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Book Review of The Vegetarian Handbook: Eating Right for Total Health

The Vegetarian Handbook: Eating Right for Total Health
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3292 more book reviews


Is anyone a vegetarian besides Gary Null? Yep, there are a surprising number of famous folks who shun meat:

Bob Dylan and Gladys Knight
Paul McCartney and George Harrison
Chubby Checker (whos slimmed down since becoming a vegetarian)
Paul Newman and Cloris Leachman
George Bernard Shaw and Leo Tolstoy
Henry David Thoreau and Charles Darwin
Mohammed
Buddha
Socrates and Plato
And many, many others

Null explains the myths about meat consumption and explains: Getting enough protein vs. getting too much protein.

Next, he discusses the 6 main reasons to folks turn vegetarian: economics, excess use of natural resources, food resources, personal taste, religious beliefs and a reverence for life.

I never understood the macrobiotic diet but do now; Null explains it very well. Macrobiotic means long life; the adherents believe in living in harmony with nature. Since 60% of this diet is grain-based, Null encourages folks to try many grains, not just rice (which becomes dull).

There are almost 50 pages of recipes to show the variety one can enjoy on this diet. Finally, Null provides a protein combination list so that you receive complete proteins (32 pages of combos).

Null covers the basics very well, I just find his style of writing (and speaking) rather bland, however.

Doctors recommend a vegetarian diet for the following conditions: obesity, hypoglycemia, digestive disorders including diverticulitis, gout, colon problems and high cholesterol.