Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating

This book should be mandatory reading for anybody who eats food (that would be ALL of us), and especially for my fellow residents of the United States, where we unforuntately suffer from what I might call "nutritional illiteracy". What makes this book great is that its purpose is NOT to promote a diet- its purpose is to inform the reader about nutrition. Willet does not have an agenda- he's not trying to sell you on a diet, a line of supplements, snacks, or pills. He's not trying to get you to subscribe to a program. He's just trying to inform you about NUTRITION. In simple, easy to read language, he explains what happens inside of your body when you eat particular foods, and what the greater impact of that effect is in the long run. Generally speaking, the points that Willet makes are painfully obvious, once explained. A perfect example of this is his clear explanation of how and why so many people with American, western pattern diets inflict diabetes upon themselves. I had always been told vague pieces of advice from well-meaning people who would say things like, "don't eat too much sugar, or you'll get diabetes" and "too much white bread/pasta/rice will give you diabetes". Unfortunately, nobody could tell me HOW or WHY this was the case. Willet explains, in very simple terms, how different foods are absorbed at varying rates of speed within our bodies... there is some slightly more advanced science behind this, but basically refined foods (like refined sugar and enriched flour) break down too quickly, and force our insulin production to spike. The more frequently this is done, the worse off your body will be, and it creates a vicious cycle of insulin spiking (not to mention the hunger and fatigue that result from eating refined foods). Thanks to Willet's clear explanations, I was finally able to understand what impact refined foods have on my body- and why I should stick to whole grains whenever possible. Another fine example is how Willet points out that the Food Pyramid was created by the USDA, whose purpose is to protect the interests of American farmers... so why would you ever trust what they were telling you to eat?! Fortunately, the Food Pyramid has been done away with, but a lot of us grew up studying that cursed thing (I'm 32). Finally, Willet puts into very clear terms that the single worst food you can ingest is refined sugar. Fat doesn't make you fat... SUGAR does! But wait, you say... what about sugar substitutes? Does Willet address those? Aren't they bad for you, too? Turns out they MIGHT be, but the existing body of evidence says no. Willet points out that nutritional science is always changing, because the research and data is ever growing- and he periodically revises his book to reflect that. I keep this book close at hand, and use it as a reference. Whenever I'm wondering about a particular food, I look it up in the glossary and take a moment to educate myself. There is nothing more important to your health than the foods you eat, and as such, this book is an invaluable resource. I'm so glad I discovered it, and took the time to read it. It will positiviely affect my health and well being for the rest of my life :)

Books on dieting and nutrition are available in endless numbers (perhaps exceeded only by the number of cookbooks ;-)). The trouble is that 95% of such books are crap, being authored either by persons without the proper background for expertise or with a strong agenda aside from educating the reader, or often, both issues. This book is authoritatively and objectively written by Dr. Willett and as such brings to the market a much needed *reliable* source of information. It should be noted that this is *not* a diet book. Dr. Willett is a nutritional epidemiologist, and so true to form, he expounds on the known links between dietary choices, and various forms of disease, as they have been established over time by epidemiological studies. It's also important to point out that Dr. Willett does not here describe the results of the latest study on this or that, and thank goodness, because he confines what he presents to associations that are based on solid evidence - that is, large, well designed, and multiple studies, and therefore, knowledge that can be relied upon. Where he does on occasion mention *apparent* epidemiological links that need further study to validate, he dutifully and carefully indicates that with caveats. Dr. Willett also respects the reader - although this is written appropriately for a general audience, he nevertheless engages the reader with mechanistic explanations for why a dietary choice is associated with disease, if the mechanism is known, for example. I was thankful that although the book is on dietary choices, he includes a chapter on weight control and exercise. While it could be considered to be offtopic, Dr. Willett is an MD/PhD, and rightfully includes this chapter because of the overriding strength of the epidemiological evidence for *these* lifestyle choices, as well as *what* to eat, keeping the big picture goal of patient health in mind. All in all, I can't say enough good about this book. If you care about your health, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you buy and study it thoughtfully, and implement his recommendations. I have been doing that, and have found that I feel better, and have been losing weight in terms of short term benefits. Of course the long term benefits of reduced risk for so many chronic disease patterns are at least as important in the end.

