The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being Vegetarian (2nd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Informative and Fun
Review: I bought this book a year ago when I was thinking about becoming a vegetarian. A year later I'm still a ovo-lacto vegetarian (the book goes over the differences), and about to cut out all egg products. I've also lost all the weight I've gained since high school (18 pounds) just from nixing the meat.
This is the first book I bought on being vegetarian and it has proved to be invaluable. I don't think I could have stuck with the change in diet if I had not read this book.
Ms. Wolfe does a great job covering everything you could want to know about going vegetarian, or just eating healthier! Knowing what to expect from my body as far as cravings and how to continue to get enough protein were incredibly helpful.
There is also a great chapter about eating out!
I would strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to go vegetarian or just cut back on meat. The book is easy to read and follow- perfect for anyone!

Rating:
Summary: Informative and Fun
Review: I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for a few years now and was thrilled to receive this book as a present. It clearly explains reasons for going vegetarian, degrees of vegetarianism (ie pescatarians or pesco vegetarians eat fish, but other than that consume a plant-based diet), how to eat healthily, and provides witty information throughout the entire book. It's been a great source to me and I always recommend it to people who have questions about vegetarianism. I do not find it to be preachy. I just think it provides thorough information. It's simply a great source!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but . . .
Review: I picked this book up because I was thinking about moving from no red meat to ovo-lacto vegetarianism. While a good deal of interesting and pertinent information is presented in this book, I had a problem with the way the author wove her belief in various alternative practices, such as food combining and herbal supplementation, throughout the book. I'm interested in going vegetarian for environmental reasons, and I'm not as interested in holistic/alternative approaches to nutrition.

I found it distracting to have to wade through references to be sure to eat fruit by itself in the morning and to slow cook grains (by adding boiling water to grains in a thermos and leaving overnight) to preserve their enzymes and life. I don't think this book really lives up to the "complete idiot's" part of the title. Maybe if it was "complete new age idiot's."

Rating:
Summary: too much new age philosophy
Review: I was considering this book until it started describing how vegetarians eat fish and chicken. Vegetarians don't eat any meat. After seeing this I wouldn't have trusted anything the book said and sat it down.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful guide for anyone who eats
Review: This book taught me so much about being a vegetarian! and I've been a ovo-lacto-pescatarian for six years (Frankie's book taught me that). I consider this book an invaluable text for the person considering becoming a vegetarian or anyone who is interested in learning more about the food that they DO eat - meat, dairy, fish, or vegetable.

For the aspiring vegetarian there is a great 12 step guide that is "idiot proof". The chapter on diet related to the heart and cholesterol and the chapter on weight loss were two of the best written and informative pieces on these subjects that I have ever read. Frankie makes the information clear and informative without being too technical. She shows cause and effect from food to physiology and how to choose food to effect your body in the way you want.

Once again, I feel this book is must reading for anyone who thinks about the food that they put into their body. Reading this will give you the good, the bad and the ugly about all types of food, letting YOU make the choice on what you eat.

Keep up the great work Frankie! and keep your great books coming!

Rating:
Summary: The First edition was much better.
Review: Unfortunatley, this is a bad book. The first editon was much better. Wolfe wants us to take her views seriously, but we can't because she comes across as a writer who does not have the knowledge to separate science from her own personal unfounded views. I cannot tell if this is supposed be a new-age philosphy book or a scientifically founded manual to help someone be a vegetarian. Wolfe has done vegetarianism a diservice in this book.

Rating:
Summary: YUMMY!!
Review: Wow, this book is truly amazing! Frankie Wolfe is such a gifted, clever writer who makes it easy to understand! I never knew how unhealthy I was until I read her book! I have done so much to change the way I eat now & have lost SO much weight from learning everything.

You DO NOT have to be just a vegetarian to read this book. Im not & I still learned a whole bunch. Its wonderful, reccommend it to anyone who wants to be a healthy person!!