The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet |  | Author: Alicia Silverstone
Creator: Neal D. Barnard M.D.
Publisher: Rodale Books
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
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Rating:  43 reviews
Sales Rank: 162
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 1605296449
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5636
EAN: 9781605296449
ASIN: 1605296449
Publication Date: October 13, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In The Kind Diet, actress, activist, and committed conservationist Alicia Silverstone shares the insights that encouraged her to swear off meat and dairy forever, and outlines the spectacular benefits of adopting a plant-based diet, from effortless weight loss to clear skin, off-the-chart energy, and smooth digestion. She explains how meat, fish, milk, and cheese—the very foods we’ve been taught to regard as the cornerstone of good nutrition—are actually the culprits behind escalating rates of disease and the cause of dire, potentially permanent damage to our ecology. Yet going meat- and dairy-free doesn’t mean suffering deprivation; to the contrary, The Kind Diet introduces irresistibly delicious food that satisfies on every level—it even includes amazing desserts to keep the most stubborn sweet tooth happy. Alicia also addresses the nutritional concerns faced by many who are new to a plant-based diet, and shows how to cover every nutritional base, from protein to calcium and beyond. Alicia knows that changing life-long dietary habits is a process, and that each person progresses at a different pace. For that reason, The Kind Diet encompasses 3 separate levels, from Flirting to Superhero. Flirts learn to dip a toe into the vegan pool, reducing their meat-eating and swapping out a few key foods for plant-based substitutes to see quickly how even small changes can reap big results. Vegans get to experience the life-altering effects of forgoing animal-products entirely, while still enjoying many convenience foods and meat substitutes in addition to the wonderful grains, vegetables and fruits that form the core of that diet. True enlightenment comes with the Superhero program, based on the principles of macrobiotics and built on a foundation of whole grains, vegetables, and other yummy foods that Alicia describes in detail. Whether your goal is to drop a few pounds, boost your energy and metabolism, or simply save the world, Alicia provides the encouragement, the information, and the tools you need to make the transition to a plant-based diet deliciously empowering.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
 Alicia Silverstone has all the answers!? November 23, 2009
Robert Schmidt (Honolulu, HI & Logan, UT USA)
Before I get into my review, I have to confess that, while I was reading The Kind Diet, I was also reading The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement.
As I was wondering why there were so many pictures of Silverstone and her husband in this book, I kept thinking about narcissism. I mean, how many pictures of Rachel Carson were in Silent Spring? Did Animal Liberation have any pictures of author Peter Singer? But The Kind Diet had, by my count, about 20 photos of Silverstone, plus photos of her husband. Yes, this is a book written for aficionados of People magazine!
The other thing I have to mention upfront is that, as far as I can tell, Silverstone dropped out of high school (I read that she got her GED). I've found no reference that she ever went to college. I normally wouldn't comment on an author's bio in a review, but Silverstone writes this as a book full of her personal experiences. She also writes "as an authority", discussing medicine, human behavior and physiology, animal science, nutrition, and even climate change. Her background affects her credibility, and being an actress in Clueless or Batman and Robin doesn't make her an expert in nutrition. I have to conclude that she had considerable assistance from a ghost writer. Who is this person, and what are her/his credentials?
And it is this mix of good information with nonsensical "pop-nutrition" that is maddening. Here are a few examples:
- "I no longer carried heavy animal protein in my body, which takes tons of energy to digest" (p. 10). "Tons of energy" is a new term in discussions of human nutrition.
- "'How can these foods be good for you, in the dead of winter, in New York? If you eat something from another climate, how is your body supposed to cope with it? Your body is here, in cold New York. And the mango is designed to cool people off in tropical climates'" (p. 11). The mango is "designed"? And does Silverstone know anything about the evolution and migration patterns of humans? She is repeating comments from another person, but they are noted in her book because she believes this hocus-pocus.
- When you eat meat, your blood becomes acidic, and that's not cool; acidic blood can lead to all sorts of nasty problems, including... death (p. 17). Homeostasis, anyone?
- "FYI: Avoid iodized free-running table salt because it has been stripped of its other, balancing minerals, as has the sodium present in processed foods" (p. 75). People eat too much salt. period. What nutritionist looks to salt as a source of minerals? These are what we get from food!
