Another food/diet book.  I had no idea when this year started I would read so many books on running and food/diet!  Oh well, it has been interesting and fun following the trail where it leads me.

Anyway, after reading The Primal Blueprint, I thought I’d read this book which just came out a month or two ago.   Based on some of the reviews, it sounded like it would have more science behind the recommendations, and I can affirm that is the case, albeit just a little more.  Overall it is very similar to Sisson’s Primal Blueprint, but there are a few differences.  PS does not get into fitness as much, though PB gets into it in much more detail in the supplemental and free PDF Primal Blueprint Fitness.

I am still not sure I agree with everything in either book with respect to diet, though I do agree with the majority of it.  Namely cut sugar, cut processed foods, and the like.  Both also promote grain/legume/dairy free as well, though PB seems to have a little more latitude towards dairy — especially fermented dairy and/or dairy from grass fed cattle.  PS says ok to butter from grass fed, but seems to not like cheeses and yogurt like PB allows.  I am still not sold on legumes being all that bad for you, and I like my cheese and yogurt, as well as milk occasionally.  None of that seems to bother me.   I am beginning to agree with grains to some extent, though I don’t know that everyone needs to cut out all grains.  I do agree that the current recommendations on building your food intake around grains is bad advice — the level of grains that are recommended seem far to high and many recent studies are pointing to the increased in grains (not just processed) ad the culprit behind the obesity and cardiovascular disease epidemic.  (I don’t want to be too reductionist and say that is our only problem… Things are much more complex than that!)   But some grains, some times, may not be too bad, unless you have a known disease/intolerance/or allergy, especially for athletes that can use more carbs…  Of all the grains, I would say wheat is probably the worst for the majority of people, due to how the body views gluten, and what that does internally.

I suppose I’ll have to read the Paleo Diet for Athletes next to see what they say!

I still don’t understand why PS states that combining fat/protein/carbs does not affect the body’s insulin response.  I.e. they state that carbs, no matter if they are eaten alone or in combinations with other (low glycemic load) foods, does not change your body’s insulin response.  I actually have a question submitted to Robb so maybe he’ll answer it on the pod cast, but if anyone understands this and has reference to the literature on it, I’d appreciate it.

Unless you are super interested in this stuff, I’d say you could just pick either PS or PB and be fine — no need to read both.  PS does have more science background, while PB lays out just what the title says — a blueprint for living, not just for diet, but for exercise, work, sleep, and play.  (PS definitely touches on sleep as well as stress as it relates to work and play.)

If you want to turn back the clock 100 years instead of 10,000, I’d highly recommend Nina Plank’s Real Food.  And the Ominvore’s Dilemma is just fascinating all around!   (I just realized I haven’t written anything on the latter yet, even though I finished it before PS, so I’ll have to do that soon!)