Neal Barnard

Dr. Neal Barnard comes with an impressive résumé: He’s a professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.; he’s the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a group promoting veganism; he’s authored quite a few studies on health and veganism. Which is why I am not going to give this cookbook a rating — because a rating would depend on whom you are.

Dr. Barnard insists that diabetes is not caused by a surfeit of sugar and show more carbohydrate-laden foods, such as potatoes or bread — the latter is the conventional medical position — but by too much fat, especially animal fat. Consequently, none of the recipes in this cookbook have any meat or even animal products: no eggs, milk, butter, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, etc. Dr. Barnard’s cookbook is strictly vegan.

As a vegan cookbook, this is a five-star tome, including vegan variations on quesadillas, creamy smoothies, chili, burgers, ice cream and more. If you’re vegan, you’ve hit the jackpot.

But what if you’re diabetic? Or you’re looking for low-carb recipes? While I respect Dr. Barnard, I do not believe in his notion that fat, not carbs, are making Americans fat nor bringing on our current epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. If low-fat diets were the answer, then the low-fat craze of the 1960s through the 2000s would have turned the United States into a svelte, healthy nation with barely a diabetic to be found. And it didn’t. In addition, the vast majority of physicians and medical researchers do not agree that veganism without regard to sugars and carbohydrates will improve — much less, reverse — high blood sugar. (Dr. Barnard adds maple syrup to all kinds of recipes, including those which don’t need sweetening. Very few of these recipes are low-carbohydrate, needless to say.)

I commend Dr. Barnard’s commitment to cruelty-free eating, but I don’t believe that eschewing meat and animal products will reverse anything about your health, much less diabetes. If you decide to become a vegan, do so for ethical reasons, not to cure your diabetes.

In the interest of full disclosure, low-fat diets never helped me, and I have lost 25 pounds in the last six months by counting carbs and eating more vegetables. If you’re like me, you’ll find some interesting recipes in Dr. Barnard’s cookbook, but you’re rating will be closer to three stars rather than five.

The cookbook is available free for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. show less

An interesting work, gives a strategy to deal with the blood sugar problem. Unlike other books and plans I have read (and one I am actually following), Dr. Barnard insists that there is no need to limit the portions one eats or undertake any fasting or strenuous exercise routine (although of course he does recommend getting off the couch and moving the body), but solely depends on controlling the types of food you eat: absolutely cutting out animal products, even milk and cheese, for show more instance. He doesn't worry about the glycemic values of high-sugar fruit, either. This is all sort of intriguing, but doesn't make sense to me. He does, however, stress the precautions against too low a level of blood sugar, especially for those already taking medication. The book has a huge number of suggestions for preparing meals on the lines advocated. show less

I have been a fan of Dr Barnard for more than a couple of decades and I respect his work and him as a person.

The only bone I have to pick with him is his obsession of no oil whatsoever in your meals, a few olives on the side is just not going to cut it. I do not think a solitary tablespoon of EVOO is a bad thing and enhances an entire pot of stew or soup to perfection. He does not demonize sugar and I think he should - sugar is like crack to many people with binge eating disorder and I would show more rather he banned sugar than a paltry tablespoon of EVOO.

He is consistent - no matter what book you read that he has written and he has been around a long long while, preaches the same message of the value of a vegan diet, his 4 food groups. He has a gentle, non threatening or bullying approach which I have always loved and at over the age of 60 now, he is healthy looking, trim, has most of his hair and most of it has not gone grey. He walks the walk as well as talking the talk.

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Anyone with diabetes or prediabetes would benefit from reading this book. Dr. Barnard recommends a vegan low-fat diet to help your body heal itself and supports his recommendations with scientific studies. Yes, the book is a bit repetitive if you read it from start to finish--he's going to hit on his steps several times throughout the book--but for some people, the repetition does help to ingrain the ideas in their minds.

It was interesting to read about animal fat clogging up cells so that show more glucose isn't cleared and insulin resistance develops.

I do not think the "diet" (which is more of a lifestyle change than a diet since within the foods he recommends, there really isn't a limiting of how often you can eat) would be that hard to follow. In fact, even he says, decide to do it 100% for 3 weeks and reassess how you feel and if it has changed your numbers and then decide if you want to make it your lifestyle.

Other authors you might consult are Dean Ornish and the Esseltynes. show less