GREAT READS
A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S OUT RIGHT NOW.
BACON & BUTTER BY CELBY RICHOUX (Rockridge Press) ‘Bacon for breakfast, ham-andcheese rollups for lunch, buttered asparagus and steak for dinner. You’re not dreaming – this is a snapshot of a day in the life of a keto dieter.’ So begins Celby Richoux’s explanation of the principles of the ketogenic diet, which she explains simply and – to our relief – briefly. Here’s a taste of what to expect from the recipes: divided into chapters such as Meaty Mains, Delightful Desserts, Perfect Poultry, Fishy Favourites, and Sneaky Keto Classics you’ll find recipes ranging from avocado coconut smoothies to green-chilli chicken enchilada casserole, rosemary balsamic pork medallions and beef brisket with cauliflower salad.
One reviewer says: ‘I love this cookbook! I have purchased several cookbooks with the low-carb, high-fat recipes that support a ketogenic diet and this is by far my favourite. The recipes are very accessible and don’t include a lot of specialty ingredients.’ So there you have it.
DIABETES UNPACKED BY VARIOUS AUTHORS (Columbus Publishing) Here it is, in black and white: the solution to diabetes is contained in this book. It’s ‘just science and sense, no sugar coating’, according to the tagline, and is dedicated to ‘diabetics, to everyone who knows a diabetic, and anyone who could become a diabetic’. It’s mandatory reading for most of us in South Africa, then, considering that the International Diabetes Federation put our prevalence at 2.28 million (and rising rapidly) in 2015. One of the contributors, Dr Jason Fung, describes diabetes as the rotting of every part of the body – eyes, kidneys, heart, brain, legs. He says seven multinational, randomised controlled trials of tight bloodglucose control with medications have failed to show reductions in heart disease, which is one of the biggest causes of death in diabetics. His point is that drugs don’t cure a dietary disease. His answer? No sugar in the first place.
CRAVEABLE KETO COOKBOOK BY KYNDRA D. HOLLEY (Victory Belt Publishing) Kyndra weighs in on her battle with her weight in Craveable Keto. She not only gets real about her personal journey but also shares 145 of her most mouthwatering recipes, ranging from Asian chicken salad to steak fajita bowls and dillpickle-brined fish and chips. Kyndra says, ‘I have learned a lot along the way and my hope is that If I can share my story and help even one person feel less alone in their weight struggles, then this book will already be a smashing success in my eyes.’
THE KETO RESET DIET BY MARK SISSON (Harmony) Yes, this is the guy from the popular blog Mark’s Daily Apple and the book The Primal Blueprint. The Keto Reset Diet is so hot off the press that we haven’t seen it yet but it makes a promise that has us paying attention: ‘reboot your metabolism in 21 days and burn fat forever’. Sisson says the secret is to become fat adapted before going fully into nutritional ketosis. Once you’ve adjusted your metabolism, he advocates intermittent fasting then a round of keto eating. He gives you the meal plans to keep you on track and there are over 100 recipes. Look out for it.