Part of my goal for each month is to read as much as I can about each topic, both for my own knowledge and to try to summarize the essential expert re

What I Learned (and Unlearned) Reading 10 Books on Nutrition

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2025-01-14 22:30:03

Part of my goal for each month is to read as much as I can about each topic, both for my own knowledge and to try to summarize the essential expert recommendations for those participating in the course.

Food is a particularly tricky subject. Nutritional science is complicated—and often conflicting. Popular media on this topic is a cesspool of misinformation, hype, and some downright dangerous advice being presented as the road to good health.

Still, I wanted to do my best to get it right. Given my complete lack of credentials in this area, that meant focusing my reading more on textbooks (I read two, each 800+ pages), popular books noted for their scientific accuracy (I read three specifically for their high ratings from the non-profit Red Pen Reviews), and those written by scholars I respect. I also made heavy use of the podcast Sigma Nutrition, which presents academic discussions of nutritional research. 2

I can’t say for sure that I got it all right. But after having read a few thousand pages and listened to many hours of scientific discussions, I suspect that much of the residual confusion I have is likely embedded in the field itself rather than a simple misunderstanding on my part.