Rating: 
Summary: The Essential Guide
Review: I think this book is so important that I am buying a copy for each: My sister, brother, son, daughter, father, my 3 best friends, and one for my doctor. This book was a real eye opener for me in especially regarding the fats in our diet. He explains the effects of essential fatty acids (Omega 3 & Omega 6)and other oils in our diets in a way that led me to make eventually connections of this dietary issue to nearly every health problem my family has faced, including alcholism, depression, diabetes, heart disease, nervous disorders, attention deficit disorder, cancer, autoimmune disease, alzheimers disease and more.
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Summary: A pleasure to read
Review: Dr. Weil's graceful and reasoned prose tends one to serenity and contemplation. What I found myself contemplating as I was reading this beautifully presented book about food was Dr. Weil himself. I recall him as the enfant terrible author of the bourgeois-shocking The Natural Mind: A New Way of Looking at Drugs and the Higher Consciousness (1972), a book that helped to persuade a generation of Americans to question the establishment's anti-drug mentality. The theme of that book, if I recall correctly, was that human beings have a natural drive to explore other states of consciousness. Now Dr. Weil is a middle-aged man like myself, and the fires of youth have turned to...extra-virgin olive oil and tofu! Who says that wisdom does not come with age? As I absorbed Weil's ideas about how to eat properly I couldn't help but notice what has changed since the balmy days of our youth, nutritionally-speaking, and what Weil has, in his diverse travels, both on the surface of this planet and within, learned about how to eat. He is a vegetarian who loves food. The simple, but inviting recipes on pages 209-260 attest to that. He will eat dairy products in moderation and fish, but he prefers to get his proteins from plants. He believes that refined and highly processed carbohydrate foods (those with a "high gylcemic index"; see his table on pages 56-57) can have disastrous effects on the health of many people, pointing to native Hawaiians and Native Americans as examples (p. 63). Surprisingly he doesn't see dietary fat as the bugaboo it once was as long as one limits the intake of saturated fats and returns to the shelf any product including the words "partially hydrogenated" on the label (192-193). He touts olive oil and makes a very close distinction among saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated oils, opting for a balanced intake in the ratio, respectively, of 1:2:1 (p. 262). He believes that we need to incorporate more omega-3 fatty acids from primarily fish oils, soybeans and walnuts into our diets as opposed to omega-6 oils. New to me is Weil's contention that vegetarians need not be concerned about the notion of "complementary protein" that we learned about years ago. No longer do we have to combine vegetable foods, corn with beans, for example, to get all the necessary amino acids that our bodies need. He says that Frances Moore Lappé, who brought the concept to a large readership in the seventies with her very popular Diet for a Small Planet (1971), is mistaken and that "the body is clever enough to find missing essential amino acids...from the vast numbers of bacteria that inhabit the lower intestinal tract or from the vast numbers of cells that slough off the lining of the digestive tract every day" (p. 104). I wonder. I do know that when I eat a meal of complementary protein, say tortillas and beans, it tastes especially good, exponentially good in fact, compared to eating just one of those foods alone. Also getting essential amino acids by eating your own cells begs the question of where the essential amino acids came from in the first place. If they really come from intestinal tract bacteria in significant amounts-an intriguing and delightful concept (we farm within!)-perhaps we ought to know more about how such a system works. Does intestinal tract length matter? Are there bacteria cultures we might imbibe? (Maybe this is Weil's next book!) I also wonder about the significance of the distinction he makes between basmati rice from India and other kinds of rice. He claims that the rice usually eaten in China and Japan is mostly amylopectin starch that is "much easier to digest" than the mostly amylose starch in basmati rice (p. 39). His point is that how fast we digest a starch affects "blood sugar levels, which, in turn, affects our energy, our tendency to gain weight, and our general health" (p. 39) He claims on the following page that "Even if you are carbohydrate sensitive, you can enjoy some white rice if you choose a lower-glycemic-index variety like basmati." My confidence in Dr. Weil is not shaken by the inclusion as an appendix the fantastic notion that people might be able to exist without eating. ( See "Appendix D: The Possibility of Surviving Without Eating.") I am not concerned because Weil slyly makes it apparent (but only apparent) that he doubts it is possible. Still one wonders why he included something like this in first place, particularly when one of his seven basic propositions about food is "WE HAVE TO EAT TO LIVE" (his caps on page 9). His discussion of the various cuisines and their characteristic foods is very interesting and just the sort of thing we need to focus on and appreciate. I have always thought of the Chinese and the French cuisines as monumental edifices of gastronomic art. In this book is an appreciation of the richness of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines as well. His identification of a Mediterranean cuisine (he calls it a diet, pages 162-165) that includes Middle Eastern foods as well as Italian, Greek and others is particularly significant since that is the part of the world in which our first agriculture-based civilizations began. In the usual Knopf style this is a beautifully edited and presented book. I didn't notice a single typo, although sweet potatoes are mistakenly identified as roots and not tubers on page 39. Bottom line: Weil is a very persuasive and readable man whose food preferences inspire confidence and imitation.
