Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

This book exists. It is unremovable. It was a gift for my wedding. Now it sits on my shelf, a monument to bad choices and family friends who think raw milk and conspiracy theories are suitable for polite conversation. I cannot get rid of it, but every glance reminds me that vaccines do not cause autism, the 1917 flu was not a plot, and yes, raw milk will ruin your digestive system. It’s simultaneously a curse, a relic, and a subtle guilt trip that I am contractually obligated to keep.

This book sets out to upset the traditional recommendations for food and nutrition; giving examples from tribal peoples and other studies. The authors give very detailed accounts of ingredients and nutrition. They believe that fat is not evil, but sugar is. Fermentation and enzymes are what our bodies are missing (removed from our diets by over-processed food), along with whole odd grains (because white flour turns into sugar in the bloodstream quickly), many varieties of vegetables, meats and so forth.

I have a hard time buying into all of it, or perhaps I should say that they overstated their case to the point that it sounded like hyperbole? However, the recipes are solid and tasty sounding. I am very tempted to buy a copy for that show more alone. I love fermented vegetables and there were many simple ways to make them in this. Actually, most of the ways to make them were the same, just switching out veggies. I appreciate the knowledge gained on various ingredients, and the ideas for continuing to cook wholesome food without waste. show less

As a cookbook, its ok. It has a few odd and interesting recipes, but nothing really that jumps out as memorable.

As for the rest. Its starts out by trashing fad diets while trying strongly to encourage you to believe it isn't a fad diet itself. Then rumbles on into telling you that packaged, prepared food is bad for you, you're gonna die of malnutrition. Packaged, prepared ingredients are bad for you, you're gonna die from malnutrition. Your only chance is to get hard to find and expensive raw ingredients. Which you must correctly prepare prior to consumption, else you're gonna die from malnutrition. Basically, you're gonna die from malnutrition, but this book is here to save you.

Overall, the book presents such an extreme viewpoint that show more it can be difficult to read at times. While there are maybe good ideas presented in the book, they are drowned out in the dogmatic preaching. show less

This is the best cookbook I have ever read or owned. I can't really praise Sally Fallon's book enough to give justice to what this book really is about. I read this book cover to cover like a novel, which is not what I usually think of doing with a cookbook. There is a lot of information in the book, and there is more to learn from the sidebars, in addition to the recipes, that will help any cook develop a healthy approach to cooking and eating. There are recipes, facts about food, suggestions about the health benefits of foods, and more, presented in a two column format on each page, with the recipes alongside a wealth of information. I only have one disagreement with Ms. Fallon, and that is when it comes to chocolate. I communicated show more with her about this, and went so far as to send her some 99% completely delicious chocolate by Michel Cluizel so she could try it herself. show less

Wow...I only read the intro on nutrition (required for my class), but I am definitely coming back to this book as a reference. There is SO much information in this book. Definitely worth a perusal.

Despite the preachy aspect of the book that other reviewers have mentioned, this is a good book, and one that I wish more people would take to heart. As for the recipes, there is good and bad, but I appreciate the wide range.

The recipes are good and the extra information is both interesting and plentiful. However, I refuse to acknowledge the subtitle of this book. It offends me in some way that I cannot define. Thus, I have censored it on my catalog and whited it out in my copy of the book. The book itself is fine. The subtitle offends me on a visceral level.