Eat This, Not That
 First edition cover | |
| Author | David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | George Karabotsos |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Nutrition |
| Publisher | Rodale |
Publication date | December 2007 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | xiii, 304 pp |
| ISBN | 1-59486-854-9 |
| OCLC | 177062677 |
| 613.2 22 | |
| LC Class | RA784 .Z563 2008 |
Eat This, Not That! (ETNT), published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, is a book series developed from a column from Men's Health magazine. Written by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, ETNT is a controversial exposé on American fast-food and chain restaurants. The books not only uncover particularly egregious menu items—especially with the “Worst Foods in America” list—but also direct readers to nutritionally superior dishes. Criteria for unhealthy dishes center on high levels of calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and/or sugar content. The healthier alternatives often include higher levels of fiber and/or protein. The franchise brands itself as the "no-diet weight loss solution." The series is based on the premise that swapping highly caloric dishes for healthier options can help readers lose weight whether they exercise or not, even though it's been proven that some who diet and excercise still can't lose weight due to metabolic or genetic conditions. As of 2010, the ETNT franchise has sold more than 5 million copies.
Eat This, Not That! Original
The original Eat This, Not That! book was published in December 2007. It alerts readers to particularly unhealthy dishes at popular fast-food chains and sit-down restaurants, and directs diners to healthier alternatives. One example? ETNT tells readers to avoid Domino's Classic Hand-Tossed Pizza, and instead try Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust Pizza for a 210 calorie cut.
Eat This, Not That! for Kids
The second book in the series was published in August 2008. Similar to the original, ETNT for Kids guides readers to the healthiest options for kids on popular restaurant menus. The second book added a restaurant report card, which provides letter grades for America’s most popular fast food and sit down chain restaurants (Those restaurants that refused to give out nutritional information, received an automatic "F"). Other sections help parents and kids navigate the school cafeteria, pack healthy lunches, and shop wisely at the supermarket.
Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide
Published in December 2008, the Supermarket Survival Guide addresses the grocery store, using the same format of swapping out one unhealthy product for a better one. It provides information on all the various areas of the supermarket (such as the produce section, meat counter, and cereal aisles). A shopper can use this book to filter through the multiple brand choices at supermarkets, and discern what deli meat or bread option is the healthiest option.
Eat This, Not That! The Best (& Worst) Foods in America
Published in June of 2009, the fourth book addresses popular American foods and lists the best and worst dishes available at chain restaurants. The book guides readers through various restaurants, cuisines and foods, with 24 chapters covering topics such as Best (& Worst) Foods in America”, Best (& Worst) Pizzas in America, Best (& Worst) Drinks in America, and Best (& Worst) Foods for Your Blood Pressure.
Eat This, Not That! The 2010 Edition
Published in October 2009, this updated version supplies a guide of what to buy at supermarkets, restaurants, and fast-food vendors. It's tagged on two new chapters, "Foods that Cure" and "On a Budget," which directs readers to smarter food choices for a longer, healthier life, and gives tips on how to save a few bucks at the supermarket.
Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide
Published in November 2009, this restaurant guide summarizes the best and worst meal choices at popular restaurants, hotel buffets, convenience stores, movie theaters, vending machines, and airport and amusement-park eateries. The book breaks down each best and worst meal selection by calories, sodium, sugar, and fat. Extra points are given to foods that are high in protein and low in fiber. The book decodes menus of different cuisines--Japanese, barbecue, Chinese, deli--identifying popular dishes, and providing tips on what to order.
Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide
Published in March 2010, this healthy recipe book provides meal ideas for breakfast, appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, barbecue, traditional American dishes (think chicken-pot pie), international cuisine, snacks, and desserts. Each recipe supplies a breakdown of the nutritional information, serving size, and cost per dish. The homemade recipes' calories are budded against a chain-restaurant's version of each meal, showing a stark different not only in nutrition, but in price. For mid-afternoon hunger pangs, this book offers a snack matrix of healthy choices (i.e. black bean chips and hummus).[1]
Drink This, Not That!
Published in May 2010, this book highlights the idea of liquid fat: consuming a large portion of your calories from beverages. The book references a 2007 study in Obesity, which showed that Americans were taking in 21 percent of their calories--about 460 calories--from drinks. Drink This, Not That! schools readers on smarter choices for their favored drinking habits--whether it be a Starbucks run, a night out at a bar, or a post-workout beverage.
Reviews
The original ETNT was reviewed most thoroughly. Tara Parker-Pope of the NY Times Well Blog writes, “The comparisons are always interesting and often surprising.” Though, critics don’t love every comparison. Parker-Pope went on to say, “Chances are you won’t agree with every item. For instance, in a comparison of choices for a child’s Easter basket, I can’t figure out why Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, with 150 calories, are an ‘eat this,’ while Marshmallow Peeps, with 140 calories, are a ‘not that.’”[2]
Dawn Jackson Blatner, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association said in USA Today, “There are several healthful options for the restaurants. These are realistic changes people can make to save hundreds of calories.”[3]
References
- ^ http://www.cookthisnotthatbook.com/uof/cookthisnotthatbook/
- ^ Tara Parker-Pope (2008-03-18). "Worst Foods in America". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
- ^ Nanci Hellmich (2008-01-21). "'This, Not That' practical for fast food diners (Review)". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-06-11.