|
Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Vintage) |  | Author: Gary Taubes
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $9.82
as of 11/20/2009 21:25 CST details
You Save: $7.13 (42%)
New (42) Used (17) from $9.82
Seller: a1books
Rating:  243 reviews
Sales Rank: 1757
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 640
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4
ISBN: 1400033462
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.283
EAN: 9781400033461
ASIN: 1400033462
Publication Date: September 23, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Tell A Friend
| |
| Features:
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
For decades we have been taught that fat is bad for us, carbohydrates better, and that the key to a healthy weight is eating less and exercising more. Yet despite this advice, we have seen unprecedented epidemics of obesity and diabetes. Taubes argues that the problem lies in refined carbohydrates, like white flour, easily digested starches, and sugars, and that the key to good health is the kind of calories we take in, not the number. In this groundbreaking book, award-winning science writer Gary Taubes shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 243
 If You are serious about living healthier, a must read November 17, 2009
Readsvoraciously
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A ton of historical, factual, scientific information that will blow your mind, make you think, change your viewpont, and give you a different perspective on what we eat, how we eat, and what it does for and in our bodies. I could say more, but it's ALL been said by others. I just wanted to add to the positive numbers :)
 Refined carbohydrates alone can't explain the diseases of civilization November 15, 2009
D. M.
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
If you want a book that will be good for your heart and help you lose weight, read The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease or The China Study. Mr. Taubes may be a gifted writer, but he is no expert in nutrition. Following the advice in The China Study reduces cholesterol by reducing the saturated fat from meat and vegetable oil, reduces inflammation by reducing arachidonic acid from meat and omega-6 from vegetable oil, increases vitamin D, and reduces IGF by reducing meat and replacing refined carbohydrates with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. A large epidemiological study in rural China that showed remarkably low rates heart disease, cancer and diabetes provides strong evidence that Dr. Campbell, a career scientist in the field of nutrition, knows what he's talking about. And you don't have to be a vegan to benefit from eating less meat and eating more whole plant foods.
And Taubes isn't telling you the whole story. He just gives evidence he thinks will convince you of his position. This is a controversial subject because all the evidence doesn't neatly fit one hypothesis or the other. You have to look at the weight of the evidence. And you'll never be able to do that if you only read Taubes and people who agree with him.
Although Taubes rejects the lipid hypothesis, it is considered a scientific fact by the medical community. Even Chris Masterjohn, who advocates high protein and high fat, believes oxidized LDL causes atherosclerosis. Not everyone who gets heart disease has cholesterol over 200mg/dL. With over a dozen major risk factors for heart disease it can be hard to know which factor is having the greatest effect. But heart disease just doesn't exist in people with total cholesterol below 150mg/dL. With very little inflammation a value over 200mg/dL might be healthy. With a lot of inflammation 175mg/dL might be too high.
What about people who eat high protein and high fat and remain healthy. Taubes offers the Masai and the Inuit as prime examples. The reason the Masai have low cholesterol levels in spite of eating a lot of saturated fat is because they eat local plants that have a powerful cholesterol lowering property. When they stop eating these plants, their cholesterol goes up and their rate of heart disease goes up. And the Inuit people have lower cholesterol than you would expect for genetic reasons. And they have the worst longevity statistics in North America.
No rational person can doubt that the advice given in those three books works for a lot of people. Even Taubes himself says that he can't be certain that eating all the protein and fat you want is harmless. And his rant is against refined carbs, not the unrefined ones. Obviously some people can handle carbs better than others. And some people can handle fat better than others. Maybe someone will come up with a blood test so individuals can know what works for them. Then there would be no need for a debate about a one size fits all solution.
Good Calories, Bad Calories October 30, 2009
Imelda S. Rabben (USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Gary Taubes presented a compelling and well- researched book on health and diet. Why it is taking so long for the experts on nutrition and diet to accept it and verify that we must keep our food just like in the very long past, lean, simple, from the earth, shows the force of political and commercial involvement in what should be for the good of all.
Good Calories Bad Calories October 22, 2009
Eve Gabriel
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
One of the best books on nutrition I've read in years.
Succinctly written, yet thorough. A great historical
review of weight management during the past 100 years.
A compelling discussion of metabolic syndrome and a
convincing argument for treating obesity, diabetes and
heart disease as symptoms of one endocrine disorder.
Bravo! to G. Taubes for tackling this giant, and for
his reasoned, unbiased work.
 Best book I've read on modern nutrition debate October 16, 2009
EMM (Long Beach, CA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Overwhelmingly academic at times, this is like a semester long course in the modern nutritional debate, carbs vs. fat vs. protein, etc, etc
Great achievement by Mr. Taubes to have written such an exhaustive book.
Certainly the most definitive title to-date on nutrition.
The only drawback would be that at some points I was overwhelmed with the academic data and detail of his study, but for those inclined it will be great.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 243
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. . | |
