Keto Diet Book Reviews and More...

Welcome to my keto diet book review corner. Here’s where you’ll find a growing list of books from the world of diets, nutrition, and health. These are books on the low carb diet, keto diet, the carnivore diet and Paleo diet. There are also books on nutrition and health as well as diverse subjects such as food addiction and much more! These subjects have generated unlimited discussions and promoted endless debates which of course makes for deliciously interesting reading! And you’ll find it all here.

So, if you're curious about keto and low carb but you don't know where to start, this should help. Here are some great books to help you gain knowledge about nutrition and how what you eat shapes not just your body, but your mental health and quality of life as well.

Chances are pretty good you'll find the right book here. Happy reading!!

Keto Diet Book Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few keto diet books that I highly recommend.  Enjoy.

Status Quo Thinking Is Harming Your Health- A Physician's Final Plea

Status Quo Book Cover

Author: Dr. Sarah Hallberg

The late Dr. Hallberg was affectionately known as “Dr. Sarah” by her patients. In her only book, “Status Quo Thinking Is Harming Your Health”, she talks about the dangers of doctors following medical practices just because it’s always been done this way. She claims that status quo thinking by medical practitioners is indeed harming our health.

Dr. Hallberg disagreed with the standard health and dietary advice. She exposed the lies and erroneous beliefs about diet, exercise, and chronic disease management. But for all that, her book is not just about critiquing the healthcare system. Instead, it’s about reminding us to advocate for ourselves, to ask clarifying questions, and to look for evidence-based approaches to wellness.

In her book, Dr. Hallberg advises that following a diet that is much lower in carbohydrates than is currently being recommended is the way out of poor health, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. And she provides practical tips and advice for how we should do that and more importantly, why we need to do that.

This is an easy book to read. I highly recommend it. And why not buy a copy for your doctor while you’re at it? The ending is a tear-jerker, written by her husband. “Dr. Sarah” died of stage IV lung cancer at the age of 50. It was a rare form of cancer not attributed to her lifestyle.

Visit the Video Page where you can watch Dr. Hallberg’s TEDx talk and see for yourself just how passionate she was about changing status quo thinking. It is one of the best presentations I’ve ever seen!

You can find the soft cover book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the AMAZON link below.

AMAZON LINK: Status Quo Thinking

Fork in the Road: A Hopeful Guide to Food Freedom

Fork In the Road

Author: Dr. Jen Unwin

"Fork in the Road" is a 150-page book featuring the wisdom and thoughts from eight guest professionals in the field of food addiction. It’s a guide that empowers men and women to take control of their eating and lifestyle habits to improve their metabolic health.

Dr. Unwin introduces us to the “HOPE” protocol which stands for Harnessing the Opportunity for Personal Empowerment. It clearly explains the psychology of behavior change. There is also some down-to-earth practical advice for making changes that are achievable as well as being sustainable.

You’ll find meal plans and trackers as well as thirty delicious recipes. My favorite is Chicken Thighs with Sage and Leek Cream Sauce. Seriously good eats!

Fork In the Road should be read by anyone who has tried to lose weight and failed because it was just too hard to stick to the meal plans. The issue may not be about the diet so much as it has to do with being addicted to sugar and carbohydrates. Worth a read to find out more.

You can find the soft cover book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Fork in the Road

Processed Food Addiction: Foundations, Assessment, and Recovery - 1st Edition

Processed Food Addiction Ifland

Author: Joan Ifland Phd

This is a textbook that is overflowing with a wealth of information! I don’t think this is a book that can be consumed in just one sitting. Reading it was like drinking from a fire hose. So much information. Wow.

Throughout the book it’s very clear that food addiction and drug addiction are so similar that it is impossible to ignore the growing body of scientific evidence to support the similarities.  And it’s noted that food addiction is much more difficult to treat for a variety of reasons.

I’m particularly fond of the last paragraph on page 324, 24.2.2. Management of Triggering and Cueing where the “use of compounded cues is an issue for Processed Food Addiction more so than other addictions.”

As I read page after page, it was shocking to me to learn the extent to which a person can be damaged by food addiction.

The book is a great compendium of the many recovery concepts. Some of the information was a bit difficult to understand and I did a lot of re-reading, but I’m not a medical practitioner so it’s understandable that some science details were beyond my grasp. But most of the book could be followed easily by the average person.

I really like the way the textbook is organized because it makes it easy to find reference material in a hurry.

You can find the hard cover book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Processed Food Addiction 1st edition

Fat Chance – Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease

Fat Chance Cover

By Dr. Robert H. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L.

Robert Lustig is a most respected pediatric endocrinologist with a gift for explaining things in a way that most of us can understand. And he does it with an edgy sense of humor that makes you want to keep turning page after page. If you ever get the chance to watch him do a presentation, do it. You won’t regret it!

Fat Chance explores the worldwide obesity epidemic. Dr. Lustig doesn’t shy away from pointing a finger at our food industry and existing government polices for playing a major part in the unhealthy direction we’ve taken.

