Years ago I would have thrown this book in the trash, or better yet, never picked it up in the first place, as goes against everything I had ever heard about eating "healthy".
My, how things have changed!
"Low fat" and "no fat" have no place in my vocabulary anymore, unless it is to speak of how awful they are!
It started a few years ago when
Joy, one of my best faraway friends, would tell me she NEVER bought that stuff, as it was fake and nasty!
It gradually became my mantra as well, as I became more and more label conscious and realized most of the ingredients on these fake foods were unpronounceable!
Nina Planck's book has no recipes, per se, just basic, simple explanations of why "real food", foods that our great-great grandparents would have eaten, are FAR better than the low-fat/no-fat, fake, industrial processed, crappity crap that lines 95% of our grocers shelves.
In the 70's, when Nina was 2 years old, her parents left prestigious jobs and bought a 60 acre farm in Virginia, and, with virtually no experience, began farming using organic methods.
Growing up eating "real" food, Nina had a great foundation for what was later to become her life's passion.
But...giving way to the diet fads of the 80's, she became a vegan and shunned the meat, butter, and eggs of her youth.
And with that change came problems.
Her digestion was poor, she caught colds and flu, and was moody and tearful.
And, in spite of running 3-6 miles a day, 6x a week, she steadily
gained weight!
This book takes her from her strict veganism to becoming one of the top "real" foods advocates.
Backed with a huge amount of scientific evidence from reputable sources, Nina shows us why a traditional way of eating is FAR better for us than the SAD (Standard American Diet....SAD, indeed).
Her definition of what real food actually is..."it's old and it's traditional"...not only rings true to my ears, but her words are backed with chapter after chapter of facts and proof.
Her 2nd book, "Real Food for Mother and Baby" is a must read for all mama's of young children and those wishing to become pregnant in the near future.
It is now my favorite baby shower gift, along with "Pat the Bunny"!
When all is said and done, "Real Food: What to Eat and Why" is a book of encouragement.
Buy it, borrow it from the library, or if you live close enough, borrow it from me!
I loved it...
I think you will too!
Disclaimer: Nina is obviously an evolutionist and by endorsing this book, I am, by no means, endorsing her every thought!
I also disagree with her take on soy products and canola oil.
Insignificant in light of all the other wonderful stuff in this book!
xoxo,
Cindy
Bruschetta
