5 Books Making the Case for a Plant-Based Diet

“The Raw Food Detox Diet”

Natalia Rose’s debut diet book, “The Raw Food Detox Diet“ is a 5-step plan for vibrant health and maximum weight loss and a must on your bookshelf. Rose focuses on cellular cleansing through efficient digestion, which is ultimately attained through proper food combining, the consumption of fruit and vegetable juices and the elimination of mucous-forming foods. Her protocol complements all lifestyles and does not adhere to any strict dietary “ism”. It is thus a great read for raw foodists, vegan, vegetarians and omnivores alike. The diet is particularly helpful to women, as it is catered to combat candida and bloating. The best part about the book is that it gives you a holistic, functional perspective of your body and does not base its approach in numbers and isolated vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Because of this, it encourages an intuitive relationship with the body. Also check out Rose’s “Raw Food Life Force Energy” and “Detox for Women” books for updated information.

“The China Study”

A bible for vegans everywhere, “The China Study” is the result of 20 years worth of research conducted by a partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. Extensive research shows that a high consumption of animal-based foods is linked to more chronic disease and that a plant-based diet makes for the healthiest people. “The China Study” gives you fodder to your often scientifically scant argument about why eating vegan or vegetarian is the way to go.

“Oh She Glows Cookbook”

One of the most popular vegan food blogs, Oh She Glows now has a complementary cookbook. The “Oh She Glow Cookbook” is a culmination of more than 5 years of food blogging by Angela Liddon, who hails from Ontario, Canada. She turned to a vegan diet to overcome an eating disorder and has since been posting the most mouthwatering recipes that even a carnivore couldn’t resist. Her cookbook is full of vegan recipes, both simple and more complex, that are also for the most part gluten, processed and soy free. If you need any excuse to go vegan, Liddon makes it incredibly tempting.

 “Eat More, Weigh Less”

Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish makes a very convincing health argument for vegetarianism. His book “Eat More, Weigh Less” espouses a low-fat diet in order to achieve long-term weight loss, increased energy, better sex and decreased risk of heart attack. Ornish concludes that eating a vegetarian diet with only 10 percent of the total daily calories from fat is the first step to healthier, happier living. He also outlines the benefits of exercise, social support and self-reflection. The book also includes 250 vegetarian recipes to help you along the way.

“The Food Revolution”

Dense with facts and irrefutable cases concerning the environment, “The Food Revolution“ approaches diet from a more rounded perspective – one that concerns more than just weight loss and beauty, but the environment, health, the global food crisis and animals too. It is for the body, mind and heart. Robbins is son of the co-founder of Baskin-Robbins. Instead of succeeding his father, Robbins set off to put health and environment before corporate profit margins. “The Food Revolution” delves into a diverse set of topics, including agricultural chemical pollution, diet/disease connection, genetic engineering and inhuman corporate farming practices. His tone is conversational and nonjudgmental, allowing readers to think for themselves and take in the research findings and statics with an open mind. However, by the end of the book, you’ll likely become a new-found vegetarian.