The Kind Diet

Our Reviewer Says ...

"This diet is helpful for folks who want to use it as a stepping-stone to a totally meat-free existence. But if you're not ready to give up cheese or meat, skip it."

At a Glance

Whether your ultimate diet goal is to drop a couple pounds, rev your metabolism or simply make smarter food choices every day, "The Kind Diet," written by actress and conservationist Alicia Silverstone, is a tough book to swallow. The book touts itself as "a simple guide to feeling great, losing weight and saving the planet," and while these are admirable traits, inspiring dieters looking to drop pounds (and become strict vegetarians in a sitting or two) is iffy business. Perhaps avoiding animal products and never drinking cow's milk again can, indeed, help save the planet. (Silverstone details the ecological benefits to pastures and grazing land.) But, like any diet book, potential dieters must make choices and eat better over the long haul to finally see some healthier side effects. In the Table of Contents, Silverstone calls meat a "nasty food," which is not the most scientific reason to avoid it! And changing lifelong dietary habits -- whether you view eating dairy as "nasty" or not -- should be a manageable, steady process without too many nutritional judgments. It is a thoughtful book and it is an empowering tome to almost-vegetarians, but many of the dietary tenets in "The Kind Diet" should be carefully weighed.

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