Health and nutrition can often feel like a fraught and complicated subject, with conflicting advice making it difficult to navigate the sheer wealth of information and resources available.
Lending their expertise to this vast and ever-evolving branch of science are a growing number of authors, whose books offer an illuminating, accessible, and actionable way into some of the biggest topics and scientific breakthroughs to date.
From gut health and ultra-processed food, to the link between food and psychology, we’ve rounded up some of the best books to help you understand the world of healthy eating and nutrition.
Tim Spector MD is co-founder of nutrition science company ZOE and one of the world’s leading experts in gut health . His cutting-edge research, combined with a talent for communicating scientific information with clarity and flair, makes him a great source of information for anyone looking to better understand the fascinating world of nutrition. Food For Life is Spector’s bestselling guide to healthy eating, drawing on the latest research and personal insights to establish a new, science-backed approach to eating well.
If you already know and love Tim Spector's healthy eating philosophy, the new Food For Life Cookbook
Chris van Tulleken’s bestselling title is another vital book for anyone interested in understanding more about nutrition and health. It has transformed current thinking about what we consume, shining an unflinchingly bright light on the modern age of mass food production and reflecting on our right to better information and affordable high-quality food. Written with passion and urgency, Ultra-Processed People will change the way you look at your weekly supermarket shop.
Medical scientist and ZOE Head Nutritionist Dr Federica Amati is passionate about empowering people with the right tools to maintain good health at every stage of life. With an understanding that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to eating well, Every Body Should Know This brings simplicity and clarity to the topic of everyday nutrition, busting common myths and delivering clear and targeted recommendations for men, women, and children – from infancy to midlife and beyond.
Dr Idrees Mughal, an NHS doctor and board-certified lifestyle medicine expert, is a leading voice in nutrition on TikTok, where he’s better known as Dr Idz. In the same vein as his accessible and informative videos, Saturated Facts is a no-nonsense guide to the fundamentals of nutrition, in which he busts prevalent myths and explores the cutting-edge science behind hot-button topics such as gut health, inflammation, and chrono-nutrition.
In this compelling deep-dive into digestive health, scientist and registered dietician Dr Emily Leeming explores the fundamental connection between the gut microbiome and the brain, shining a light on the groundbreaking scientific discoveries linking our gut health to our mental health. Translating complex science into actionable tips and hacks, Genius Gut is packed with helpful advice that can transform our relationship to food for the better and inspire us to nurture the powerful ‘second brain’ that is our digestive system.
Sub-titled 'The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating Well', this modern classic from US food writer Michael Pollan challenges prevalent assumptions about what it means to eat healthily. Championing a return to the simple principles of good home cooking (the kind of food our grandparents thrived on), it encourages an intuitive approach to healthy eating with a focus on natural ingredients and eating for pleasure.
In this eye-opening book, Chartered psychologist Kimberley Wilson draws on new research and her own on-the-ground work in schools, prisons, and hospitals, to reveal the relationship between nutrition, brain development, and mental health. In addition to clearly explained research and actionable advice, Unprocessed recognises the structural barriers and inequalities that make access to nutrition – and its link to mental health – a social justice issue. The result is an impassioned yet hopeful book about an under-discussed aspect of the current mental health crisis.
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