Food Matters

I just read through Mark Bittman's new book, "Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating". It's been getting quite a bit of press lately as a common sense guide to eating well.

1. I found it elementary, though I'm really glad that it's selling well because its message is one that everyone should hear: eat less meat and more plants, use common sense, enjoy treats sometimes.

The book seems to be targeted towards people who are unfamiliar with sustainable food issues. It offers an excellent, persuasive introduction, with plenty of practical information, suggestions and recipes.

As an omnivore who's trying to convince folks to eat less meat, I appreciated the book's focus on the importance of reducing meat consumption, for personal and planetary health. Bittman clearly loves meat, but he doesn't need to eat it for every meal, or even every day, and that makes him an ideal messenger.