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Summary: A portion of my medical major in one book
Review: For all the late nights pouring over boring textbooks filled with biology and chemistry data almost made me wish I came across this book sooner. I was surprised (and impressed) at how much time and research he put into his work and how well it corresponded to what I all ready have learned in medical courses. But he is right, the medical field often concentrates soley on correction and not prevention. But quite honestly, all the things I've learned in my courses compared to his book is essentially right on, no bull. Sure, there are a few debatable issues as there always are in the field of medicine but I found that he made no attempts to hide these issues. How refreshing! He doesn't pretend to know it all and gives you a mix of extensive research and his experience. He also provides you with an accurate account of how the body works. Because of his extensive medical background, I'm actually recommending this book in an audio format. This way you are not crunching over it like a textbook trying anxiously to figure out molecular structures and getting frustrated or bored. His voice is very easy to listen to while driving and makes hectic traffic or bad days easier. Plus, if you find yourself getting lost in all the medical terms, he sums everything up in the chapter conclusions. I found this book to be very lively and thought it well worth the money. Even though I've had extensive bio/chem/nutrition courses, there were other things I've learned from Dr. Weil that my courses just brushed over before. Give a try, I think you will find it very enlightening.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful book, but lacks references.
Review: This book was a wonderful, balanced education on healthy eating. I particularly appreciated his descriptions of macro and micronutrients which were detailed but able to be understood by someone like me with no chemical/nutritional science background. I'm amused by the few people with harsh words about the book. To say that he pushes supplements is nonsense. In fact he recommends some (and not others) and he explains why. It seems to me that most of the energetic critics didn't read the book thoroughly, or they wanted completely unequivocal advice, when Weil in fact preaches moderation rather than laying down the law. My only complaint is that there are a number of claims that lack substantiation. For example, Weil claims that many sprouts should not be eaten raw due to carcinogens. Given that so many "health nuts" advocate eating sprouts, wouldn't it be appropriate for Weil to substantiate his claim with a detailed reference to supporting research? In any case, a very useful book written by an original thinker. Especially helpful for someone looking for an overview of nutrition, as well as concrete, balanced, user-frendly advice.
Rating: 
Summary: Average Reader
Review: The book is totally cofusing and full of contradictions. Reminds of a road map that takes you everywhere and nowhere.it states that the foods with high GI range, should generally be avoided. Then it lists banana, pineapple, and cantaloup as higher than average. Based on this book then, these fruits are not good food anymore! He mentions that he does not expect us to carry calculator when we dine, but that's exactly what we should do if we follow his convoluted directions. It is not even good reading. The only thing I found out from his book that French Fries is bad for you. Big deal, most people who buy the book, already know that.
why is he promoting supplement? isn't a dangerous proposition if you are not careful. Is he catering to the supplement industry as well.
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Summary: More Mumbo-jumbo Medicine from "Dr." Weil
Review: It's humorous to read Weil's warning not to 'fall under the spell' of the (anti-carb) Atkins diet, while he promotes the magical healing qualities of dark chocolate, Quinoa and Turmeric. He is the master of the food-trend spin! Now some of these recipes are good, but I'm frightened at the thought of anyone taking his advice to heart as based in medical science. Weil has a habit of making grand, sweeping declarations of what is "bad" and unhealthy and what is not, but never gives background or research for where he got that information - much of it which is wrong, as anyone with a little nutritional common sense will know. Both Rosie Daley and Oprah should know better than to collaborate on this kind of fuzzy science! I've already sold my book to a used book store, and I won't make the mistake of buying his books again.
