[avsfan2]

Ok, I heard about a book on a yahoo! group I belong to so I went to the library and checked it out. I read it in less than two days. Great, great, information in an easy to read and understand format. The book is called "Real Food, What to Eat and Why".

Each chapter is devoted to a different "real" food group...dairy, meat, grains, fats, etc. It's very informative. Maybe it's just because I already agree with everything in there, but this book has really made me think...a lot. It touches on a lot of controversial things but offers some good research and common sense explanations. It makes note of what is "industrial" food vs. what is "traditional" food (i.e. the things that have been on dinner tables for thousands or at least hundreds of years with no ill affect).

It definitely touches on some controversial topics like saturated fat, raw milk, etc. but offers some great insight, I think. It just makes sense, simply put.

Sorry to rave, but it's been a long time since I've read something by someone that explains healthy food in easy to understand terms and is not really "selling" a diet or supplement or whatever. The author was a farm girl in Virginia when she was a child and participated in the first farmer's markets in the D.C. area and went on to start the first Farmer's Markets in London. She's just a regular person who did a lot of research and for the first time in a long time she wrote something that just makes a lot of sense to me.

Just in case you are looking for some extra reading! If you've already read it I'm curious on your thoughts. For some, it will stretch your beliefs wildly. For me, not such a stretch as I tend to have some "against the grain" views from the mainstream but either way, I suggest it to everyone!

[sugarlove]

I haven't yet read that one, but I'll certainly look for it - sounds interesting! Another book I would highly recommend is Marion Nestle's "What To Eat". It has changed the way I shop forever!

I *did* my time as a "dieter"....these days I'm a huge (not so literally anymore! ) advocate of eating REAL food and just adjusting the quantities and making smart choices whenever possible. I've never been happier - eating whole, real and predominantly unprocessed foods makes me feel great, and I LOVE the meals I enjoy each day. The fact that I can eat this way and still lose weight is a revelation to me. It has definitely led to a desire to really understand more about nutrition and healthy eating, so I'm grateful to read whatever I can. Thanks for the recommendation!