- "Please don't throw food away. I know I've labeled meat and dairy as 'nasty,' but to someone who isn't ready to make this change, they have real value and there is absolutely no reason to waste them" (p. 89). Great... let's give away those hot dogs and hamburgers, even thought there is an obesity crisis in America.
- "Detox is fun. The feelings that come up as your body detoxes from meat and dairy can sometimes be a little weird, and they are often confused with the diet itself. But the problem is not the beans and grains; it's what you ate before them. Your body is making a big shift from one fuel to another and lots of underlying chi - or energy - is getting unblocked" (p. 92). Not only is "detox" a pop-nutrition concept, I have no idea what "unblocked chi" is all about. You won't read about detox and chi in any modern, science-based nutrition textbook!
- "The Superhero diet begins with selecting whole foods that grow in your region. By eating foods that grow in the climate in which we live, our bodies adapt easily to the changes going on around us, changes in weather, season, and temperature. This adaptability is fundamental to good health" (p. 98). Exactly how many foods Silverstone promotes are native to America (see Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies)?
Okay, okay. What is good about this book? There are some recipes that are worth trying. You'll probably even pick up a few new ingredients that you will like. And a vegetarian lifestyle, or even a reduced meat lifestyle, almost certainly has positive health benefits for most of us (In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto). The way Silverstone encourages people to modify their diets, in stages, probably encourages success: flirting, vegan, and the Superhero diet. I'd probably revise these to be a reduced-meat, vegetarian, and finally Sustainable Vegetarian diet. Finally, there are absolutely ethical and environmental consequences from eating a meat-based diet, and most people are unaware of these issues.
This book is linked to Silverstone's The Kind Life web site. There, you'll see more recipes as well as Silverstone's blogs.
Alicia Silverstone's book November 22, 2009
J. Sue Cochran
Haven't had the chance as of yet to really look this over, but the little I did read I see she is in to as healthy eating as possible. She believes in organic food. This will be a great asset to my healthy eating regime.
 The Kindest Thing You Can Do November 21, 2009
T. Szefler (Blaine, WA United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I got interested in reading The Kind Diet soon after reading the book written by Jonathan Safran Foer titled "Eating Animals". Foer really made me think and I decided to research the idea o vegan living. In the chapter about "Nasty Foods" Alicia Siverstone's observations about meat industry were in line with those of Mr. Foer. And she does a good job of backing her statements with well-conducted studies from reputable sources.
According to Alicia, in addition to meat, Nasty Foods include also dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods. These are the foods that we have to avoid in our daily diet. However, she realizes that it is very hard, if not impossible, for most people to just drop their normal nutritional habits and go totally vegan from one day to another. Therefore she suggests three levels of changing into Living in the Kind Life - from Flirting, via Going Vegan, to Becoming a Superhero.
Alicia insists that by eliminate harmful foods like meat, dairy, refined sugar and processed products, and enjoying an endless variety of deeply nourishing grains, vegetables and other delectable whole foods, you will live in agreement with nature and get rid of obesity problem that plagues the modern societies. By changing your eating habits and becoming vegan you will say good-bye to dieting once for all. And that's while enjoying "irresistibly sweet treats, you can eat every single day, forever."
I recently verified Alicia's statement on my recent trip to Central Europe. I discovered a restaurant chain called "Green Wave" that was serving plant foods only. Throughout the whole week I was consuming a variety of delicious meals not even once missing my traditional North American Big Burger.
By the end of the book Alicia provided some good (and some not so good) recipes of vegan meals. I suggest trying most of them to decide which ones suit you best. Keep in mind that you need to eat what's indigenous to the area to avoid stressing your body. This isn't a totally novel idea. The author of a great health/longevity book titled "Live 150 Years - Your Body Maintenance Handbook" is also a great proponent of living in agreement with nature and eating indigenous foods. If you check this book out, make sure to also read the chapters about obesity causes, and proper food combination.
TO SUMMARIZE: Plant-based diet is just about the greenest thing you can do. It requires less fuel, water, and other precious resources. It can also be the secret to your health, slim physique and radiant beauty. Enjoy the ride.
"Enjoy the adventure." November 19, 2009
CodeMaster Talon (Orlando, FL United States)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I like Alicia Silverstone. I like her sweet, friendly nature, I like her sincere efforts to help herself and others, I like her adorable style and cute way of putting things. And I like her book.
