How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered

by Mark Bittman, David Katz

Bestselling author Mark Bittman and physician David Katz cut through all the noise on food, health, and diet to give you the real answers you need
 
What is the “best” diet? Do calories matter? And when it comes to protein, fat, and carbs, which ones are good and which are bad? Mark Bittman and health expert David Katz answer all these questions and more in a lively and easy-to-read Q&A format. Inspired by their viral hit article on Grub Street—one of New York magazine’s most popular and most-shared articles—Bittman and Katz share their clear, no-nonsense perspective on food and diet, answering questions covering everything from basic nutrients to superfoods to fad diets. Topics include dietary patterns (Just what should humans eat?); grains (Aren’t these just “carbs”? Do I need to avoid gluten?); meat and dairy (Does grass-fed matter?); alcohol (Is drinking wine actually good for me?); and more. Throughout, Bittman and Katz filter the science of diet and nutrition through a lens of common sense, delivering straightforward advice with a healthy dose of wit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Food, Nutrition, Audiobook, Cooking, Science

242 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2020

About the author

MARK BITTMAN is one of the country's best-known and most widely respected food writers. His How to Cook Everything books, with one million copies in print, are a mainstay of the modern kitchen. Bittman writes for the Opinion section of New York Times on food policy and cooking, and is a columnist for the New York Times Magazine. His "The Minimalist" cooking show, based on his popular NYT column, can be seen on the Cooking Channel. His most recent book, VB6, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week on sale.

Reviews

[Kyleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This entire book could be summarized in one sentence! Extremely repetitive. Eat whole, unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables), no meat or any animal products, maybe some (certain types of) fish but really just stick to beans, drink water, maybe plain tea and coffee and a glass of red wine with dinner. But don’t add the red wine or plain tea or coffee if you don’t already drink it. Done!

I wasn’t a fan of the q&a format, because most questions asked the same thing over and over and over again. I did learn some good info, though - for instance, it’s pretty stupid to pick one (plain) nut over another because of something like fat content because they’re all whole foods and therefore good.

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC.

But this book was very comprehensive and very thorough, to the point of being insanely repetitive. One thing that surprised me is when they claimed that 90% of people with descendants from Asia are lactose intolerant. Um, huh? Almost everyone I know has Asian roots and we all gobble cheese like it’s our last day on Earth... 😂

Full review here!

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This covers many different diets and whether they are good for you and any issues you may encounter when trying them. It doesn't quite go deep enough for me and I was left wanting a bit more. The end result is what you can find anywhere such as eat more fruit and veg & less processed. NOt a bad book but didn;t quite hit the mark for me personally

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nutrition is often complicated by experts and people pretending to be experts, weighing in with opinions about how and what we should be eating, and in what quantities.
This book is a series of questions and answers. Because of that it is fairly repetitive in parts, but sometimes things need repeating.

There is no perfect diet. There's no diet that suits all. But if we all stick by basic principles i.e eat wholesome, mostly unprocessed food, mainly plants, beans and nuts, fruit and vegetables, and then add in small amounts of fish and meat if wanted, we would all be a lot healthier.

It really is that simple. Cook your own food rather than rely on ready meals and take-aways. Use unprocessed ingredients. Add herbs, spices, salt, pepper, vinegars, oils. Food that is nutritious can also be very tasty and filling as well.

Whole foods is the answer to the all the questions. Don't spend too much time worrying about small things - e.g the fat content in different types of nuts - nuts are whole foods, so it doesn't matter whether it contains a "good" oil or a "bad" one, or how much oil it has.......eat them unprocessed and iit's fine. All of them.

Eating, and deciding what to eat, should be simple. This book lays out just how simple that is. Forget all the fad diets, just eat good wholesome nutritious food. It really is that easy!

[Scribe Publications]

In an approachable Q&A format, award-winning New York Times columnist Bittman and Katz, the founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Centre, tell you everything you ever wanted to know about eating healthily.
Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal

A sensible guide to health from two genial experts.
Kirkus

[The authors debunk myths and address diet trends (paleo, keto, fasting) and topics like consuming dairy, prioritising organic foods, and drinking alcohol.] Expect well-deserved demand for this very readable, reasonable food for thought.
Booklist

All major areas of nutrition science are addressed, from the evolution of human food consumption to understanding current studies … Debunking nearly all current diet trends, including keto and paleo diets, the authors also discredit the superfood phenomenon … the demand for this straightforward resource about the current state of nutrition should be high.
Anitra Gates, Library Journal

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Q&A about any food/nutrition question that you might have was interesting. It covers so much, but hammers home again and again the Mediterranean (or similar) way of eating as a good way to go: "Diets of the world’s longest-lived people are rich in veggies, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and good fats like olive oil or fat from fish. They de-emphasize meat and dairy and exclude ultraprocessed foods and soda." It also debunks some myths and goes over how the popular diets (keto, whole30, etc) are not sustainable. (Your body does need carbs.) It made me feel better about my decision to go the non-diet route and just try to work more veggies in my diet and to consume less sugar. But I'm not giving up dairy or meat, though I'll try to eat less of it. It might not result in a drastic weight loss, but I think it'll be a healthier way for me to go. And we're cooking more at home, so that will help.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago (something like 45) whenever I would visit my general practitioner doctor for some health complaint, his first question was always, "Are you eating your fruits and vegetables?" He taught me eating whole foods would keep me healthier than processed foods (thanks, Dr Beckman!).

