Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Thesis
“Modern food choices and preparation techniques constitute a radical change from the way man has
nourished himself for thousands of years.... [Traditional diets] should serve as the model for
contemporary eating habits, even and especially during this modern technological age.” (xi)
Unique Points
• Previously rare diseases (such as heart disease, cancer, allergies, miscarriages/birth defects,
arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and dyslexia) have grown more prevalent in recent
years, correlating with an increasingly processed diet.
• A decrease in saturated fat in the average American diet actually caused heart disease to increase.
Cholesterol does not cause heart disease, and may in fact help to prevent it.
• Unprocessed starches and sugars support life, but when refined, they lose their nutrients and
simply result in weight gain.
Worldview
While the author mentions God and heaven (p. 30) and references the Bible, I’m not certain she is
Christian. However, the principles she lays out are still applicable to Christians. Our bodies are made in
the image of God, and we should strive to be as healthy as possible.
Recommendations
• Eat raw meat for its enzymes. If you cook your meat, keep it rare.
• Avoid white flour and refined sugar. Instead, make your own whole-grain flour, and purchase
unrefined sugar or use honey.
• Consume fermented foods on a daily basis.
• Prepare your grains properly. Removal from the diet is not necessary, but they should be soaked or
fermented to make the digestion process easier.
• Consume a lot of fat, but avoid processed vegetable oils. Rather, look to healthy sources such as
butter, coconut or olive oil, and animal fat.
Compare/Contrast with Other Health and Diet Books
This book emphasizes the importance of returning to a more traditional diet, especially by fermenting
foods and increasing consumption of fat. In many ways, the principles laid out here are similar to those in
Trim Healthy Mama, although this book encourages eating fat and carbs together, while Trim Healthy
Mama advises against it. This book places huge emphasis on fermentation of foods in order to promote
health and protect against disease. Also, on either side of the recipes is a narrow column containing
quotations from various books that pertain to the foods focused on in that section. This helps the cook
have greater understanding of the recipes he or she is preparing.
My Critique
This book is easy to read, and full of fascinating information. While it may seem long, the important
points are all made in the introductory section, and the bulk of the book consists of recipes. The appendix
has helpful suggestions of how to modify this diet for families with a tight budget or limited time for food
preparation.
Review Contributed by Grace MacPherson
