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336 of 398 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The nonfiction book of the year?, January 2, 2009
This review is from: Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution (Paperback)
I know, that sounds like a wild claim. And I'm surprised I wrote it.
I own both of the previous Eat This Not That books ( Thousands of Simple Food Swaps, For Kids!), so when I noticed this one was about to come out I decided to skip it. What more could it offer than what was already in the other two?
Then, tonight, I went shopping for food with my teenage daughter at Target. We spotted this in the little book section and, at her urging, picked it up and glanced through it.
What a great book! So helpful! So useful! Yes, if it keeps my husband healthy and my daughter enthused about nutrition, it gets my vote as best nonfiction book this year. I read about every day, and no book has struck me as a Must Buy as much as this one.
The reason? Since the book is entirely about food at supermarkets, every item on every page is something readily accessible to you. And since every item is captioned with its relevant nutritional information, it's like having the "Nutrition Facts" panel of every major item at your grocery store right there in your purse, in a little book that is so well designed and organized it is remarkably easy to use.
By comparison, the earlier titles had less detailed grocery sections, as well as lots of stuff about fast food chains and table-service franchise restaurants, material that is useful only if you frequent those particular places.
In this book, every page has valuable content for anyone who shops at a supermarket -- so much, in fact, it's tough to determine just what to highlight in this review. Every time I flip through the book I come across useful, surprising information. For example, right now I'll randomly open it a few times and learn why....
1) Fruit Loops are better for you than Apple Cinnamon Cheerios...
2) Regular Cheerios is a better choice than Smart Start...
3) Regular Quick 1 minute Quaker Oats is healthier than Quaker's Simple Harvest Multigrain hot cereal...
4) Dole pineapple cups are more nutritious than Dole mixed fruit cups...
5) Del Monte pear halves beat Del Monte sliced pears...
I could go on forever.
By the way, not all the pages are side-by-side product comparisons. One spread, titled "The Meat Matrix," compares the nutritional value of a variety of meats, everything from pork to ostrich. Another, "The Perfect Refrigerator," displays a perfectly stocked healthy fridge. My daughter was especially interested in a spread titled "The Snack Matrix," which shows which combination of snack items (fruit, peanut butter, cottage cheese) mix well together for both nutrition and taste. Another section discusses how to store fresh fruit and produce and explains why fresh food is better for you.
Until now, I have never used the phrase "book of the year" in any of my Amazon reviews. But this one, at least for nonfiction, just might live up to that claim.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of good tips, May 25, 2009
This review is from: Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution (Paperback)
I bought this book after I had gone through the first "Eat This Not That" book. Unlike its predecessor, Mr. Zinczenko goes much more in depth into all different kinds of food, rather than just focusing on what you should eat at different fast food restaurants. It was especially helpful in distinguishing what food labels really mean (whole grain vs. multi-grain, cage-free vs. free range, just for starters.) As well as clever comparisons, such as the nutritional value of different cuts of meat and which fruits and vegetables carry the most pesticides.
Unfortunately, the amount of information is also its downside. Unlike the first book, where there were short lists that are easy to remember (the foods you should eat every day, what to eat when you feel sick/tired/etc.) Mr. Zinczenko creates many different different categories, some of which may not be necessary (sweetened vs. unsweetend cereals, for example). This muddies the message with too much complexity and I often end up ignoring the finer points when actually doing my grocery shopping.
A very interesting, easy to read book. But plan on devoting some time to digest the wealth of information here.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Indispensable Guide for the Health Minded Grocery Shopper, August 6, 2009
This review is from: Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution (Paperback)
When I think about grocery shopping in the United States, I cannot help but recall the scene in the old movie Moscow On The Hudson when Robin Williams character is instructed to go shop for coffee in the local market. Having been used to rationing in the Soviet Union he has not been exposed to the variety of food product available to him in the United States. Overwhelmed he keeps saying "Coffee, coffee, coffee" then passes out not being able to make what appears to him a most complex decision at the time.
It is not too much unlike that grocery shopping in the United States today. You come into a supermarket bulging with products all very colorfully marketed making sometimes unfounded claims as to their health benefits. It is wise, therefore, to come armed with the knowledge that what one buys IS really healthy for them not something a marketer told them to get them to buy their goods. This IS the proverbial SUPERMARKET SURVIVAL GUIDE one should read before entering a store and keeping handy while still in the store.
The book starts with Chapter 1 "Getting to Know and Love the Supermarket." Within that chapter the author lists 11 Secrets the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know and the 20 Worst Packaged Foods in America. It is helpful to know, for starters, what kind of food one should consider junk before going on to food shopping for healthy products. Chapter 2 "The Produce Aisle" is simply lovely. It talks about Mastering the Produce Aisle then lists over 40 types of produce from how to pick the best (PERFECT PICK) to PEAK SEASON, how to preserve and store the produce item at home (HANDLE WITH CARE) and what is healthy about the item to begin with (THE PAYOFF). There is even a Salad Bar Survival Guide and a Your Organic Primer. Finally Chapter 3 "The Meat and Fish Counters" having to do with building a leaner body with fresh protein that really packs a punch. In this section the author includes a list of different kinds of fish, their Omega 3 count, protein grams, contaminant content and environmental friendliness. There is a similar chart entitled The Meat Matrix describing proten-to-fat ratio.
Chapter 4 "The Refrigerator" instructs on how best to use the book and then begins the EAT THIS, NOT THAT comparisons with Deli Meats. I love that these sections include photographs of food products all in full color. You are enabled to easily pick out what you want to buy this way. The author meticulously lists the calorie counts, fat grams and sodium contents of all products compared. In the Grains section he lists the grams of fiber included within the product. Chapter 5 "Pantry Staples" in the Pantry Label Decoder reminds you to read package labels.
Of course the author does not ignore the fact that many individuals have a sweet tooth and would like to indulge in products that do not leave them excessively guilt ridden. He addresses this in Chapter 6 "Snacks and Sweets" even to the point of listing what would be considered the lesser of two evils when buying Corn Chips, Potato Chips, Dips, Granola, Cookies, Snack Cakes, Candy and Chocolate.
Understanding that the modern day grocery shopper tends to indulge in frozen convenience foods the author addresses this in Chapter 7 "The Freezer Section". He advises on the healthier Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Frozen Pasta, Frozen Fish, Frozen Beef and Chicken Entrees and Frozen Meatless Entrees/Meat Substitutes.
Chapter 8 warns to "Think Before You Drink" listing The Worse Beverages in the Supermarket even including a section on the healthier beer to drink and mixers to use in alcoholic beverages.
The book concludes with Chapter 9 "Your Save-Money Shopping Guide". (Who hasn't heard oftentimes the dieter complaining that eating healthy is just too expensive?)
All in all this is a GREAT book I would highly recommend to help one eat healthy keeping their weight under control, their cholesterol levels healthy and blood suger within normal limits. I remember a trainer telling someone who was having trouble losing weight by exercise alone that that was was only 30 % of the solution. Nutritious eating is vital and this book can help you immensely in that regard.
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