So even though the authors cover the various diets and their pitfalls (KETO, PALEO, Atkins, and even the FODMAP diet, the latter being the one that works for my stomach issues), his basic message is similar to Dr. B's: Eat more whole foods including grains, veggies, and fruits, and stay away from processed foods.

The Q&A format is at first readable but I soon tired of it and wanted more in-depth information than they were giving. However, if a reader is looking for a quick overview of diets and how to eat, this should work for them.

Thanks to the publisher for the advance digital copy.

[Licia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of information we "know" but it cuts through the noise of what we know or think we know and how. The understanding of limited research and why health messaging feels all over the place is something that I feel few people understand, including myself. The term diet in our culture is pretty messed up and until we look at our lifestyle differently most people in our country and community will find it a daily struggle to be healthy.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t disagree with the thrust of this book, but the format is terrible and the biggest message can be summed up by Michael pollan’s “eat food, not too much, mostly plants” recommendation (which for better or worse, the book references).

[Andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, someone who cuts through the hype but doesn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Mark Bittman's trademark sensible, no-nonsense approach is put to even better use than usual, and his viewpoints are backed by an actual doctor.

[Katie Bruell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I already knew and follow most of the information, but the stuff that was new to me was really game changing! Now if only I could get my carnivore son to read it...

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a fan of the question-answer format of this book. It also comes off as preachy.

[Laura✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of tons of nutritional and diet information. While some reviewers called it repetitive, the book’s purpose was to debunk fads and questionable nutrition claims and always circled back to their main message of following a balanced, whole food / plant-based diet.

[Keren Kang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a worthwhile read, but I found the tone to be a bit judgmental and almost arrogant? Although they never claim having complete authority, they do state that they know a lot and that people should listen to them. They highly praise the Mediterranean diet, but I can see how it might be potentially harmful to any culture with far different foods. Also, I cannot ignore the fact that they are speaking from positions of great privilege.

I like the message of common sense and having a balanced diet (and that no one food item is going to make or break you). Also, I do like asking myself, "If I take this particular food out of my diet, what will it replace?" And the question and answer format is easy to read, allows one to stay focused, and get back to with breaks in between. Oh, and beans...they love beans...they sing the praises of beans. Maybe I should add more beans to my diet, especially since my kiddos like them.

[Carol]

Anyone looking for a concise summary of the latest data on healthy eating will find that this new book by Mark Bittman and co-author David L. Katz, MD fits the bill. How to Eat doesn't break a lot of new ground, but backs up the premise that many of us have already accepted: we need to eat less processed food, less meat (or no meat), less junk food. More fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, beans and lentils. I appreciate the fact that they were not didactic in their recommendations, but rather suggested that an egg is a better choice if it's between an egg and a donut, but not if it's between an egg and oats with fresh fruits and berries. The authors are not big enthusiasts for dairy and cheese, which will not make them popular here in Wisconsin, but they back everything they say up with the best scientific data available at the moment.

Please note that I don't use the star rating system, so this review should not be viewed as a zero.

[Debra Lowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bittman takes a look at basic nutritional needs juxtaposed against the fad diets over the past two to three years. Moreover, the author takes asks the reader to take a look at the quality of foods they are eating as well as asks the reader to be mindful of the footprint their diet makes on the environment in terms of production and food processing.

While I didn't love the Q&A format in audio as much, I still got a lot out of the text in terms of the studies that have been done on cooking oils, whole grains, and the role of meat and meat by-products such as dairy and eggs- and the studies that ought to be done, but likely never will.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in nutrition but have yet to read anything about it, this is a fine introduction to healthy things (plants, whole foods). It also provides some straight talk about all the contradictory health-related crap you read about in the newspaper (Eggs are bad for you! Wait, no! Eggs are the only food that are good for you! etc.). But if you have read anything about nutrition before, this is an unnecessary book for you. It's very simple -- eat lots of plants, don't eat too much junk food. The end.