I found this book to be a very solid approach to the subject of nutrition, grounded in good science and free of any extremist thinking that can make so many diet plans impossible to follow. It did a really great job of describing how scientific thinking goes back and forth, and how studies and recommendations are so frequently based on accomodations and politics. I would recommend it to just about everyone, with a few reservations: 1. As one reviewer stated, the book is ten years old (with a six year old revision), so it's no longer cutting edge. Lots of what is said is all over the media, like the benefits of nuts. And much as I appreicated the discussion of overhyping calcium, there is more to dairy than just calcium and it's quite possible that milk products may be much better than the author thought in 2000. Yogurt especially should be considered as a potential health food. None of this is a refection on the author, of course, but just the inevitable impact of age on a book of this sort. 2. Like so many books about food, the author is a bit sanguine about the difficulties of adopting a new diet. His diet plan is far less restrictive than some, but readers should still be prepared for just how much they will still crave foods like white bread and sweets. Far from being a social construct as the book suggests in one spot, the human preference for rich and highly refined foods is inborn and (I would speculate) based on the fact that such foods are simply easier to eat and digest. 3. My personal approach is to buy the most natural food I can under most circumstances. Much as it recommends whole foods like grains and nuts, the book does not really discourage use certain margarines and artificial sweeteners. I would generally avoid such things simply based on the past experience that many factory foods have turned out to have more problems than anticipated. 4. I would make more assertive use of supplements than the book recommends. I typically take 8 or 9 different tablets daily, including extra D and a B complex, and I think it is helpful. When it comes to exercise, healthy eating and weight loss, there is no such thing as "easy". There is such a thing as "possible", and this author does a pretty good job of getting us thinking on that track.

Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, by Dr. Walter Willet, has so many HOLY S*** passages in it, you may find yourself examining government supported dietary guidelines with a much needed microscope. The suggested seven healthy changes represent a rational approach to prolonged health: watch your weight, eat fewer bad fats and more good fats, eat fewer refined-grain carbohydrates and more whole-grain carbohydrates, choose healthier sources of protein, eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, BUT HOLD THE POTATOES, use alcohol in moderation, and take a multivitamin for insurance. If you do nothing more than read the introduction you'll have gone a long way to improving your health. For example, "Nutritionist and diet books alike often call the potato a perfect food....The venerable baked potato increases levels of blood sugar and insulin more quickly and to higher levels than an equal amount of calories from pure table sugar." SAY WHAT? While this next quote comes from Chapter 8, it's my personal favorite, "Imagine dumping seven to nine teaspoons of sugar onto a bowl of cereal. Too sweet to eat? That's how much sugar is in a twelve-ounce can of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Orange Crush, or most other sugared soft drinks, and we drink the stuff by the gallon." Think of that the next time you see someone sipping on a Big Gulp! The evidence is all around us, our nations dietary habits have to change or we're doomed. Dr. Willett's, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, is a must-read for anyone interested in long-term health and rational, well-balanced, dietary information.

Most of us would like to know how to go about eating in a way that will optimize our longevity and vitality. Unfortunately, there is a super-abundance of information about eating thrown at us, much of which is rife with half-truths or is just plain wrong. Some sources have an agenda, such as selling us products that enrich their bottom line but line our bottoms with unhealthy fat. Others are well-meaning but are working from an inadequate scientific base - witness the diet fads that have come and gone with regularity. Dr. Willett has been to the mountaintop and received the wisdom to guide us in our quest. As the principal investigator for path-breaking studies observing two large populations followed over time, he has had the unique opportunity to correlate their nutritional habits with their health outcomes. That research has provided some of the best evidence of the benefits and limitations of specific dietary elements that is available today. This book distills the insights gained from these studies and other parallel studies by other investigators into a practical guide for planning one's own optimal diet. The good news is that there are many degrees of freedom to the individual in planning his or her diet. It isn't necessary to eliminate carbs, or reduce fats, or stock up on proteins. The emphasis is on the right kind of carbs and fats and proteins. Within those boundaries, there are many different ways to accomplish the goal. I highly recommend this book for those who want to improve their chances of avoiding strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and a host of other chronic diseases. You will still have work to do to determine which of the choices works best as a plan you can stick with in the long haul, but that's a lot better than bouncing from pillar to post with the latest fads. I'm a medical doctor with experience in critically reviewing the medical literature and judging the strength of evidence in research papers. There have been some new developments since this book was published that are worth knowing about, but you will hardly go wrong by studying it carefully, re-reading several times and drawing from its wisdom.

Everything you might want to know about what to eat and what to avoid.