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Summary: Misinformation Galore
Review: America's best known medical advocate of alternative medicine espouses his ideas of what healthy eating should be for all people in this popular book. Unfortunately, despite his somewhat iconoclastic stance in medicine, he offers a very politically-correct diet for people to follow and his book is filled with misinformation and bad advice. In the beginning of the book, Weil discusses the debate between low-fat and high-fat diet advocates. He gives a little rundown of the squabbles between Dr Dean Ornish (the low-fat camp) and Dr. Robert Atkins (the high-fat camp). He says that, "Both sides have their sets of studies to draw from." Weil tries to distance himself from the low-fat camp but, basically, his book is all about low-fat eating. Oddly enough, even though he admits that the high-fat folk have studies to back up their claims, he never delves into them. Weil's advice on fats is to avoid saturated fats at all costs. He bashes butter on page 113, saying that, "Butterfat in the Western diet . . . is probably the greatest single contributor to the overload of saturated fat responsible for the high rates of cardiovascular disease in our societies." He offers no supporting references for these claims. If he bothered to do a little research, he'd see that butter consumption declined considerably in America during the time when heart disease rates began escalating. What Americans were eating more of during that time was margarine and processed vegetable oils--not more animal fat. (1) He then commits a most egregious error. He rightly warns people away from trans-fatty acids but then states that, " Butterfat is also one of the natural sources of trans-fatty acids." Weil is confusing artificially generated trans-fatty acids with the naturally occuring ones in butter and cream which our bodies handle with no problem. Nowhere in his butter bashing is there a discussion of the fat-soluble vitamins, beneficial fatty acids, or trace minerals present in butter. In his section titled "The Worst Diet In the World," the top of the list is given to, "A glut of saturated fat in the form of cheese, butter, cream, and other whole milk products, along with a lot of beef and unskinned chicken. That will ensure that most people will develop unhealthy levels of serum cholesterol and increased risks of cardiovascular disease" (p.148). Dr. Weil obviously needs to be educated about what causes heart disease . . . and what does not. Studies have not shown that saturated fatty acids cause heart disease (2) and people will be missing out on good, healthy food by following his advice. In Weil's view, the only allowable fats are olive and fish oils, and some nuts. In his section on protein, he makes the common, but incorrect, claim that excess dietary protein causes kidney damage and osteoporosis. He also claims that, "Traditional Inuit, who eat large amounts of animal protein along with their fat, have severe osteoporosis" (p. 106). No references are given for this lie. On page 109 he instructs readers not to eat organ meats, not because of their cholesterol content, but because of "possible concentrations of heavy metals, environmental toxins, and infectious agents [like Mad Cow Disease]." It never occurs to him to seek out organic sources of organ meats, true superfoods that are loaded with nutrients like vitamin A, carnitine, CoQ10, and the B complex vitamins. The book takes on an unintentional comic turn when he relates the story of a Japanese MD who switched to a mostly vegetarian diet. She claimed that a massage therapist could tell she didn't eat meat because her flesh "felt" different from a meat-eaters! Assuming the story is true, what, pray tell, is the definition of "meat-eater's flesh" and how does one "sense" it?! In his section titled "The Best Diet In the World," he presents a very skewed version of the Paleolithic diet (a la Loren Cordain and Boyd Eaton) and an equally wrong version of the traditional Japanese diet which he claims has "less than 10% fat, very little meat, and no milk or milk products." Has he ever been to Japan? Has he ever really studied what Japanese people eat? Obviously not (3). Of course, Weil pushes soy foods of all types in his book. He does admit that some research shows that soy's phytoestrogens might be causative or contributing factors in some forms of breast cancer, but he quickly brushes it aside and makes the usual grandiose, but unproven, claims for soy. Dr. Weil ends up hawking what he thinks is the Mediterranean Diet, based on the questionable research done decades ago by Ancel Keys. Instead of checking cookbooks from that part of the world (which show what real people eat as opposed to what ivory-tower intellectuals think they eat), he relies on second-hand information which is very wrong. He finishes off the book with 85 recipes. Despite his liking for olive oil, many of the recipes call for canola oil instead. This book is so full of misinformation that it cannot be recommended to anyone. Avoid it if you want to get and maintain "optimal health." 1. S. Rizek et al. Fat in today's food supply. J Am Oil Chem Soc, 51:244, 1974.
2. G Taubes. The soft science of dietary fat. Science, March 31, 2001, 291:5513 2536-45; U Ravnskov. The Cholesterol Myths (New Trends Publishing; USA), 2001.
3. S Fallon and MG Enig. Inside Japan. Wise Traditions, 2:3, 2001, 34-42.
Rating:
Summary: This book tells you what you already know.
Review: The best kind of book is the one that tells you what already know. However it organizes it in a way that makes sense and helps you to put it all together. There is nothing revolutionary or supernatural in the way Andrew Weil puts food in prospective with everything in our lives. However this book does make for good reading. It is not just a theory book however. There is statistics, explanations and even recipes. He touches on all aspects of life and how foods relate to them. In essence this is a self-help book that is geared to Eating Well.
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Summary: Eating Well for Optimum Health
Review: I read this book about a year ago after spotting it sitting on the library shelf by chance. Now, after one year of being very committed to following Dr weil's advice, I can say without a doubt I feel fantastic. I'm just 24 but for years I'd felt very lethargic and depressed and had bad circulation. Now, I feel healthier than I have in a very long time. I'm never going back to eating the same old hydogenated [junk] on store shelves. I consider myself very lucky to have seen this book sitting on the library shelf. My advice, Read this book! and do what it says. You'll thank yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I bought this book in hopes that I would have a good reference for healthy eating. Instead, it seems more of a "commercial" for Dr. Weil. And, his way of eating is not practical. His philosophy is to never use anything processed or from the grocery store. Fine if you live on a farm where you can organically grow your own food, but some of us live hectic lives in big cities. Give us advice that real humans in the 21st century can use - not something left over from the '60's. I don't recommend this one. There are other books out there that you can buy that are more geared towards healthy eating in today's world.
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