge we have available on topics, and tells the reader if there hasn’t been enough studies made to know the truth of something.
I loved the lighthearted tone the author uses throughout the book. Dr. Saliha Mahmood Ahmed was great in imparting her knowledge without shaming readers that partake in bad eating habits. She also was not condescending at all (I have come across an author with this attitude before, and it is never enjoyable). Dr. Saliha Mahmood even gives stories of her own experiences, which I thought made the topics more approachable.
Each chapter ends with summary notes, which are really helpful in retaining what the reader has learned. After the summary notes, there are recipes that sound delicious. These recipes fit with the chapter topics, and seem to be flavorful additions to anyone’s diet. (I am going to be purchasing a copy in order to try the recipes, they sounded that good!)

[Kym Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love love love this. Since winning MasterChef UK in 2017, I have really enjoyed watching Saliha cook with such joy and passion about food, cooking and gut health on various TV shows and this book contains more of the same. It reminds me how remarkable and intricately engineered our body is and I love understanding both how we can optimize it and enjoy what we eat. I've marked a few recipes to try too...so it's a big fat 5 stars and an ongoing position on the bookshelf for Foodology!

[Tufty McTavish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly entertaining science-based deep dive through some unexpected topics. It kept me smiling, amused and even laughing out loud throughout, with its pleasant mix of scientific discussion, stories and recipes right alongside their rightful place in the book's exploration of gastronomy.

[Victor Vogt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty enjoyable book, but I felt parts of the scientific message (especially regarding weight gain and obesity) were a bit biased by the author's perspective and overstated the results of certain areas of research. A light fun read however, and good for anyone who likes food and has an interest in digestive health

[Jennifer Broadhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It’s a wonderful melding together of food and digestive science, health information, recipes & gastronomy. Now, I just need to try out some of the delicious sounding recipes.

[Loreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Michael Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Shoshana Rosina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional. Accessible. Inspiring.

[J. Pedro · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is 1/3 storytelling, 1/3 science, 1/3 cooking. Easy to read and enjoyable. I wish the recipes had photos or illustrations.

[Clare Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

humour and good tips

[CadyCan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started 13 May 2021
Struggling to find time to read even a whole chapter in one go which makes it slow going. Really enjoying it tho. Eventually did finish it. The sort of stuff they should be teaching kids in school really. Life would be so much easier not to mention our health care system under considerably less pressure! As of 2023 still haven’t gone back & tried any recipes. Must rectify this! Did however introduce a few vegetarian days to our meals which were inspired partly by this book but also by “How not to die cookbook”

[Amanda Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting take on food and digestion from a gastroenterologist doctor and acclaimed chef.