So incredibly interesting! Not only the science behind all things food but the history as well. How are different foods processed in our body and what is actually happening within your body after ingesting different foods.

Gut health is a huge buzzword right now but what does it actually mean?

To truly understand the language throughout you have to have a basic level of knowledge regarding nutritional science. In saying that - it was written in a way that is easily understandable for most people.

Nutrition is one of those topics where everyone seems to have a strong opinion, so I appreciated that In Search of the Optimal Human Diet spends time looking at the research rather than promoting a quick fix or miracle solution. The author explores a wide range of nutritional questions and explains the science in a way that is accessible to people without a scientific background. I came away with a better understanding of how nutrition studies work and why dietary advice can sometimes seem confusing or contradictory.

If you are confused by conflicting information about food, nutrition and health, then this is the book for you. Be warned; it IS comprehensive and you won’t be able to skim through it in five minutes. Instead, you are treated to a detailed exploration of the history of nutritional science and the evolution of theories about what constitutes a healthy diet. You will learn about the discovery of theories roles of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and the importance of a healthy gut. Reassuringly, at the end of the book, we are given a list of the author’s daily dozen, which is, as you might expect, plant based, and also includes exercise. The author extols the virtues of this type of diet, boasting of his own good health at an advanced age.

I enjoyed reading this one and thought it gave me a lot to think about. It was interesting to see the different ideas and research about nutrition, and I found it easy to follow. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes reading about health and nutrition.