Looking for some incredible health books to read this summer? ASweetLife has complied a list of some of our very favorites. Whether you’re interested in learning more about metabolic health, diabetes management, cancer prevention, or just need some low carb inspiration, these are the books you should be reading.
Ravenous by Sam Apple
One of the most anticipated books of the year is finally here! Author Sam Apple’s new book, Ravenous, is the extraordinary story of the Nazi-era scientific genius who discovered how cancer cells eat—and what it means for how we should. Regular readers of ASweetLife will be glad to learn that eating low carb isn’t just a great way to manage blood sugar, it’s also one of the best ways to protect your body from developing cancer. (Disclosure: Sam is my brother, and I’m very proud of him and his book!)
Brave New Medicine by Dr. Cynthia Li
In this revelatory memoir, Dr. Cynthia Li shares the truth about her disabling autoimmune illness, the limitations of Western medicine, and her hard-won lessons on healing—mind, body, and spirit.
Brave New Medicine details the physical and existential crisis that forces a young doctor to question her own medical training. She dives into the root causes of her illness, learning to unlock her body’s innate intelligence and wholeness. Li relates her story with the insight of a scientist, and the humility and candor of a patient, exploring the emotional and spiritual shifts beyond the physical body.
The New Mediterranean Cookbook by Martina Slajerova, Thomas DeLauer, Nicholas Norwitz, and Rohan Kashid
This book is about living and eating at the intersection of the Mediterranean and keto diets so you can reap the benefits of both. While both diets advocate significant amounts of healthy fats and protein, the new Mediterranean approach to keto significantly shifts the fat profile of the diet to emphasize the monounsaturated and omega-3 fats that health experts agree promote living a long disease-free life. It also includes colorful vegetables, providing a diversity of nutrients and flavor. The result is an enhanced Mediterranean diet that stokes metabolism, supports the gut and microbiome, and is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and nutrient-dense.
Metabolical by Dr. Robert Lustig
In the hard-hitting, ground-breaking tradition of his NY Times bestseller FAT CHANCE, which revealed the dangers of sugar, Dr. Robert Lustig presents a stark exposé of how our addiction to processed foods is behind the lethal increase in major non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, cancer and dementia. We have come to accept that these chronic diseases are simply part of the ‘natural aging process’, but Dr. Lustig makes the case that this is simply not true.
The Case for Keto by Gary Taubes
Gary Taubes is a journalist, not a doctor or a dietitian, but nevertheless he is perhaps the most important single figure in the recent history of low-carbohydrate dieting. Taubes has spent a career investigating the history and politics of nutrition science, as well as the advanced science of human metabolism. In The Case for Keto, his latest, he consolidates his learning into a single concise and comprehensive argument. Why does keto work? And how did the authorities get it so wrong for so long? Start here. There’s no better foundation.
The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Jeff Volek and Dr. Stephen Phinney
Perhaps the one book that did the most to ignite the keto trend in the last decade, this book remains a bible for low-carb diet & lifestyle, presenting an authoritative guide to how and why we should restrict carbohydrates. Also popular: The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance, the definitive guide to exercise in the ketogenic state.
The Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung
Dr. Fung is known for one dieting technique above all: intermittent fasting. The Diabetes Code provides an excellent overview on the reality insulin resistance, and explains why low-carbohydrate diets work. But it will ultimately be of most interest to dieters that want to try the fasting technique, which may be uniquely beneficial to people with diabetes
Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman
Ben Bikman, a professor of physiology and developmental biology, looks deep at insulin resistance, a condition that has reached epidemic proportions across virtually the entire globe. Insulin resistance causes Type 2 diabetes, of course, but is also at the heart of a bewildering number of chronic diseases and conditions, from cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease to sexual dysfunction. The book is both a definitive explanation of the pathogenesis and mechanisms of insulin resistance and a practical manual for improving one’s own health (hint: cut the carbs!).
How to Eat in the Time of Covid-19 by Dr. Mariela Glandt
At her pioneering clinic, endocrinologist Dr. Mariela Glandt has helped hundreds of patients lose weight, correct diabetes, and reclaim their lives using the principles of a ketogenic diet. In How to Eat In the Time of Covid-19, she explains how you can use the keto diet principles to fix your metabolic health.
Dr. Glandt offers easy-to-follow eating rules and recommendations that will put you on the path to metabolic health in no time at all! This short, simple guide will help you optimize your nutrition and maximize your defenses against Covid-19! (Disclosure: I edited this book and sales support ASweetLife, the nonprofit low carb diabetes magazine.)
End Your Carb Confusion by Dr. Eric Westman and Amy Berger
Dr. Westman has done pioneering clinical work and has recommended low-carb diets to his patients for years. Here he’s joined by the popular nutritionist Amy Berger to share his method. The authors eschew the one size fits all approach and instead offer multiple diet plans featuring different levels of carbohydrate intake, and help explain which might be right for you.
The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz
Teicholz, an investigative journalist, shows that just about everything you thought you knew about dietary fat, especially saturated fat, is wrong. This book was a thunderclap in the mainstream media, led to the reappraisal of butter and bacon, and helped pave the way for the keto diet’s widespread popularity.
The Everyday Keto Kitchen – Carolyn Ketchum
If you’re trying out a new diet, you’re gonna need recipes, and with about a billion keto cookbooks out there, where do you start? We heartily recommend Carolyn Ketchum, a long-time ASweetLife contributor, who is universally beloved in the low-carb community. Everyday Keto Kitchen is just the start—Carolyn has books on baking, soups, breakfast, and more.