He picks apart the mistaken beliefs around diet, weight loss and exercise. And he completely destroys the Calories In Calories Out model which has never worked. Instead, he shows us what is causing our obesity crisis, namely sugar and processed foods.

Indeed, a calorie is not just a calorie. Lustig says not all calories are created equal. The most important thing is the type of calories we consume. And the worst offenders to our metabolic good health are calories that come from sugar and processed foods. These are the foods that contribute to the chronic modern illnesses of today.

The book skillfully gets into the neuroscience and the biology of obesity and its related diseases without being boring.

Lustig offers solutions and hope rather than just criticism. The book is written in a well-balanced way, weaving together science, politics and consumer behaviors to explain what is going on with this obesity epidemic.

I think this book challenges traditional viewpoints and it’s a real eye-opener for anyone who is curious about diet, weight loss and exercise. A great reference book to have on your nightstand.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Fat Chance

The Big Fat Surprise – Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet

Big Fat Surprise Cover

By Nina Teicholz

Playing out like a “whodunnit”, The Big Fat Surprise takes us down twisting, winding roads, searching for a killer. A killer that turns out to be innocent! The author, Nina Teicholz, a brilliant investigative journalist finds out the truth about dietary fat. Turns out, it’s not the bad guy we’ve all been led to believe. As a matter of fact, fat is a friend that may be our best ally in fighting the battle of the bulge, T2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

We take a step back into the 1960’s when the low-fat diet began to take traction. Based on nothing but theories and opinions, this diet led us down the garden path, potentially doing much more harm than good. There was no evidence to support a low-fat diet. Our friend Fat was being framed!

What I love about Nina is that she doesn’t back down from getting at the truth. She’s a downright sleuth! She spent ten years writing this book, debunking the idea that saturated fat is bad for our health.  She dug deep down to find long forgotten papers and studies proving that cholesterol is not a menace waiting around the corner to give us a heart attack.

What’s a real shocker and a gripping plot twist is how the science community conveniently hid truths in order to protect their jobs and research funding.

Nina Teicholz’s The Big Fat Surprise will indeed surprise you but it will also make you angry and disappointed with the powers that be in the field of nutritional science. Read the book and don’t miss a page! And when you’re done, you can stop fearing dietary fats and see for yourself how our current dietary recommendations have failed us miserably.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: The Big Fat Surprise

The Case for Keto – Rethinking Weight Control and the Science and Practice of Low-Carb/High-Fat Eating

Case for Keto Cover

By Gary Taubes

I love reading anything written by science reporter Gary Taubes. This book is no exception.  In “The Case for Keto”, he does not disappoint. In fact, it’s a book I will want to read more than once.

The pages pull you deep inside the world of low-carb and keto lifestyles, all the while revealing the truths behind the low-fat diets and other foodie fibs that we’ve been told for decades. Brick by brick, he easily demolishes the outdated food pyramid and the nonsense that goes along with its purported wisdom. Gary believes that the way to regain our health and maintain a healthy body weight is by following a lifestyle that promotes carbohydrate restriction.  I agree.

I would have loved to have had a front row seat while he interviewed dietitians, teams of doctors, health enthusiasts and nutrition scientists for this book. Oh, to be able to listen to them praising the Keto diet! And not just the weight loss part, but all the diseases it prevents as well.

In this book, Taubes takes us into the sphere of science, exploring how our bodies react differently to fats and carbohydrates. He does it in such a way that we, non-scientific people, can understand without being bored or overwhelmed.

Taubes is not afraid to replace old myths with new discoveries.  We discover along the way that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. We begin to question the old, outdated beliefs about what the “right diet” for a human being truly is.

This book offers us the real possibility that we can take care of what ails us and come out feeling healthier, more vibrant and slimmer by the food choices we make.

Definitely add this book to your reading list.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: The Case for Keto

“Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind” - The Power Plan to Improve Mood, Overcome Anxiety and Protect Memory for a Lifetime of Optimal Health

Chang Your Diet Ede

By Dr. Georgia Ede

One of my favorite people in the keto world is the brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede. In her book, “Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind”, she illustrates vividly the role that food plays and its effects on our brain. We learn that junk food, excess carbohydrates and sugar affect our mental wellbeing, and contribute to some not-so-sweet conditions including anxiety, depression, ADHD and even Alzheimer's. It doesn’t take long to realize that we need to have a serious look at what’s on our plates.

This is a serious book that’s written in an easy-to-understand way. Although it’s serious, it’s filled with many funny quips to keep you smiling along the way. It’s an absolute joy to read.

Although the book does have a section on meal ideas and some recipes, it’s not a diet book.

In this book, Dr. Ede breaks down difficult-to-grasp scientific ideas into manageable chunks. She then backs everything up with extensive research. I don’t know anyone who can make the subjects of evolutionary biology, biochemistry, and clinical research so entertaining!

Among so many things, here’s what I learned… your brain is attached to your body. How you treat your body affects your brain health. If you’re overweight and have metabolic diseases, you can be assured your mental health is suffering too.

