By Brad Pilon,
MS
When it comes to diet
and nutrition books it feels like a new book comes out every
single day. Each book has it?s own special take on how we
should be eating and what we should be eating.
To help
you cut through all the craziness and jumbled advice, here is
my list of the top ten best nutrition books.
1. ?The
Biology of Human Starvation? ? Dr. Ancel Keyes - Probably
the seminal work on human nutrition.
These two books
(Volume 1 and 2) are absolute must-reads for anyone who is
giving nutrition advice. In fact, I don't think you should
ever give any sort of nutrition advice without first having
read both volumes of this book and analyze and scrutinize
every word.
As with all nutrition
books, it is not perfect, but I find the mistakes in
some of Keyes assessments to be just as valuable as his
correct assessments. Truly a must read.
2. (tie)
?What to Eat? & ?Food Politics? ? Dr. Marion Nestle -
If you want to truly understand the food industry, and the
incredible adaptability of the human body then these two
nutrition books are also must reads. Great background into the
role government and lobby groups play in deciding what ends up
on our dinner plates!
3. (tie) ?Food Marketing?
& ?Why We Eat? - Dr. Brian Wansink - More must reads.
If you are interested in why we eat, why we think we are
hungry and the impact that marketing has on our diets, you
must read these two books.
4. (tie) ?Omnivores
Dilemma? & ?In Defense of Food? - Michael Pollan -
People seem to read these two books in a way that always
supports there existing view points. Regardless, they are both
good reads. As with all books, they need to be analyzed, not
just simply absorbed, but they are both valuable educational
tools.
5. ?How to Read a Paper? - Trisha
Greenhalgh ? Probably the hardest read of the top five, but If
you are going to start 'reading' science papers and abstracts
then you must know how to actually analyze a research
paper.
The truth is analyzing a research paper can be a
very difficult and time-consuming task. This nutrition book is
an immense help in this regard and is an absolute must for
people who blog about nutritional science. If I were running a
graduate course in nutrition this and the Biology of Human
Starvation would be the only two compulsory
reads.
6. ?Health Food Junkies? - Steven Bratman
- Probably could have been in the top 5 if I didn?t think more
people need to read Trisha Greenhalph's work. This nutrition
book has an amazing viewpoint on the whole health craze that
will probably make you think twice about following the latest
fitness guru diet craze.
7. ?The Obesity Myth? -
Paul Campos - I disagree with most of this book, but it's
important to know the opposite argument. If you want to read
about the alternate view, that being overweight isn?t really
treatable, or that being overweight isn?t necessarily
unhealthy, then this is a very interesting (and challenging
read).
8. ?Good Calories Bad Calories? Gary Taubes -
The first 1/3 of this book is an excellent review of how
lobbyist groups help to set national nutrition
recommendations. While definitely well written I found the
rest of this nutrition book is very slanted towards low-carb
diets, and rather heavy in rhetoric and
speculation.
9. ?The End of Overeating? ? Dr.
David A. Kessler. An excellent review of the psychology of
overeating, pointing out the similarities between drug
addiction and addiction to high fat, sugar and salty foods.
Kessler presents a compelling argument that many people are in
fact struggling with an addiction rather than some form of
nutrition or lack of exercise problem.
10. ?Eat Stop
Eat? ? Brad Pilon - Mostly this is just gratuitous self
promotion, but it does fit in very well with this series of
readings. If you are interested in the scientific research
behind the use of intermittent fasting for weight loss then
you should find this book to be both up to date and accurate.
Of all the nutrition books on this list, Eat Stop Eat offers
the simplest solution for weight loss.
****
Brad Pilon is a nutrition
professional with over eight years experience working in the
nutritional supplement industry specializing in clinical
research management and new product development. Brad has
completed graduate studies in nutritional sciences
specializing in the use of short term fasting for weight
loss.
His trademarked book Eat Stop Eat has been
featured on national television and helped thousands of men
and women around the world lose fat without sacrificing the
foods they love. For more information on Eat Stop Eat, visit
www.eatstopeat.com