Using single facts about people's eating habits without correlation to how they ate before the study or the myriad details of what else they eat that could contribute to better or worse statistics, this book bends the numbers where the author desires. Discussions of study data do not take into account general good and bad eating habits along with a specific fact the author wishes to prove. While the author openly disclaims that the result of any good study is more studies focused on the points not yet proven, unfortunately, some half-baked conclusions are made with the suggestion that more study is needed to prove that point. So as you read this, you have to sort out what actually happened from what might happen in a hypothetical future study. In at least three quarters of the guidance in the book, it appropriately couches the statements with may, might, could, and probably. But then the issue is that it further discusses those probable points as fact. Even the Whole Grain Council will put a hard number like 7% on population with gluten sensitivity, regardless of how absurd that is. The book is out of date. It talks about the trans fat crisis as a current event. If you read this without first reading more modern nutritional advice, you'll find good advice for its day less the advances made in nearly a decade. For example, while the book goes on at length about the differences between refined and whole grain, and it segments the three well-known fats, it doesn't parse saturated fat into what we know today about MCT and palmitic versus oleic acid. However, the basis of the book is some of the largest and longest studies ever done and they do contribute some general guidance, dispute long held beliefs, and clearly tear apart RDA and the old pyramid. On the Cordain to Campbell scale, this book leans slightly away from grain at times but it offsets that with a categorical fear of saturated fat driven by three letter acronym associations influenced by agribusiness. As one of many I've read recently, I got the least information from this book. Nutritional science is moving too fast for a 2005 edition.

If you want to know what science says, this is the authoritative book. His most startling point: Rapid increases in blood sugar caused by eating refined carbohydrates and potatoes cause heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. In general, he recommends eating a lot of vegetables, beans, and fruit, plus some good fats and lean protein. Dairy products should be limited to one to two servings per day. Refined carbs and potatoes should be avoided. Exercise is important. The prescriptions are the same as the South Beach Diet, but he stops short of saying high blood sugar and the resulting high production of insulin definitely cause weight gain -- he says they may. If you are looking for a health book to give to a relative or friend, this is ideal. It's clearly written, easy to understand, and the recommendations are safe and easy to follow. P.S. Perhaps in a future book or study, Willett could explore the relationship between insulin and weight further. Maybe blood sugar levels, not calories, determine weight gain or loss. This would explain why the Chinese supposedly eat more calories than we do, yet weigh less (China Study). It would also explain why it's possible to eat a low-fat, low-calorie diet high in refined carbs and be obese, while another person could be slim while eating more calories but fewer refined carbs. (This is not to say you could overeat and remain slim, since overeating anything, including low-carb foods, also causes blood sugar levels to rise.)

The content is nice, of course, but the book could be of higher quality, materialy speaking. It's not too big of a problem, though.

This is such a great book. I'm studying nutrition and have read lots and lots of books on this subject but this is definitely on the top of my list! Anyone interested in nutrition or trying to change his/her eating habits should read it!

ハーバードの専門家による、科学的エビデンスを重視した一般向けの栄養学入門書です。食文化などの違いのため、直接的に実践につながりにくい記述が多いですが、医療上の栄養指導におけるヒントを十分に得られると思います。我田引水が多いですが、比較的バランス取れた記述と感じました。所々に、アメリカの食品業界、ロビー活動に対する怒りが散りばめられています。

Not hip, but very practical if you really want to know what to eat to stay (or become) healthy. Contains useful nuggets of information about topics that people who write for hype will just skip. I actually bought the kindle version first and then got the physical book for the recipes.

Ein sehr detailliert recherchiertes Buch, dass kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt, was fehlgeleitete Regierungsempfehlungen angeht und wirklich nur die Sachen empfiehlt, die in großen, langjährigen Studien nachgewiesen wurden. Somit bleiben auch ein paar Fragen offen, die eben wissenschaftlich noch nicht hinreichend geklärt sind. Einziger Negativepunkt sind die Rezepte. Ob man die ausgewählten 77 Rezepte nun mag oder nicht, ist eine persönliche Frage (ich habe nur eines gefunden, was für mich in Frage kommt). Aber mit der Anleitung aus dem Buch ist es ja kein Problem im Internet Rezepte zu finden, die den Aussagen des Buches entsprechen. Was ich aber ziemlich doof finde ist folgendes: Im Buch wird an tausend Stellen gesagt, wie wichtig Gemüse ist. Die allermeisten Rezepte haben allerdings entweder gar kein Gemüse oder nur sehr kleine Anteile. Insofern sind die vorgestellen Rezepte zwar sicher gesund (und besser als das, was üblicherweise sonst gegessen werden würde), aber der Kernaussage des Buches werden sie leider nicht gerecht.