The Bad Food Bible - by Aaron Carroll (Paperback)

About the Book

Physician and popular New York Times contributor Aaron Carroll mines the latest evidence to show that many "bad" ingredients actually aren't unhealthy, and in some cases are essential to our well-being.

Book Synopsis

Physician and popular New York Times contributor Aaron Carroll mines the latest evidence to show that many "bad" ingredients actually aren't unhealthy, and in some cases are essential to our well-being.

Advice about food can be confusing. There's usually only one thing experts can agree on: some ingredients--often the most enjoyable ones--are bad for you, full stop. But as Aaron Carroll explains, if we stop consuming some of our most demonized foods, it may actually hurt us. Examining troves of studies on dietary health, Carroll separates hard truths from hype, showing that you can

• Eat red meat several times a week. Its effects are negligible for most people, and actually positive if you're 65 or older.
• Have a drink or two a day. In moderation, alcohol may protect you against cardiovascular disease without much risk.
• Enjoy a gluten-loaded bagel from time to time. It has less fat and sugar, fewer calories, and more fiber than a gluten-free one.
• Eat more salt. If your blood pressure is normal, you may be getting too little sodium, not too much.

Full of counterintuitive, deeply researched lessons about food we hate to love, The Bad Food Bible is for anyone who wants to forge eating habits that are sensible, sustainable, and occasionally indulgent.

Review Quotes

One of iBooks' "2017 Favorites" "The Bad Food Bible knocks down a number of nutrition myths...[Carroll] closes the book with nine common-sense rules for healthy eating." --Wall Street Journal "In this informative, accessible book, Carroll, a doctor and healthcare expert, sifts through the research, advice, and straight-up hype surrounding diets to reveal that some of the foods we view as off-limits aren't as awful as we think...The book has plenty of sensible tips for maintaining a healthy diet...Here's to a delicious new year!" --BookPage "This excellent title from Carroll explains that practically no food or drink is as bad as certain 'studies show' data would have us believe...VERDICT: An excellent choice for every reader and all collections." --Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW "'Avoid gluten!' 'Eat organic!' 'Go vegan!' The cacophony of dietary doctrine has reached a fever pitch. Aaron Carroll--a pediatrics professor and a seasoned health columnist--analyzes countless nutritional studies and concludes that many of society's frowned-upon foods are unfairly demonized. From the crusade against butter to our vehement disdain for genetically modified foods, Carroll uses historical examples and rarely published scientific evidence to help us see through the current pandemonium. His commonsense approach lays the groundwork for a healthy relationship with 'sinful' foods; the only commandment in The Bad Food Bible is moderation." --iBooks, 2017 Favorites "Eat, drink and relax, already. As Aaron Carroll shows in The Bad Food Bible, when it comes to nutritional health, much of what we've been told to worry about is either hyped or hogwash." --Michael Moss, best-selling author of Salt Sugar Fat "Aaron Carroll's brilliant advice has changed my health and my life. Forget about all the fads: here's the real truth about food and the role it plays in our lives." --John Green, best-selling author of The Fault In Our Stars "A satisfying book that challenges the very notion of food morality and frees us up for some seriously delicious, sinful eating." --Nina Teicholz, best-selling author of The Big Fat Surprise "The Bad Food Bible is a breath of fresh air in a media environment saturated with eating dos and don'ts. For anyone confused by single-study headlines or looking to make sense of how to eat healthy with a world of so many options, Aaron Carroll's advice will certainly deliver." --Sarah Kliff, Senior policy correspondent, Vox.com "In The Bad Food Bible, Aaron Carroll turns down the food fear sirens to zero, and responsibly explains what science actually says about the food we eat. Instead of demonizing prosciutto or wine, Carroll reminds us that the odd indulgence isn't going to kill anyone, but a lifetime of poor nutrition might --sane and welcome advice in a time of great nutrition confusion." --Julia Belluz, Senior health correspondent, Vox.com "The Bad Food Bible changed the way I eat and look at food (sounds hyperbolic but I'm serious, the book is amazing)." --Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit --

About the Author

DR. AARON CARROLL is a professor of pediatrics and the director of the Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research at Indiana University School of Medicine. Coauthor of three previous books, he hosts YouTube's popular "Healthcare Triage" channel and contributes to the New York Times at the Upshot blog.