The Vegiterranean Diet

January 19, 2015
Hever (The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition) makes an uneasy attempt to map her vegan eating plan onto the popular Mediterranean food pyramid. She makes the questionable assertion that the Mediterranean diet's essence "is (and always has been) a whole food, plant-based diet," within a context of slow eating, and that the roles of fish, olive oil (or any oil in significant amounts), and wine are minimal in terms of the health benefits offered to diet adherents. Otherwise, Hever offers solid, practical nutritional advice, with plentiful charts to demonstrate that, except for B12, all the nutrients you need can be provided by plants. Unusually, she suggests eating a wide variety of foods rather than carefully balancing the contents of each meal to optimize benefits or calorie consumption. Hever also includes a 60-page section for recipes, though these tend more toward the Middle Eastern than Italian, with the hummus, tabbouleh, and baba ganoush, and only a single pasta dish. Seasoned diet book readers will be relieved, though, that she avoids the Asian-style recipes common in other vegan collections, and only dips slightly into current trends like the ubiquitous kale chip.

February 1, 2015

The Mediterranean diet has gained popularity outside its geographical namesake, and more people are learning about the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of a plant-based regimen. Hever (The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition; contributor, Forks over Knives: The Cookbook) combines these methods in a whole-foods, vegan, lower-fat approach. Chapters address information about essential nutrients and food combinations that optimize ingredient absorption. Guidelines for creating a functional, plant-based kitchen ease beginners into this introduction to healthful cooking. A small section with recipes includes contributions from plant-based chef/consultant Chad Sarno and successful vegan cookbook author Robin Robertson. References to additional resources and a comprehensive index enhance the book's usability. VERDICT Readers may recognize Hever from her Veria Living show What Would Julieanna Do? and appearances on programs such as The Dr. Oz Show. The author's strong media presence, combined with early accolades from established vegan chefs and advocates such as Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, increase the likelihood of demand. Readers seeking nutritional guidance will be pleased with the range of coverage.--Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach

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