The ‘Mind’ Book Club – Mythbusting Nutrition Edit
In our new bi-weekly series for members of balanceclub, we delve into new books in the health and wellness sphere. From fiction to non-fiction, memoirs to self-help, poetry to cookbooks – we are exploring it all! This week, we’re looking at recent releases in the mythbusting world of nutrition. These books invite us to scrutinise an industry we are all part of, and change the way we think about diets and food without giving into fearmongering tactics.
The Future of Nutrition: An Insider's Look at the Science, Why We Keep Getting It Wrong, and How to Start Getting It Right by T. Colin Campbell (2020)
In The Future of Nutrition, T. Colin Campbell looks to scrutinise the chaos of modern diet advice. Despite decades of research, food labels, and superfood headlines, Campbell argues that we’ve never been more confused about what good nutrition really means. The problem isn’t just misinformation, but what nutrition means in and of itself. Dismantling the obsession with isolating nutrients like proteins and fats, he proposes looking at the whole-food context. Critics praise his approach to tracking the reductionist approach through corporate and political influence, and why this shapes how we see our bodies today. His main goal is to improve food literacy, as he delves into science vs marketing and how we can make public nutrition a more compassionate industry again.
Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food... and Why Can’t We Stop? by Chris van Tulleken (2023)
In Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food... and Why Can’t We Stop?, doctor and broadcaster Chris van Tulleken takes readers on a journey into the world of modern eating. He argues that most of what fills our supermarket shelves isn’t really “food” at all, but ultra-processed products. Are we filling our fridges with industrial creations engineered to be addictive, cheap, and profitable? Van Tulleken seems to think so. Through his own experiment of eating a UPF-heavy diet, it is revealed that these products take over our hunger cues, alter our metabolism, and even affect mood and behaviour. Whilst this may seem like a reader guilt-trip, van Tulleken frames it as more of a call to action with scientific clarity. He explores the myth of personal willpower and exposes the food system that traps us in a cycle of overconsumption. An essential read for anyone who has read the back of a food label, wondered why they love it so much, and why it is so hard to stop eating it.
Saturated Facts: A Myth-Busting Guide to Diet and Nutrition in a World of Misinformation by Dr. Idrees Mughal (2024)
NHS doctor and nutrition educator Dr. Idrees Mughal (better known online as Dr. Idz) aims to address the chaos of modern nutrition culture in Saturated Facts. From keto to clean eating, detox teas to “anti-inflammatory” buzzwords, Mughal pulls apart the pseudoscience that dominates wellness feeds and replaces it with calm, evidence-based clarity. Laced with wit, he explains why so much of what we believe about food is distorted by algorithms, marketing, and biased studies, and more importantly, how to spot the red flags of misinformation for yourself. This isn’t a diet book; it’s a survival manual for anyone lost in a digital sea of contradictory advice. Mughal’s approach is balanced, and his goal is to help readers eat smarter without fear. Each chapter focuses on a different topic, from carbs and fats to fasting and supplements, so you can dip in and out as you please.
