High Protein Diet Books

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Gary Taubes

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Total reviews: 173 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In this groundbreaking book, the result of seven years of research in every science connected with the impact of nutrition on health, award-winning science writer Gary Taubes shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong.

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 with more and more people acting on this advice, we have seen unprecedented epidemics of obesity and diabetes. Taubes argues persuasively that the problem lies in refined carbohydrates (white flour, sugar, easily digested starches) and sugars–via their dramatic and longterm effects on insulin, the hormone that regulates fat accumulation–and that the key to good health is the kind of calories we take in, not the number. There are good calories, and bad ones.

Good Calories
These are from foods without easily digestible carbohydrates and sugars. These foods can be eaten without restraint.
Meat, fish, fowl, cheese, eggs, butter, and non-starchy vegetables.

Bad Calories
These are from foods that stimulate excessive insulin secretion and so make us fat and increase our risk of chronic disease—all refined and easily digestible carbohydrates and sugars. The key is not how much vitamins and minerals they contain, but how quickly they are digested. (So apple juice or even green vegetable juices are not necessarily any healthier than soda.)
Bread and other baked goods, potatoes, yams, rice, pasta, cereal grains, corn, sugar (sucrose and high fructose corn syrup), ice cream, candy, soft drinks, fruit juices, bananas and other tropical fruits, and beer.

Taubes traces how the common assumption that carbohydrates are fattening was abandoned in the 1960s when fat and cholesterol were blamed for heart disease and then –wrongly–were seen as the causes of a host of other maladies, including cancer. He shows us how these unproven hypotheses were emphatically embraced by authorities in nutrition, public health, and clinical medicine, in spite of how well-conceived clinical trials have consistently refuted them. He also documents the dietary trials of carbohydrate-restriction, which consistently show that the fewer carbohydrates we consume, the leaner we will be.

With precise references to the most significant existing clinical studies, he convinces us that there is no compelling scientific evidence demonstrating that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease, that salt causes high blood pressure, and that fiber is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Based on the evidence that does exist, he leads us to conclude that the only healthy way to lose weight and remain lean is to eat fewer carbohydrates or to change the type of the carbohydrates we do eat, and, for some of us, perhaps to eat virtually none at all.

The 11 Critical Conclusions of Good Calories, Bad Calories:

1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, does not cause heart disease.
2. Carbohydrates do, because of their effect on the hormone insulin. The more easily-digestible and refined the carbohydrates and the more fructose they contain, the greater the effect on our health, weight, and well-being.
3. Sugars—sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup specifically—are particularly harmful. The glucose in these sugars raises insulin levels; the fructose they contain overloads the liver.
4. Refined carbohydrates, starches, and sugars are also the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the other common chronic diseases of modern times.
5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating and not sedentary behavior.
6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter any more than it causes a child to grow taller.
7. Exercise does not make us lose excess fat; it makes us hungry.
8. We get fat because of an imbalance—a disequilibrium—in the hormonal regulation of fat tissue and fat metabolism. More fat is stored in the fat tissue than is mobilized and used for fuel. We become leaner when the hormonal regulation of the fat tissue reverses this imbalance.
9. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels are elevated, we stockpile calories as fat. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from our fat tissue and burn it for fuel.
10. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbohydrates make us fat and ultimately cause obesity. By driving fat accumulation, carbohydrates also increase hunger and decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism and physical activity.
11. The fewer carbohydrates we eat, the leaner we will be.

Good Calories, Bad Calories is a tour de force of scientific investigation–certain to redefine the ongoing debate about the foods we eat and their effects on our health.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance

Loren Cordain, Joe Friel

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Loren Cordain, Ph.D., follows his success of The Paleo Diet with the first book ever to detail the exercise-enhancing effects of a diet similar to that of our Stone Age ancestors.

When The Paleo Diet was published, advocating a return to the diet of our ancestors (high protein, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables), the book received brilliant reviews from the medical and nutritional communities. Jennie Brand-Miller, coauthor of the bestselling Glucose Revolution, called it "without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet." Doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades, authors of Protein Power, said, "We can't recommend The Paleo Diet highly enough."

Now Dr. Cordain joins with USA triathlon and cycling elite coach Joe Friel to adapt the Paleo Diet to the needs of athletes. The authors show:
o Why the typical athletic diet (top-heavy with grains, starches, and refined sugars) is detrimental to recovery, performance, and health
o How the glycemic load and acid-base balance impact performance
o Why consumption of starches and simple sugars is only beneficial in the immediate post-exercise period

At every level of competition, The Paleo Diet for Athletes can maximize performance in a range of endurance sports.

