Product Description

Why is it... That almost all the processed foods we eat contain the same handful of ingredients?That these handful of ingredients are produced by only a handful of multi-nationals? That some cereals contain more salt per serving than a packet of crisps?That served with milk, sugar and raisins, some cardboard packets have been said to be more nutritious than the cereal they contain? That there are half the number of dairy farms in the UK than there were 10 years ago?That over the same period the turnover of the top 20 global dairy corporations has increased by 60%? That over 60% of all processed foods in Britain contain soya?That the UK government's Committee on the Toxicity of Food judged that eating soya could have hormone-disrupting effects? That in 1970, a hundred grams of an average chicken contained less than 9 grams of fat, but today it contains nearly 23 grams of fat?That the amount of protein in that chicken has fallen by more than 30%? That children aged 4-14 in the UK get 16-17% of their daily calories from processed sugars?That the World Health Organisation's recommended limit is 10%? That industrialised farming uses 50 times more energy than traditional farming?That livestock farming creates greater carbon emissions than all of global transport put together?That some salmon farmers dye their fish?That sugar could be as bad for you as tobacco?That you might have been better off eating butter rather than margarine all along?That industrial processing removes much of the nutritional value of the food it produces?That by changing our diets we could reduce cancers by a third?That corporations are shaping our bodies, our minds and the future of the planet? Eat Your Heat Out explains how big business took control of what we eat – and why so few of us even noticed. Crossing the globe in search of agribusiness's darkest secrets, Felicity Lawrence uncovers some startling facts and stomach-churning figures. Essential reading for anyone who cares about their health and our planet.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22407 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
I can't remember when a book made me more angry. Lawrence's book should be compulsory reading . . . nothing is what it says on the packet (Evening Standard )

Challenges each and every one of us to think again about what we eat. It's almost like uncovering a secret state within the state (Start the Week )

I can't remember when a book made me more angry. Lawrence's book should be compulsory reading (Evening Standard )

Guardian
'Superb. A snap-crackle-and-pop ride'

Review
'Essential reading'

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Brilliant
I loved this book. I was engrossed from the very first page, and the more I read, the more I was appalled at state of the world's food systems. I am simply shocked at the modern day slavery, and the embarrassing inabilities of our governments to be able to control corporate power or even obtain taxes from these giants.
I liked the combination of economics, ethics, politics and food and nutrition in this book. I couldn't really get into Not on the Label: What Really Goes into the Food on Your Plate because I thought I already shopped ethically and healthily. However reading this has changed my view of everything, I can see how everything is linked, where those who control us are headed, and how it's not in the direction I would like.
Saddened and frustrated, I am also inspired to become pro-active and change what piece of the world I can. I am determined to stop any more of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by soya growing corporate giants, and to end the mafia run slavery in Italy, where our tomatoes are farmed.
I think to draw my own conclusions from this book that there must be a radical reform to our own political systems. Capitalism has it's benefits, but it should never have been limitless. I think capitalism needs to be capped in order to control growth, and empower the social ethics that are so key to quality of life. I have never understood why people are so obsessed with the bottom line, even to the point where they destroy their own earth. For this to happen though it would mean that politicians would need to be more powerful than corporations.

Wake up!
I found this book informative, revelatory and utterly compelling. You should definitely read it if you'd like to know more about how our food is adulterated beyond belief by the handful of faceless transnational corporations who control a vast amount of our food chain. The corollary of their unceasing quest to increase the "value added" to their products is that our food is nutrient-depleted to such an extent that we'd be better off eating the packaging their expensive, processed junk comes in.

I too found this a better read than "Not On The Label" in that it explained more thoroughly the health implications of moving away from a diet that has evolved naturally over several thousand years to one that was artificially manufactured in the second half of the last century - seemingly not in the best interests of consumers but rather to line the pockets of agribusiness and to further the geo-political aims of successive American and European governments. There's plenty of "and now the science bit" but, whilst being quite detailed, I never found it difficult to follow.

Before reading "Eat Your Heart Out" I felt a growing uneasiness about the direction our over-processed, convenience-led food supply was taking us. Now I feel much more informed about the damage that is being done to our health and society.

This book will open your eyes and may even radicalize you a little. It really is breathtaking what has happened to our diets in the course of just a few decades. Thankfully, the author remains (just) optomistic that we've not passed the point of no return, and that a deal of the damage can be undone. But that's gonna have to start with individuals changing their buying habits and modifying their lifestyles. "Eat Your Heart Out" explains exactly why you should start today.

Very good and informative but not as brilliant as the first book
I was surprised to see everyone rating this as 5 stars. While Felicity Laurence's last book really was a five star book. This book is less oustanding. I can not really explain why except that it seemed to be a bit less gripping than the last one, but only a bit. For example the description of how margerine was made was so long wordy and complex that it could have done with some diagrams. In the last book that would never have happened. There was one dull chapter where Laurence described a car ride to conference which I even found dull (which is really a rare thing with this author). But that was the only bad chapter. My last gripe was her slightly anti capitalist bent. I would have thought that the government subsidising unhealthy corporate food production is more a description of socialism defined as government intervention rather than "capitalism". I would still recommend this book to others and did enjoy my read. I learned quite a bit and things do make more sense now. She is absolutely right about the crazy domination of a handful of ingredients in so much of our food. After I developed IBS and M.E I had to avoid corn, soya and white sugar, and certain food additives/chemicals. I found that so much in existance had those artificial tiny handful of ingredients - and now I understand why.
Don't be put off buying the book from my review because it is a good book. Just don't expect the same level of brilliance as her last book "Not On the Label."