1. "What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters" by Marion Nestle
In this revision to the classic What to Eat, Nestle deeply explores all facets of our food systems, from livestock and fish farms to grocery stores to corporate organics and more. This is a go-to guide to help us better understand the health benefits and risks of everything we eat, with helpful advice on what foods to incorporate more of and fewer of in our diets.
2. "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating" by Walter Willett
Rather than focusing on food groups to cut out entirely or strict diet plans, this science-backed book offers comprehensive nutrition advice focused on eating across food groups. The emphasis lies on eating more whole foods and a variety of these foods, and the book discusses the connections between what we eat, our health and the health of planet Earth.
3. "Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual" by Michael Pollan
Nutrition advice is often confusing and contradictory, but this manual has straightforward advice on every page. Each page offers a simple rule to consider, such as “avoid food products that make health claims,” or “avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry.” Each rule then dives into an explanation to deepen your understanding.
4. "Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works" by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
If the idea of intuitive eating seems impossible (“Won’t I just eat cookies all the time?!”), it’s time to read this book. The book uses scientific evidence and an emphasis on mindfulness to help guide you away from dieting and toward eating intuitively and healthfully.
5. "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp, and Lily Hopp Kingsolver
Curious about what it takes to go from growing food to processing and eating it? In this fascinating memoir, author Barbara Kingsolver and her family move to rural Appalachia and vow to only eat locally grown food, including food they grew themselves, for one year (if you love the book, there’s also a 10th anniversary addition with family updates!).
6. "Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food" by Chris van Tulleken
You may never look at your favorite packaged treats the same way again. This book takes a deep dive into ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, and how they have been engineered by companies and scientists to be more addictive, yet less nutrient-dense and how that impacts our health.
