Is it really possible that eating more fat is the key to better health? It depends on the fat, according to Dr. Artemis Simopoulos. The Omega Plan shows, in great detail, the difference between omega-3 fats, those found in fish and some green vegetables, and omega-6 fats, which are found in most meats and vegetable oils. The former have heart-protective and cancer-preventive properties; the latter, she writes, cause obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression, and a host of other ills. Omega-3 fats are at the heart of her plan, along with ample servings of fruits and vegetables. Unlike diets based on deprivation, Simopoulos offers some fairly lush food choices, including an ounce of cheese every day. Best of all, The Omega Plan is bursting with so much useful information about food shopping and preparation that you'll be able to use its advice the second you put the book down.
This is a great introduction to the Mediterranean diet, and by diet I mean style of eating, not a weight loss plan. There are great tips on simple changes you can make to your way of cooking and eating to be healthier.
tl;dr - focus your diet on “healthy fats” rather than on carbohydrates (other than fruits and vegetables), the term referring to foods high in Omega 3s such as EVOO, flaxseeds, walnuts, seafood and other foods promoted in the now popular Mediterranean Diet. Though these advices are widely accepted today, the book was published a while back in 1998.
This is a science-based eating plan for life, not just a short-term restrictive diet, written by Artemis Simopoulos, MD, FACN, founder and president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health.
The plan is based on the centuries-old traditional diet of Crete, which contains about four times more omega-3 fat than omega-6 fat. Our modern diet contains too much omega-6 fat and not enough omega-3 fat. This imbalance of essential fatty acids in our modern diet has been linked to the prevalence of our modern diseases - heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, allergies, diabetes and depression. Many scientific studies are cited to support these claims, and footnotes are given for these studies for those who want further information. There are lists of suggested reading, for the lay readers and for medical professionals.
The Omega Diet provides: *seven simple dietary guidelines (not rigid rules) for optimal physical and mental health * a concise guide to the foods you need to restore your body's nutritional balance * a diet plan that lets you eat fat as you lose fat * fifty recipes that are quick and easy to prepare * a comprehensive three-week menu, for those who need a structured program to help you get started originally published in 1998 as hardcover edition, under the title
This book was published in 1999 and though the information about Omega 3 oil has been around for awhile now, I leaned quite a bit of information I hadn't known about omega 3 oils. In fact, The Omega Diet has so much useful information, even vegetarians can take away lots of useful information. I was also impressed with the Fatty Acid Primer and with the clinical studies that demonstrated positive effects of omega 3 oils. The Omega Diet has lots of scientific studies backing it. The list of greens with Omega 3 oils and the baking tips for using flax meal and flaxseeds also make this book a useful reference book for any kitchen. The recipes in this book all have nutritional value charts that include LA, LNA, EPA, DHA and the Omega 6-Omega 3 ratio. A number of the recipes are vegan which gives this book a wider audience than the usual meat hungry diet crowd. The only part of the book I wasn't crazy about was the menu plans. Menus, in my opinion, are wasted paper in cookbooks.
Not what you think...i did NOT read this book to try to lose weight. i read this book bc my sister (who weighs less than 100lbs.) wanted to learn to eat right after being diagnosed w/ ulcerative colitis. it's a sickness that i show early signs of so she recommended it to me. it basically shows the difference between good fat and bad fat and reinforces the fact that the American diet is shit and the Meditteranean diet is the bomb. this is probably why you will RARELY see a fat European and here, well, you know... obviously not a beach read, but it does go fast, it's interesting and informative AND has lots of great recipes.
A well-written book, but it nevertheless has the flawed bias against saturated fats. I can't fault them for them the bias against saturated fats given the year the book was written. Fats from well-raised animals raised on pasture (not available in your supermarket) is completely healthy and in fact, one of the authors, Jo Robison, runs the eatwild.com website to help people find that type of meat.
I guess I'm lucky: the males from the Island of Crete--where my father is from--live the longest in the world and I've been lucky to pick up most of the diet that accounts for that.
The information in this book is very interesting, and I've began incorporating many of the ideas and foods into my eating.
The recipes are relatively easy and extra delicious. Especially the homemade mayonnaise. And I never thought I would consider mayo especially delicious...
Good info if your thinking about adding more fat into ur diet. Many of the recipes have way too many carbs in it for me but the science was interesting and helpful.