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If you’re contemplating reading this book, I’d say skip it and find one more recent with up-to-date information and research. At the time of publication this may have been revolutionary, but now it seems outdated and filled with common knowledge.

Misleading health claims are abundant down every food aisle, and I appreciate Marion Nestle’s focus on this topic. Statements that some cereals “promote heart health�� and sugary yogurts “promote bowel health�� mean much less when you know the research was sponsored by the brand itself. The wealth these companies have accumulated allows them to bend the rules and regulations for their benefit.

One recurrent problem I had was with her stance on organics. She speaks a lot about the deceitful marketing and lack of proper regulations on non-organic foods, but there is increasing evidence that organic foods share the exact same problems. She states that if you don’t want large levels of pesticides in your diet, organics are the way to go. Except now there is research stating organically grown foods often contain higher levels of pesticides, due to organic pesticides being less efficient. Perhaps this was not known at the time of this guide, but it's still ineffective to repeatedly claim organics as the solution to health concerns.

This book mainly increased my pessimism as I am still left with uncertainty about daily food decisions. Her advice is the typical “eat unprocessed & organic foods, lots of fruit and vegetables, junk food in moderation�� which you could learn through a quick google search. It sounds like the only solution to false advertising and the disregard for public health is to be aware of it. I wanted answers, or at least alternatives that the everyday lower-income individual could achieve. If you aren’t wealthy, the suggested alternatives and ideas seem out of reach. Fresh artisan bread and organic meats are not an option for everyone. And that’s without even mentioning food deserts and the unequal access to nutritional affordable options. I think this book overlooks many variables, and mainly applies to the more advantaged individuals. If that were the target audience, it would be effective, however I was under the assumption it was aimed to be a comprehensive guidebook for the everyday consumer.

Some of the less familiar topics were interesting, such as advertisement aimed at children, but this book works only as a brief introduction. If this guide provided me with anything, it was a few random food facts and a desire to learn more.