With a full-frontal charm assault, Silverstone tackles the very loaded, emotional issue of animal stewardship and veganism, managing completely to avoid the shrill tone often taken by those on both sides of the issue. Even if you are the most hard-core of meat eaters, it's hard to resist the pictures of Alicia in knee-high socks, prancing about in her vegan kitchen. She injects much needed fun and playfulness into the eating vegetables, and her well-written, well-researched, heartfelt book is a joy to read.
The only passages difficult to read are the ones on Big Dairy and the Meat Industry. It may be hard to believe, if this is all new to you. Depressingly, the segments on these industries are not exaggerated (and Silverstone does a good job of backing her statements with well-conducted studies from reputable sources). Because many people do find it difficult to do a 180 degree turn from the Standard American Diet to full-blown veganism, Silverstone eases you in to the transition with three stages: "Flirting", with gentle, easy changes, "Vegan", where the real results start to show up, and "Superhero", more or less a looser macrobiotics.
This book is not flawless; I would have appreciated a word or two about the documented effects of soy on the thyroid (although Silverstone does warn people not to over-rely on soy, especially soymilk) and I think the "Flirting" section still leans too heavily on processed foods (natural, but still processed). However, in a rarity for me, I'm giving "The Kind Diet" 5 stars because of its spirit. I can't remember the last time I read a book where I felt like the author was sitting next to me, trying to help me improve my life. You can practically feel her going through your pantry, throwing out the junk and promising to make you her famous mochi waffles ("You will love them, I swear!"). Whether you are new to veganism, have fallen off the wagon (like me), or just tired of feeling crappy, I cannot recommend this sweet book enough. You'll love it, I swear.
GRADE: A
(With additional points for the "Eye Candy" pictures of Vegan Boys. I call the one in the blue t-shirt, ladies!)
Mixed bag of pros and cons, but very readable. November 19, 2009
Rachel Himes (Indiana, Pennsylvania USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I loved this book and hated it. Alicia is very likeable and her writing style is relaxed, non-judgemental and encouraging. She does a terrific job of suggesting steps for change that make those changes seem unintimidating. I appreciate that. Where I feel the book falls short is in the research/propaganda department. Let me first say that the goal of the "diet" is to eliminate all animal products and move towards a vegan/macrobiotic diet. That, in itself is not a bad thing, and Alicia doesn't condemn anyone who isn't going that far. She instead, encourages all positive changes on all levels. Back to the propaganda...
Alicia starts off each chapter with some solid research on the negative effects of meat and diary products and the industry as a whole. It's not by any means thorough, but there's an ample list of additional resources for those who want more information. She also covers the bases of research bearing the negative impact of these foods on the body and enviroment. Where it falls short is in distinguishing the line of "moderation". While many of the facts are accurate, she tends to fill in the gaps with lots of propaganda and emotional appeals where the facts are somewhat lacking. The book also fails to delineate the difference between the effects on humans of organic versus inorganic animal-based foods. Those who've read books such as "The China Study" or "The Blue Zones" would quickly see that it's not animal foods alone that have a negative effect on health and wellness. Alicia implies repeadedly, and in a new-age spiritualistic way, that the further you get from eating animal products, the more "clear" you feel. This theme is repeated in several places throughout the book, strongly implying that there is a spiritual cleanliness that comes from eatign a vegan diet, clearing the mind, complexion, body and spirit. She even states that one's intuition is clearer and that each person will be more "in touch" with themselves when the presence of other animal creatures are eliminated from the diet. A little too far gone for me.
One other reviewer commented, and I agree, that she pushes eating "local" foods as part of her diet philosophy, but many of her recipes rely heavily on Japanese ingredients. My additional comment to that would be that she implies this style of eating will make one naturally thin, without concern for calories or exercise. Sorry, I know people doing this lifestyle who still battle weight issues.
The recipes:
Again, it's a mixed bag. Some are simple and delicious. Others are bland and dull. About 40% of them would require that you have access to Japanese ingredients or a well stocked health/whole foods store. Simply not realistic for many of us in smaller, rural areas.
The bottom line is this... if you agree with her philosophy, you will probably enjoy the book and some of the practical ideas for implementing change. If you, however, have read any of the aforementioned books that have a broader perspective, you will find this a little narrow-minded and somewhat inconsistent.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
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