The Oil Protein Diet Cookbook

Johanna Budwig

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Valuable information in a poor package. 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I became quite interested in Dr. Budwig's work through research. My chemistry skills are pretty old, so I struggled mightily through her lectures embodied in the companion volume "Flas Oil As a True Aid ..." etc.

Now, this book is supposed to be a cookbook. The substantial value of the diet is the preparation of the flax-based key ingredients that are then replicated in every ensuing recipe.

What this book needed was a decent editor. It is a translation of work that was mainly done 60 years ago! One cannot go to Germany circa 1960 in order to implement the food plan, and so the editors needed to do just a little bit of work to make this relatively painless for implementation.

There is virtually NO decent editing work done here, and the references to Dr. Budwig's patented, offered products is not suitable. For instance, one of the key ingredients in these recipes is a "Muesli" carefully designed by Dr. Budwig. (One of her colleagues stated that he wished the beneficiaries of this diet - the users - all had a PhD in chemistry so they could understand the quality of Dr. Budwig's work.)

This Muesli ("Linomel") was once branded by Dr. Budwig, apparently, and the book references an 800 number to call. However, when you do call, they tell you that was a "misprint" in the book, and that they sell flax seed oil, and not "Linomel," Dr. Budwig's patented product.

The fact is, you will look in vain for what Linomel truly is, and therefore will have to go without it. Some internet sites tell you to simply use 4 teaspoons of freshly-ground flax seeds, and to eat them within 20 minutes. Others simply replace it with flax seed oil and cottage cheese, which, in the book, is called something else.

Therefore, when buying this book, be prepared to do a whole lot of head-scratching and web searching to get the basic ingredients down.

Also, be prepared to pay a fortune for your flax seed oil, as the cheapest it can be found, even buying bulk, is $12.50/qt. More likely you will be paying around $15 per cup!

Protein Power: The High-Protein/Low-Carbohydrate Way to Lose Weight, Feel Fit, and Boost Your Health--in Just Weeks!

Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 444 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

If smoked salmon and cream cheese omelets, sautéed jumbo shrimp, and double-patty burgers suit your palate, belly up to the Protein Power diet: "Not a high protein diet" but "an adequate protein diet." Doctors Michael R. and Mary Dan Eades make a persuasive case in favor of "the diet we were meant to eat."

Similar to Dr. Robert Atkins's New Diet Revolution, the authors cite insulin as the main culprit in weight gain and expound the benefits of a diet extremely low in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, which are changed into sugar during digestion, stimulate the body to store fat, making weight loss virtually impossible. The most revolutionary idea put forth in Protein Power is that the fat you eat has very little bearing on the fat you gain: in other words, we aren't what we eat after all. Researchers have found that eating larger portions of protein in conjunction with severely reduced portions of carbohydrates causes people to burn the excess fat stored in their bodies.

Protein Power is packed with helpful charts and formulas, so you can estimate your body-fat percentage and your ideal weight for your particular body composition. There are worksheets to calculate your protein need and carbohydrate and protein equivalency charts, as well as charts that allow you to track your fat and weight loss. But this book is not all grams and percentages: it also shows you what a day of eating on this diet would look like and includes sample menus and 70 pages of recipes. If you've been starving yourself for years and just can't seem to lose weight, this may be the diet for you. --Jhana Bach

Dr. Atkin's Diet Revolution

Robert C. Atkins

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

About the book - not the diet 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 12 people found this review helpful.

I'm assuming you're reading this because you want to know if this book is worth your money and time, and whether or not you should read it.

If this is not the case, you can skip the rest of this review, and read most of the others - which I have found to be largely testimonial, and will tell you what those reviewers think about the diet.

If you want to know something about the book: read on.

Firstly, I had a very difficult time reading this book - in fact, I skipped most of it, because a very large portion of the book is made up of extended testimonial-like cases. This made the book feel like marketing - and even if you're not as suspicious of marketing as I am, it wears on your nerves quite quickly if you approach the book wanting to learn something about the diet. Additionally, Mr. Atkins' tone made it sound like the diet was a religion or a cult. This made me want to try it even less.

Secondly, Mr. Atkins also seems to be encouraging a sedentary lifestyle. In the portion of the book that I read, he never once mentioned physical activity of any sort other than eating. This turned me off, as I believe that one of the major sources of obesity, especially in highly "industrialized" countries, is lack of physical activity. In short, he does not promote a balanced lifestyle any more than a balanced diet.

