Food: What The Heck Should I Eat? by Dr. Mark Hyman
This book revolutionized my understanding of food and helped me lose 40 pounds in three months.
Background on Why I Read the Book
I read this book in early 2020 when I came across Dr. Hyman while surfing channels. He was on PBS, and I saw a nutrition slide behind him, what kept me locked in on the channel was his clear communication of food. It was the first time I heard someone have an intelligent discussion on TV about food without bashing and making people feel bad about the choices they’ve made. He just broke down the food groups from his studies and research over the years. He then mentioned books he had written, and I went to the local library to grab a few. From there I began to make changes and brought the book to use it as a reference and tool for my family.
Takeaway One
The Food Industry Breakdown
Dr. Hyman breaks down the food industry as a whole and unearths the false claims that have become truth in American nutrition. He explains how the food industry is a business and a lot of these companies have paid doctors to suggest the need for their products. He specifically talks about the dairy industry and how they have forced milk on so many because they have paid so much for this message to be given to the masses. He talks about how this need for milk is false and does not provide traditional value to us in the amounts they are suggested. This was a really detailed section of the book, and this deep dive was good.
Takeaway Two
Clear Instruction as to Why You Should Eat Certain Foods
Dr. Hyman gives incredible detail into the foods he suggests, why you should eat them, and how to find these food options. He describes all this without getting to academic and losing the reader. The communication what’s needed, what to replace bad food with, and how and where to find the replacement food is so clear and easily actionable. Included in his instruction are some supplements and recipes in the back of the book. He breaks down the supplements tells you what they do, how they help, and the amount you should take. The recipes he gives a quick summary of why he has added the meal choice, then he gives the ingredients, the instructions on cooking, and the nutritional facts numbers. This book answers all questions you may have.
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Takeaway Three
The Breakdown of Food Groups
He breaks down the following food groups: meat, poultry and eggs, milk and dairy, fish and seafood, vegetables, fruit, fats and oils, beans, grains, nuts and seeds, sugars and sweeteners, and beverages. Every food group section the following: a nutrition IQ quiz, the science of the food group, what the experts got right, what the experts got wrong, what is still not know for sure, a number of things you should know about the group, what the heck should I eat, and what the heck should I avoid. This breakdown was crucial for me and helped me significantly in my wellness journey.
There it is those are my three takeaways from reading Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? I am going through this book again to again receive the benefits listed in here to eat right.
Check out my book review video which discusses these three takeaways and so much more: