Ever since I developed an interest in nutrition back in high school, I’ve read quite a variety of books on the subject (no, not just cookbooks!). Now, all these years later, there are a select few that I still remember and reference often. Even if you’re not in the field of dietetics, these books are worth reading, as I think they enhance anyone’s understanding of the politics, culture, and emotion surrounding food.

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy by Walter C. Willett, MD

Synopsis: In this book, Walter C. Willett (chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health) explains the basic tenets of healthy eating by introducing a modified food pyramid (this book predates Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate). Willett also clarifies confusion over food myths, providing scientific evidence for each of his claims. The book also includes several sample menus and recipes.

Why I recommend it: I’m not sure what caused me to pick up this book in the first place, other than a budding interest in food—I was 16 when I read it. Nonetheless, it made a significant impression on me, as it convinced me to pursue a vegetarian diet. After reviewing the myriad health benefits a plant-based (fish-inclusive) diet can provide, I decided to try eliminating meat from my diet, which in turn led to my intense love of vegetables. Here I am 8 years later, at the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life.

What to Eat by Marion Nestle, PhD

Synopsis: What to Eat is an “aisle-by-aisle guide to savvy food choices.” Each chapter discusses a different area of the supermarket and provides information from both a historical and nutritional perspective. Its pages are full of informative charts and tables that help demystify grocery shopping, comparing everything from cost per pound to grams of fat per serving.

Why I recommend it: I read this book right around the time I decided to pursue a career as a dietitian 4 (!) years ago. This book was my first exposure to the world of food politics—I learned the complexities of organic certification; I learned about all the nasty marketing tricks supermarkets use to get you to buy more; and I learned how little food companies really consider public health when making their products. That’s not to say that this a book full of muck-raking—it’s an unbiased account of the way the food world works. I am currently re-reading this book for a class this semester, and I’m sure I will have a whole new perspective on it now that I (nearly) have a masters degree in nutrition.

Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD

Synopsis: This book discusses how to return to having a healthy relationship with food after an eating disorder. The authors encourage their readers to abandon the dieting mindset and incorporate basic psychological concepts to explain how to make peace with food.

Why I recommend it: I read this book in the midst of my recovery from an eating disorder, but I think this book is an appropriate read for everyone. In today’s diet-obsessed culture, it’s so easy to see food as an enemy or something to be controlled rather than simply to enjoy its pleasures. Considering my background in psychology, this book piqued my interest in both mental and physical wellness. I intend on re-reading this book in the near future, as my nutrition coursework has cultivated a very numbers-oriented view of food once again—it’s a bad sign when I look at a meal, and all I see are diabetic exchanges!

I am sure I have yet to discover other valuable books discussing food and nutrition…so tell me—What books have changed the way you think about food? Have you read any of the books I mentioned here?

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