Thirdly, Mr. Atkins makes several factual and logical errors. He mentions our ancient hunter ancestors, but fails to mention that they were also gatherers: fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, honey ... all with lots of carbs. And people 200 years ago may have consumed much less sugar than we do now, but he doesn't think that perhaps they weren't obese because of their diet, but because of the amount of physical activity demanded of the large majority of the population just to stay alive.

Fourthly and finally, the book gave me no information I could not have found on the internet.

To sum up, is the book worth your time and money? You be the judge, but for me, it wasn't; I can recommend neither the book nor the diet.

Before & After, Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery

Susan Maria Leach

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

At 278 pounds, Susan Maria Leach couldn't lie in bed without gasping for air, wasn't able to fit into a restaurant booth, and could barely buckle the belt in an airplane seat. It would have been easier to allow life to pass her by than to continue fighting her weight problem, but she made the difficult decision to take back control. In 2001, Susan underwent gastric bypass surgery and started on a journey that would not only cut her body weight in half but would change her life.

Before & After is both a memoir and a cookbook—an intimate account of Leach's own transformation as well as a guide for those who have undergone or are considering the procedure. As Leach has learned in the six years since her operation, weight-loss surgery is not an event with a finish line or a goal weight—it is the beginning of a new way of life.

This edition of Before & After has been updated with all that Leach has learned on her post-op journey. It includes a foreword by Leach's surgeon, advice from a nutritionist, answers to more frequently asked questions about weight-loss surgery, a whole chapter on meal plans for different post-operative stages, suggested menus for early food stages, additional questions and answers affecting longer-term post-ops, and new information about products that have entered the marketplace.

Most notably, this edition showcases a wealth of new recipes that utilize the latest in light and healthy ingredients for smart and savory results, including everything from Asian Meatballs with Peanut Sauce and Turkey Tenderloin with Apple Chipotle Chutney to sugar-free Pistachio Gelato and Lemon Almond Sponge Cake. Each recipe makes about four servings, but includes a measured serving for WLS people along with a calorie/carb/fat/protein count. Leach has recipes for every step of the way, from tastes-like-the-real-thing milk shakes for those first post-op days to an entire Thanksgiving menu.

Before & After is a journal of Leach's own inspirational story, where she shares her ups and downs, her tips and techniques, but mostly it's a book of hope for anyone who has a serious weight problem.

The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution

Michael R., M.D. Eades, Mary Dan, M.D. Eades

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Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

From the authors of the phenomenal bestseller Protein Power comes a quick, easy-to-follow low-carb diet plan designed to get you on the fastest possible track to losing weight, feeling fantastic, and improving your health. If you've heard all the recent publicity about how low-carb eating can turn your health around - by keeping your insulin levels down and getting your excess weight off - but don't want to wade through hundreds of pages of explanation or complicated formulas before you get started, The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution is for you. Unlike any other low-carb diet book in the market, this book gives you low-carb 101: the basics of low-carb eating without all the fuss.

In this much-needed book, two of the most trusted names in low-carb dieting who have helped millions of readers lose weight provide the simplest possible diet designed for the best possible results. Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades give you the step-by-step basics-what to eat, what to avoid-and even provide specific low-carb meal plans to guide you at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for a full month. For those who would rather design their own meals, they include expert advice for easily creating a customized plan based on your current weight, health status, and goals. They show you the exact portions of carbohydrate-rich foods you can enjoy now to reach those goals and how to increase those amounts to maintain your health and weight for the long haul.

Simply by knowing your height, weight, and gender, you can quickly determine how much protein to eat for optimal health-no complicated measurements, charts, or formulas to follow. The Drs. Eades include everything you need to get started now: self-assessment quizzes to help you effortlessly tailor your program to fit your needs, fill-in worksheets for planning meals and tracking your progress, and other important nutritional information for easy reference.

By following the simple but highly effective and powerful diet in The 30-Day Low-Carb Diet Solution, complete with 30 days of meal plans and more than 100 delicious and easy recipes, you'll be on your way to a thinner and healthier you in just a month!

