 | The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health
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 2008-11-08 - Most Comprehensive Nutrition Study Ever
This book is critical for anyone studying nutrition. Why China? Because of "such a massive variation in cancer rates among different counties when genetic backgrounds were similar from place to place" (p. 71). Quite simply, it leaves no doubt that genetics aren't involved, but rather environment.
Though I have read hundreds of books on nutrition, I was blown away by the research herein. I had already known dairy was bad, but Campbell's research makes it practically the major culprit for cancer! Apparently the casein, the main protein in cow's milk, "interacts with carcinogens, the way DNA reacts with carcinogens and the way cancerous cells grow" (p. 65) and actually "allows more carcinogens into cells" (p. 348). Milk does a tumor good! Although I still occasionally indulge in raw goat's cheese, I am much more conscious of this fact after reading his book.
While other researchers have implicated carbohydrates in cancer (especially high glycemic ones), Dr. Campbell devotes an entire chapter to blaming a diet too high in protein. He found that a diet 5% in protein could reverse cancer, and implicated a diet high in animal proteins as being especially carcinogenic. He recommends getting no more than 10% of your calories in protein, which is low by USA standards.
A vegetarian diet was found to be superior in forming muscle over the long run ("slow and steady wins the race") as well as in allowing people to consume many more calories than omnivores, without getting fat.
Campbell also takes on big pharma and the food industries, leaving no doubt that their recommendations to us are purely for their profit.
My editor e-mailed Dr. Campbell to inquire as to whether any of the animal proteins eaten in the study were raw. Apparently not, he replied. It might have made a difference in the meat (since cooked meat forms carcinogenic heterocyclic amines if heated enough), but honestly: even raw dairy contains casein!
2008-11-03 - Shocking Truths Disclosed!
Excellent book! This book will challenge modern day thinking on food and pharmaceuticals. Campbell is an educated researcher who astonishingly comes to the realization that modern concepts of a healthy diet are actually not based on fact and research. Our love affair with meat and dairy have some significant implications for our overall health. Well written, well researched. It is worth having in your personal library.
2008-10-30 - Enlightening
I am so thankful that this book fell into my hands. As someone who loves learning about nutrition, I realize now that I have been assuming that the information we receive from the media is true and in our best interests. I find that when I try to talk to people about Dr. Campbell's alternative view to nutrition, they become highly defensive, even angry. We don't want to hear that what we have been taught for so long could possibly be wrong! Here in northern Europe, where we consume lots of dairy and meat products, we are increasingly suffering from cancers and heart disease. Many consider the Scandinavians to be the epitome of health, but I think this can only be credited to our highly active lifestyles.
If you dare to have an open mind to this book and use your own common sense, I think you will gain a fascinating perspective even if you choose not to make the changes recommended.
 2008-10-30 - Good information, could have been shorter
This book offers a lot of good information. I thought it was interesting to read about so much good information about eating plant-based foods. However, the book is very long and drawn out, and a lot of it is written in a very dry manner. I think it could have been tightened more, dropping probably 75 pages or so since so much of the information repeats itself. A shorter more focused read would have made it go down easier. I still think the info and mission are good, I just think it would have been a smoother read had it been shorter, less repetitive and written in a little more interesting manner, rather than cut and dry science writing. Good info though...
2008-10-27 - One of the best books for any American?
I've read a ton of books on nutrition, diets, healthy lifestyle, etc. This one takes the cake as the best. I found Campbell's scientific approach to be the best researched with the most evidence backing it. He's not an Atkins trying to sell his particular brand of diet or supplements, he's simply showing you what his research has found over the years. My favorite diet book before this was the Paleo Diet, but I think they far overestimate the amount of animal protein that our ancestors ate. Animal protein isn't the end of the world, but it shouldn't be any more than 5-10% of your total intake.
This also doesn't mean you can go out and start eating all the french fries and pasta you can find. Dr. Campbell advocates a simple diet: whole foods, plant-based. That's it. You can sum the entire book into that for dietary recommendation.
The implications for diet on cancer, heart disease, and many autoimmune disorders is shocking as well. Campbell basically shows that diets high in animal protein lead to these "diseases of affluence." And the dairy industry's indoctrination of the school program is terrifying as well, especially since it's so obvious now that milk in fact does NOT do a body good and in fact will give you all sorts of bad things including cancer. I very much want to go back to my middle school, pick up the crates of free milk, and toss them into the Potomac ala the Boston Tea Party. The Potomac Milk Party!
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I ordered 15 copies for my office so other coworkers could read it and since then I've also ordered another half dozen for my friends. I've even put up a standing offer to any of my friends that I will order them a copy of the book if they are interested and will read it. Many of them have taken me up on it so far. :-)
You don't have to die of heart disease, Americans. You don't have to die of cancer either. I only wish I knew how important nutrition was a decade ago when my own mother was dying of cancer. We just didn't know back then (and the internet wasn't around!). But if you know someone who's had a heart attack or is suffering through cancer, there is another way out: your body's own defense mechanisms will heal, it just requires the proper fuel.
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