[CindySR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I eat a lot of good things. Also a lot of bad things. That's my problem, I eat A LOT. I already know what's good or bad for me. So this book wasn't that much help. You can read all this info on the internet. It's a good primer on almost every type of popular diet so that might be helpful to some. It's pretty basic on that score but it gets more technical on subjects like nutrients and the microbiome.

He almost lost me on page 110 where he says we should eat cheese "sparingly, if at all" and "You certainly don't need to eat cheese." Um, YES, YES WE DO.

[Amy Lan · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to learn more about plant-based diet and nutrition, this is not really the book. It only touches surfaces of various important topics. But if you already know quite a lot about plant-based diet, this could be a short, light read as a reminder, and see things from a slight alternative perspective. The most interesting/worth reading section is the second last chapter on Questioning the Answers: On Science and Sense, or How We Know What We Know.

[Emily Laga · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+. This book covers it all in terms of nutrition, health and diet. I didn’t love its question and answer style, but the content is valid and sensible. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds and healthy fats are what make up a wholesome, delicious and nourishing diet. This is not revolutionary, but eating this way within a modern life is in fact, a revolution.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read. Q & A format with questions grouped by topic - some examples “Inflammation” “Grains” “Alcohol.” Skimmed some sections. Nothing new to learn most of it I already knew. The answers were pretty basic, good for people new to reading about food science & nutrition but not developed enough for someone who has researched health & diet protocol. Meh. 2.5 ⭐️

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good questions and answers, but nothing I haven’t heard many times before. I think we’ve all heard that we need to eat well and move more, and this was mostly a rehash.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was interesting to hear Mark Bittman speak since I’ve only ever read his words until now. He is a food god and I will read him or listen to him anytime.

[FunkMaster General · Rating 4 out of 5]

***SPOILERS***



"Our culture is long overdue for a dietary revolution that makes eating well easy rather than elusive." --David

"A food system driven by common good would respect the earth itself, us people, and our fellow living creatures."
--Mark