AUTHORBIO: MICHAEL R. EADES, M.D., and MARY DAN EADES, M.D., are the authors of the New York Times bestselling Protein Power, which has sold more than three million copies. They are also the coauthors of The Low- Carb Comfort Food Cookbook (Wiley) and authors of The Protein Power LifePlan. The Eades have done many appearances on national television shows, as well as several highly successful infomercials that have helped millions of people lose weight and get healthy.END

The Protein Power Lifeplan

Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 67 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The authors of Protein Power are back to advocate the "protein-rich, moderate-fat, carbohydrate-restricted diet" that opposes the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet that every professional medical and dietetic organization (including those who have no diet books to sell) believes to be your best bet for avoiding heart disease, the number one killer. The authors insist, in the face of all this medical opposition, that "the whole idea that fat and cholesterol cause heart disease is just that: an idea." We're meant to be hunters, say the authors: bring on the meat. Let's go back to the Paleolithic diet (no mention of the brief life span of Paleolithic men and women).

The Protein Power Lifeplan is not easy reading--most of the book is made up of scientific explanations, research summaries and interpretations, and nutritional warnings--but no recipes. Besides recommending eating protein and fat, the authors recommend sunbathing without sunblock (but "never, never let your skin burn!") and exercises such as "bringing home the buffalo" and "defending the camp." The authors admit that if you're trying to lose weight, you have to limit calories, but if you're not, you can "munch on nuts, seeds, nut butters, cheeses, jerky, guacamole, and olives all day long." Carbohydrates, say the authors, "are totally nonessential to your health and well-being"--words to make dieticians and cardiologists shudder.

The High-Protein Cookbook: More than 150 healthy and irresistibly good low-carb dishes that can be on the table in thirty minutes or less.

Linda West Eckhardt, Katherine West Defoyd

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Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

End food boredom and diet burnout with more than 400 sophisticated, low-carbohydrate dinners that are bursting with flavor--and on the table in under 30 minutes!

Hundreds of thousands have embraced the low-carbohydrate lifestyle finding that a diet based on lean protein, fruits, and vegetables and less dependent on simple carbohydrates has helped them look and feel better. But a monotonous menu of steak and salad or expensive, additive-laden prepared foods has been the undoing of many a successful diet regimen.

The solution? Linda West Eckhardt and Katherine West DeFoyd have devised more than 100 protein-rich, low-carbohydrate dinners that will satisfy even the most demanding diners. Drawing on their experiences as award-winning cookbook authors, Eckhardt and DeFoyd have developed a tempting range of high-protein meals that are quick enough to make on a weeknight but elegant enough to share with guests -- and so delicious they'll never know they've been shortchanged on carbohyd rates, fat, and calories.

Each entree in The High-Protein Cookbook
* Provides at least 30 grams of protein, yet is light on fat and calories.
* Is styled for two people but can easily be doubled or tripled
* Uses short lists of fresh, healthful ingredients
* Is based on simple cooking techniques requiring no special equipment
* Avoids "artificial" products and flavorings
* Contains reasonable amounts of high-quality protein balanced by ample servings of vegetables and fruits

With chapters devoted to side dishes and salads, sauces and condiments, and even sinfully satisfying desserts that won't break the carbohydrate bank, The High-Protein Cookbook is the perfect companion to many of today's most popular dietary regimens and an enticing argument for cutting back on excess carbohydrates.

Diet for a Small Planet

Frances Moore Lappe

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

It's Still the One 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is still a great cookbook with helpful ideas for creating delicious and nutritious meals. I love their blueberry cobbler recipe and still use it at least once a month.

Use for the recipes, not the politics 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I grew up on the recipes from this book, so I admit that my opinion may be biased by the fact that, to me, many of the recipes in here are comfort foods. Still, this book remains simply one of the best basic vegetarian cookbooks out there. I agree that the preaching at the front gets a little old, and I have honestly never gotten through all of it, but the intention of this book is to teach new and beginning vegetarians how to cook healthy, protein filled vegetarian meals. Yes, the front matter is outdated and yes, she does stand on her soapbox for a long time, but this is easily skipped and reading this part has little to nothing to do with cooking the recipes that come after. And, in that capacity it works well. It provides easy, fully developed recipes that are simple to follow even for the unexperienced cook and have complete protein included. Like any cookbook there are recipes in here that are horrible, and then there are some that are amazing. I have brought the book to the attention of many friends who were new vegetarians over the years, and they have all been increadibly thankful for some guidence on how to cook something other than plain tofu. If you are just starting out, this is a great book to start with.

Editorial Review:

With the new emphasis on environmentalism in teh 1990's, Lappe stresses how her philosophy remains valid, and how food remains the central issue through which to understand world politics.