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About The Great Cholesterol Myth Cookbook:

Publication Date- November 15, 2013

Publisher- Fair Winds Press

For decades, low-fat and low-cholesterol diets have been touted as the way to prevent and reverse heart disease. In the groundbreaking book, The Great Cholesterol Myth, Jonny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra debunked that assertion, arguing that fat—often curtailed on traditional low cholesterol “heart-healthy” diets—is not the enemy and may in fact be part of the solution. Now, in The Great Cholesterol Myth Cookbook, the authors and nutrition expert and whole foods chef Deirdre Rawlings, Ph.D., put their findings into action with a detailed meal plan and 100 delicious and nutritious recipes that will prevent and reverse heart disease and give you back the foods you thought were gone forever.

Brilliant Eats:

1. Sweet and Spicy Beef or Chicken Stir Fry
2. Veal Scaloppini Supreme
3. Energizing Thai Spice Chicken Salad
4. Luscious Lemon- Pineapple Yogurt Cake
5. Hearty Hazelnut Rounds

What I Loved About It:

The book had amazing reference material about how a diet low in sugar and inflammatory foods and ingredients that are high in healthy fats, protien, antioxidants and key nutrients is the best course of action to prevent and reverse heart disease. My favorite section was “Foods For A Healthy Heart”. I learned that Sugar, Processed Foods, Trans Fat, and Processed Meats are the enemies when eating for a healthy heart. It gave you a detailed summary of exactly why these types of foods were bad for you and things to look for. Did you know that just because a label boasts “zero trans fat” that doesn’t mean it actually is? If you read the label and it has the words “partially hydrogenated” the product has trans fat and needs to be put back. Labels are your best friend and you need to read them carefully!

I don’t want to give away all the secrets in the cookbook but another thing I learned that shocked me was that Salmon is mostly raised using grains and dye. The dye gives them that beautiful pink color they would normally get in the wild by eating krill  and shrimp ( the same way Flamingos get their pink color). But since Salmon is in high demand they are raised equivalent to the way cows are raised. So a fish that was once high in protein, nutrients, and omega 3- fatty acids is not plauged by hormones and antibiotics fed to them. That really surprised me because I love Salmon and thought I was doing something really good for myself by eating. I know now to look for “Wild Caught Fish” instead of farm raised.

If you are looking for a great reference book on what to eat for a healthy heart The Great Cholesterol Myth Cookbook is definitely one you should look at! You will find great resources, delicious recipes and find out why you should buy certain foods opposed to others.

What I Didn’t Love About It:

I really liked this cookbook but one thing bothered me. It had no pictures! People, especially foodies, are visual creatures. When you start talking about things that lo-fat, good for you, etc. people start thinking “boring”. It would have been great to have some really nice pictures to go with the recipes. People eat with their eyes first and if it looks good in a picture they will be more likely to try the recipes.

Final Thoughts:

I am really happy to add this cookbook to my collection. Authors Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.,Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.N., C.N.S., C.B.T, and Deirdre Rawlings Ph.D., N.D. did an excellent job of putting together a great resource for those that not only want a heart healthy menu but want a great reference on how to eat healthy. The recipes were spot on and had a lot of fresh ingredients such as fresh herbs, fresh veggies and lean meat.