T
his bountiful collection of nutritional facts and wellness-promoting recipes gives readers both the motivation and the know-how for getting their nine servings of fruits and vegetables in every day. Carper, USA Weekend
's EatSmart columnist (Food: Your Miracle Medicine
; Stop Aging Now!
), boils down the basic nutritional concepts on which her diet advice is based. Among her 10 Rules for Smart Eating are to include plenty of fish, tea, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables and avoid meat, trans fats and overeating. Though most of these ideas will not be new to health-conscious consumers, the following chapters contain scientific evidence backing them. Carper has also compiled her favorite low-calorie, high-in-good-fat, low-sodium and low-sugar creations for everyday cooking. Recipes like Moroccan Chicken with Prunes, and Yogurt Vegetable Salad are simple to make, with enough variety of flavor to liven up the ordinary dinner table. On the other hand, no one will mistake dishes like Low-Fat Creamed Spinach or Coconut Pecan Chicken Fingers for their richer counterparts. While Carper at times overloads her book with factoids, she makes a good case for the philosophy on which she's built her career—that what we eat can either heal or harm us. (June)
