Good Calories, Bad Calories

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Customer Reviews:

This book changed my life. [Posted on 2008-07-03]
Good Calories Bad Calories is a book about science, not a diet book. But armed with Taubes' insights and research, I made some obvious changes to my eating habits, and dropped 30 pounds in 5 months. With not so much effort and, with the help of Pollan et al, with fine, diverse, tasty food.

One criticism that Michael Pollan makes (in In Defense of Food) is that the critical skepticism Taubes brings to the low-fat/low-calorie hypotheses that have become conventional wisdom is not as evident in his treatment of the "carbohydrate question." A real criticism, but one that doesn't detract from the value of the book for me personally.

Very informative [Posted on 2008-07-11]
Unbelievably rich with convincing information about the evils of carbohydrates. It is a bit think with scientific jargon but learning it is quick. As a self-proclaimed "foodie," I found some of the information about carbs depressing but I'm so glad I read this while I'm still young and can make adjustments to my diet.

STOP STIMULATING YOUR INSULIN!  [Posted on 2008-07-14]
Thank you for exposing much of what goes on in science. This book is filled with valuable information obviously painstakingly researched. The author illuminates what has transpired in nutrition research, which is a reflection of what occurs in just about every other field: a theory develops and many other scientists, nutritionists, and "experts" jump on the bandwagon.

In this book, the author makes certain arguments and backs them with research. One of his points is that we gain weight when we eat foods (sugars and carbs) that elevate insulin, and we lose weight when we avoid these foods and allow our insulin levels to fall. It is not the calories we eat that make us fat, but the accumulation of fat which occurs when we stimulate insulin secretion by eating carbohydrates and sugars. Therefore, when insulin levels rise, we accumulate fat, and when insulin levels fall, we release fat from fat tissue and burn it for fuel. He also says that many diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease are caused by the effects of eating carbohydrates due of their impact on insulin levels. He says that simple sugars (sucrose, fructose, and high fructose corn syrup) are especially harmful. He also points out that exercise does not make you lose fat.

This book is well-researched and worth reading. Even if you do not strictly follow the book's recommendations, there is much useful information in this book. I also recommend a possible companion book THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams.

Good Book, Bad Book [Posted on 2008-07-15]
PROS: Meticulous research. Well argued. Data rich.

CONS:
* Dated data: Most of the studies Taubes cites are from before 1960. He implies that in the 1960s there was a vast conspiracy led by a few researchers with a low-fat/high carb agenda. Taubes argues that they crushed all research into the utility of low-carb diets.

* Verbose: Taubes takes a long time to make a point. The book didn't get interesting until page 250. And even then, it was tedious getting through it.

* Little mention of exercise: He rarely cites the impact exercise has on weight loss. He implies it has little impact.

* Short on concrete advice: Taubes never says this is a diet book, but after all the amazing research he did, it's a shame he didn't give more practical dieting advice. The few words in the Epilogue leave you wanting more.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK: Those who want to know all the nitty gritty details about dieting research prior to 1960. Those who like conspiracy theories. Those who like heavy, data rich academic tomes.

CONCLUSION: I wouldn't recommend this book to most people. It's not terribly readable or practical. The argument is interesting, but not convincing since he ignores most research done after 1960.

Bad Science/Bad Food [Posted on 2008-07-19]
The text is not an easy read, given the plethora of research citations.
I found it helpful to read the prologue and epilogue prior to reading
the meat and potatoes between the two. Taubes'conclusions appear to
reflect his review of the relevant literature on the subject. If you
accept his conclusions your food choices would change, unless you have
been following Atkins already. I feel the book is a must read for
anyone concerned about food consumption and its impact upon health.
It is not a diet book per se, but rather an examination of research,
good and bad, on the effects of ingesting varied food products.

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