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  • Good Calories, Bad Calories

  • Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health
  • Written by: Gary Taubes
  • Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
  • Length: 25 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (18 ratings)

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Good Calories, Bad Calories

Written by: Gary Taubes
Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
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Publisher's Summary

This groundbreaking book by award-winning science writer and bestselling author of Why We Get Fat and The Case for Keto shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong.

For decades we have been taught that fat is bad for us, carbohydrates better, and that the key to a healthy weight is eating less and exercising more. Yet despite this advice, we have seen unprecedented epidemics of obesity and diabetes. Taubes argues that the problem lies in refined carbohydrates, like white flour, easily digested starches, and sugars, and that the key to good health is the kind of calories we take in, not the number.

Called “a very important book,” by Andrew Weil and …” destined to change the way we think about food,” by Michael Pollan, this groundbreaking book by award-winning science writer Gary Taubes shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong.

©2007 Gary Taubes (P)2020 Random House Audio

What the critics say

“If Taubes were inclined to sensationalism, he might have titled this book The Great Low-Fat Diet Hoax. Instead, he tackles the subject with the seriousness and scientific insight it deserves, building a devastating case against the low-fat, high-carb way of life endorsed by so many nutrition experts in recent years. With diabetes and heart disease at stake as well as obesity, those ‘experts’ owe us an abject apology.” (Barbara Ehrenreich)

Good Calories, Bad Calories is a remarkable accomplishment. From a mountain of diverse scientific evidence Gary Taubes has drawn an amazingly detailed and compelling picture of how diet, obesity, and heart disease link together–and how some of the world’s most important medical researchers got the story colossally wrong. Taubes proves, I think beyond doubt, that the dietary advice we’ve been given for the last three decades by the federal government and the major medical bodies rests on, shall we say, a slender empirical base.” (Charles C. Mann, author of 1491)

“A brave and bold science journalist . . . Taubes does not bow to the current fashion for narrative nonfiction, instead building his argument case by case . . . much of what Taubes relates will be eye-opening.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“Fascinating . . . Mr. Taubes has a gift for turning complex scientific principles into engaging narrative.” (The Wall Street Journal)

What listeners say about Good Calories, Bad Calories

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a MUST read

Anyone interested in health and or nutrition this is a must read. This author asks questions and looks exhaustingly for answers instead of making assumptions and jumping to conclusions. Has actual science been hijacked by egos and "the old boys club"? In true Gary Taubes fashion he reports the whole story, not just what people want to hear.

Looking forward to reading the next Gary Taubes

1 person found this helpful

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Lifesaving…

Gary Taubes has analyzed and synthesized a massive number of studies, articles, books and other information sources to create this very detailed, insightful and lifesaving book.
It is sad that the theories and unproven hypothesis from 50-100 years ago continue to form the dietary and health advice of major cardiac and diabetes organizations I have looked to in the past for sound, evidence-based advice.
I am shocked and deeply disappointed that so much of what they STILL recommend to us is unproven, as Taubes so clearly describes.
We deserve better from our researchers and physicians... so many of us suffer and die because our ‘experts’ refuse to challenge dated and baseless assumptions, have the courage to admit they ‘got it wrong’ and tell us what Taubes so clearly states:
The diseases of modern society (diabetes, heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s etc…) have the same root cause - our incessant over-consumption of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, white flour, and other highly processed carbohydrates.
Thank you for this lifesaving book Gary!!

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Amazingly enlightening!

This book shows all the nutrition science in the last century. It also shows all the knowledge that has been missed or misconstrued. It has opened my mind to a different way of thinking about food and how it hurts and helps us.

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Great book!

If you are looking for a very in depth book on health, diet, and nutritional research. This is the book for you!

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struggled to finish. Not what I expected.

I can't say that it was helpful. l didn't learn anything from listening to this book


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  • Ruby Spinner
  • 2021-06-29

Long, Detailed, Useful

This was a long, involved, detailed report, and very useful. However, it is much closer to the end, in the additional section for the Anchor Publication, that the whole thesis is perfectly expressed:

Our government has spent time, effort and money to create a religion. It is clear it is meant for us to believe that carbohydrate rich, low fat diets are the only correct way to eat. The government coddles and supports industrial carbohydrate production and sale; it even takes documentation out of context purposefully with the intention of deception.

Ask yourself one question: Why are poor people fat? The opposite is, why are wealthy people thin?

In both cases, the answer is simple. Programs which provide energy to the impoverished masses provide no nutrition. Refined white flour, oleomargerine, and industrial chemicals packed into bags and boxes are the mainstay of these programs. Juice, yogurt and starch like boxed cereal are staples of the WIC program. Rather than provide financial support to enable mothers to stay home and raise their children, breastfeeding is discouraged, infant formula is given in the hospital, and before the baby is two, he's being fed applesauce, puree peaches, and baby cookies if mom has extra pennies, but, often, Graham crackers, which are actually cookies, and in no way the healthy food intended by its inventor. Even hot dogs are loaded with starch to make them cheap.

The wealthy, on the other hand, eat much more meat, and far more vegetation. Juice, soda and faux food is much less a factor. And the proof is in the compared waistlines.

A very long book to get to that point, but the narrative was at least mildly interesting.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2021-08-02

Wish I heard this sooner

This book is so enlightening. I feel like I’ve been dupe by the medical society. As a physician I have been advising my patients incorrectly because I was taught incorrectly. I have been adjust my nutrition to resemble more like your research suggests and I see a difference in my energy level focus and waistline. It’s hard to unlearn something that you have been taught for over fifty years… I guess better late than never. Thank You Mr. Taubes You deserved some type of literary award!!!!

7 people found this helpful

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  • Nathan Shapiro
  • 2020-12-30

Way to detailed

Book has good information but it takes the author so long to get to the point every time he is sharing history or a study. This book is 23 hours but could have been done in half the time. It might be a great book for experts but not at all the casual reader or general public. I gave up after about 5 hours and skipped to the end

7 people found this helpful

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  • Jason Harkness
  • 2021-01-30

Wordy but good info

Very wordy for an audible. This book could conveyed same information in half the time. However this book did provide good content and compelling issues!

5 people found this helpful

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  • kookyquinn
  • 2021-04-28

DNF

This is the most boring book I have ever listed to outside of college.

It’s just the (nasally) narrator reading what the author considers bogus study after bogus study. Over and over again.

Listening to this felt like being stuck in traffic. I wanted to scream “hurry up” or “move”.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Tom
  • 2021-02-12

Great book!

Loved this book. It is very informative and well written and the narrator is excellent. I highly recommend this book to anyone new to keto or anyone struggling with metabolic syndrome.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Richard L.
  • 2021-05-30

Great book

Understanding my insulin levels and living that way has made me leaner, period. I hope this becomes common knowledge.

2 people found this helpful

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  • El Mito
  • 2021-10-30

Great read and Insightful.

This really is a great book with tons of evidence to back up the claims.
It is very insightful for readers that agree and disagree with the information covered.
Only thing I would have liked is for the Author to read their own work, but I understand this cannot always happen.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Oscar
  • 2021-09-07

Must read if you care about health

Deep dive into the different researches and reasons why scientists didn’t agree on best ways to eat leading to the nowadays successful low carb diet. Must read. Great insights. This book can literally change your life.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-04-21

Great Audiobook

The level of research to compile all the facts in this book is insane, Well done and I will be listening to your other books aswell.

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  • Jolanta Kozlowska
  • 2022-07-01

Great book

Very interesting, detailed and well documented!!! I am a medical doctor but I've sill learned a lot from this book.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2022-05-24

Great stuff

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