[Ampersand Inc. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just in case you need inspiration, or honest advice about a diet plan, Bittman and Katz provide real answers about food and diet in this handy question and answer style guide book.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[George Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin by making two points about this book - How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered by Mark Bittman and David L Katz. First, I like the book because it has concise, easy-to-understand answers to so many of the questions asked by vegans (like me), vegan curious (people considering moving toward vegan), and others who are also keen to better understand the links between food, on one hand, and health, environment, and kindness toward our fellow animals, on the other hand. As I listened to the audiobook version of How to Eat, I found myself wishing I could memorize some of their answers.
Not a 100% Vegan Book
Second, readers of this review should know that the book’s authors do not advocate that we eat 100% plant-based as the only way to go. The authors do, however, say that plant-based eating can be fine, and they do advocate what they call “plant-predominant” diets. They suggest that humans thrive on diets that are based on whole foods, minimally processed, mostly (or all) plants, and plain water.
Indeed, several other recent books support vegan at the same time they also support other options that greatly minimize animal-based foods. Examples of such books include the Blue Zones books based on the diet and lifestyles found in small parts of the world with large percentages of people who live to 100 and beyond.
Along similar lines, the books of Michael Pollan, including In Defense of Food, advocate that we eat “Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” When Pollan says “food,” he means whole food, not processed food; he means potatoes not potato chips.
In 2009, Jonathan Safron Foer wrote Eating Animals, a detailed indictment of the horrors of industrial animal agriculture. In 2019, he published We Are The Weather, which explains the great damage that the production of animal-based foods cause to the environment - https://healthpartners.sg/review-we-a.... Nevertheless, in that same 2019 book, Foer suggests people might want to try Vegan Before 6 diets, in which they eat vegan for breakfast and lunch but possibly eat animal foods for dinner.
The Book’s Authors
Vegan Before 6 (VB6) is based on a book of the same title by one of the two authors of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered, the book being reviewed here: Mark Bittman. Bittman is a former New York Times food writer who has written over 30 food books, including How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
Bittman’s co-author is David L Katz, MD, a physician, president of True Health Initiative, founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, past-president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and founder/CEO of Diet ID, Inc. His views on controlling Covid-19 have been published in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/op...
One of Bittman and Katz’s goals seems to be to encourage us to stress less about what we eat. The authors state the only humans and the nonhuman animals whom we feed are confused about what to eat. The book recommends a combination of science and common sense. It makes reference to research, but at the same time, the authors appreciate that there is still much that the scientists do not know. Thus, they are not shy about admitting there are some questions they cannot yet answer. Furthermore, doubt is reasonable. The authors quote the philosopher Bertrand Russell, "The whole thing wrong with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so sure and wiser people so full of doubts."
Vegan Is Good; Big Food Is Bad
The book has much good to say about properly planned whole food vegan diets, in particular, the benefits of 100% plant-based eating for the environment and for our fellow animals. “Incalculable” is the word the authors use to describe the harm suffered by the animals whom are used for food. Furthermore, the book rebuts claims about the alleged health inadequacies of vegan diets.
While the authors praise vegans, they come down hard on food companies, whom they accuse of producing food not for people but for profits. Thanks to chemicals, such as fertilizers and herbicides, Big Food grows huge quantities, but huge quantities of what? They are not growing food; they are growing commodities for sale. It’s no wonder people suffer from obesity, diabetes, and more, because what they are being sold is “actually closer to the dictionary definition of poison than the dictionary definition of food.”
The big food companies take advantage of our cravings. We crave salt from our origins in the sea. Our craving for sweet is due in part to mother’s milk being sweet. Fats we crave because fat is the most energy-dense macronutrient. Big Food uses these cravings, combined with lots of artificial ingredients thanks to advances in food science and the billions they spend on advertising to make eating bad food something that is tasty, fun, quick, convenient, effortless, and culturally normative.
As you can see, the authors might mince veggies but they don’t mince words about veggies and other foods: “our culture gives us junk food, gives us junk food for thought about junk food and then invites us to blame ourselves for not being as healthy and thin as we're all supposed to be. The goal of the food industry is to get us to eat badly.”
Instead of blaming overweight people for not taking individual responsibility, perhaps we should talk about our collective responsibility to make healthy food an easier option. Bittman and Katz maintain that we can change our taste buds, especially with some help from the larger society. Once we escape the clutches of Big Food, we can adjust our taste buds for a lifetime of great eating.
Instead of What?
When addressing questions about what to eat, How to Eat often reminds us to ask “Instead of what?” For instance, is a high-tech plant-based burger, such as a Beyond Burger, good to eat? The authors will answer, “If you are eating a Beyond Burger instead of a Big Mac, yes it’s good, but if the Beyond Burger is instead of a whole food, plant-based meal made by a friend or family member, maybe the Beyond Burger isn’t the best choice.”
A recurrent theme in How To Eat is to avoid short-term fad diets and instead find eating and lifestyle patterns that can last us for a lifetime. Therefore, what is called the Mediterranean Diet, and is recommended by the authors as a good option, is actually a lifelong, culture-embedded eating pattern. The Mediterranean eating pattern is not a “diet – die it” but a “live it,” a lifestyle, for example, also including exercise and social support.
Relax and Eat Beans
If you are looking for universally true answers, you will not find many in How to Eat. Instead, the authors stress flexibility. For example, what is the most important meal of the day? is it good to snack? what about fasting? and Should we avoid gluten? In each case, it depends, and the book explains the factors you need to know about to make the right choice at this time for you and your loved ones.
On the question of which one food contributes the most to human health, planetary health, and the health of our fellow animals, How to Eat does have a resoundingly clear answer: beans. Yet, even here flexibility is the watchword. If for some reason you don’t want to eat beans, you can still be healthy and still help the planet and the other animals. So, relax, please. Just remember to love food that loves you back, which is WFPB. And, if you want to take supplements, they should supplement an already good diet, not substitute for a good diet.
In addition to reading or listening to How to Eat, you can read a newspaper interview with Mark and David at https://www.grubstreet.com/2018/03/ul.... And, you can listen to an interview with the authors and read the interview transcript at https://lifehacker.com/how-to-eat-wit...

[tahnee german · Rating 5 out of 5]

one step closer to going vegan. HAH. actually really loved this book, i feel like whenever i read or listen to books about health, i am wayyy more health conscious. he talks about how we always want to reinvent the wheel, but really a good diet is a balanced diet of “veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils, and plain water.” loved how sensible this was. also lots of reliable nutrition sources i read talk about how meat ain’t all that great for you and you can get all the protein you need from plants. i’m convinced. either way, even if you don’t go vegan i feel this book puts things into better perspective if you want to eat better.

[Katy]

i had picked this up months ago, and it was a decent bedside glance through. i don't think the format lends itself to audio very well, it is a series of questions and short answers based on making better decisions for food that cuts out the 'noise' of fad diets and trendy recommendations. on audio when the question is posed, it's hard to discern from the answer and that makes for a confusing listen.

i am also currently deep in to extricating myself from 'diet culture' and everything i'm currently reading is food related, so i think that has affected my reading a bit.

[Gabe Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This covers 95% of the nutrition information that about 95% of the American population would need. Eat whole foods, mostly plants, not too much. There is a lot of other information there, but there is not much nuance to it as this advice works for most of the population. I enjoyed the scientific backing of the claims made and while most Americans would not come close to following the guidelines in this book, for those who do want to live longer and healthier it’s a great resource.

[Gargi · Rating 2 out of 5]

the author's heart was in the right place, but the book is extremely extremely repetitive.