Read this book, apply the recommendations, and watch your mood, memory and mental focus improve by leaps and bounds!

Go ahead, change your diet and change your mind… I dare you!

I highly recommend this book.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Change Your Diet Change Your Mind - Dr. Georgia Ede

Dopamine Nation – Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

Dopamine Nation Lembke

By Dr. Anna Lembke

I’ve had the pleasure of watching a live presentation by Dr. Anna Lembke, and I love her teaching style. She brings that talent in her book, Dopamine Nation. This leading psychiatrist demonstrates the fascinating but disturbing intersection of pleasure, pain and addiction in our modern world. She points out that we live in a world where we’re overwhelmed by stimulation. We want immediate gratification, we fear missing out on anything, and we buy stuff we don’t need. We’re compelled to chase things we think make us feel good and our brain is constantly trying to keep things in balance.

The brain’s dopamine reward system controls our feelings of pleasure and pain. In her research, Lembke shares with us case studies and neuroscience research illustrating that excessive indulgence in pleasure can lead to pain. This forms a cyclical pattern of chasing pleasurable experiences or food or drugs then experiencing pain when the pleasure diminishes, and we then seek to feel better and chase the pleasure again. This results in addiction. Short term pleasure leads to long-term distress.

Dopamine Nation offers tools for achieving a healthy equilibrium in our pursuit of happiness and satisfaction. Dr. Lembke tells a great story while artfully giving us an entertaining education in the scientific research of dopamine in our brain.

I highly recommend this book.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Dopamine Nation

The Molecule of More – How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity – and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race

Molecule of More

By Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD and Michael E. Long

Why are we always craving more, more, and more? It doesn’t matter if it’s money, sex, love, power or even chocolate! We just seem to want more.

The Molecule of More is a bit quirky while being very insightful. Written by psychiatrist Daniel Lieberman and writer Michael Long, the two pull off a wonderful book that educates and entertains at the same time. Who knew that a tiny neurotransmitter could impact every aspect of our lives!

Happily, the reading is light, and nicely peppered with delightful humor. But make no mistake… the subject is serious.  This is subject matter that could be very dry… hello? Neurotransmitters and molecules… what could be more boring? But not this book… it’s artfully written and keeps you turning page after page.

We learn that dopamine drives our ambitions. Also that it has formed the foundation of our civilization, and it even fuels our less desirable tendency for destruction. Dopamine loves shiny new things and hates boredom and the mundane. It’s always in pursuit of new things that are extraordinary and exciting. And when we finally attain those things, and they no longer hold our attention, we’re left feeling hollow and unsatisfied.

This book helps us learn that it’s not all doom and gloom. The authors show us how understanding dopamine can help us manage addictions, mitigate mood disorders, and even get our creative juices flowing!

If you have a fascination with why we humans do the things we do, this book is sure to satisfy. Dare I suggest it may even give you a little dopamine hit! 

I highly recommend this book.

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Molecule of More

Stay Off My Operating Table – A Heart Surgeon’s Metabolic Health Guide to Lose Weight, Prevent Disease, and Feel Your Best Every Day

Ovadia Operating Table

by Dr. Philip Ovadia, MD

Cardiac surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia has a real knack for breaking down complex medical issues and making them understandable to the average person. I love books that can do that! In his book, “Stay Off My Operating Table”, Dr. Ovadia focuses on prevention rather than how to cope with life after life-altering diseases have set in. He believes prevention is way better than cure and I couldn’t agree more.

He shoots straight from the hip telling us that an unhealthy lifestyle is sure to get us a one-way ticket to his operating table. And that’s the last thing we want!

When you read his book, you feel like you’re following a roadmap to better health. Dr. Ovadia talks about his own recovery to wellness as-well-as sharing stories about his patients’ transformations. And along the way he not only debunks common myths and bold-faced lies about nutrition, but he also shows us what it means to be truly healthy and whole, and what it takes to get there. Spoiler alert: It’s not all that complicated.

This book is not just about obesity, weight loss, diabetes and heart health. His message is also about empowerment. It’s about taking charge of our own health destinies and he shows us how it’s possible to do that in the simplest of ways.

I found this book exceptionally heartwarming. This is a person I would love to meet some day. His insights are thought-provoking and his presentation is brilliant. If you want to stay off his operating table, or tables like it, read this book!

You can find the book on Amazon by clicking/tapping the link below.

AMAZON LINK: Ovadia Operating Table

Read Any Great Books Lately?

How about you?  Have you read any great books lately?  If so, here's an opportunity to share them with us.  I’d love to hear about your recommendation.  And don't forget to add what the book is about and what you learned from it.   You can publish it right here using the form below.  I'd love to hear from you.

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Here's where you can share your great book discoveries with us.

There is so much wonderful new information about removing sugar from your diet, that it is sometimes difficult to keep up. I am just one person after all. :-)

Have you read any great books related to removing sugar from your diet? By that of course, I mean removing carbs from your diet. We would love to know.

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