Three books about the science and politics of food
Could anyone have predicted that what was once a cocaine-laced medicinal beverage would become one of the world’s biggest brands? Mark Pendergrast’s For God, Country & Coca-Cola (Basic Books, $26) offers a riveting take on a subject so rich in food politics and sweet business lessons, it’ll rot your teeth.
NYU’s Marion Nestle was questioning the tactics of Big Food long before Michael Bloomberg tried to ban supersized sodas. The 10th anniversary edition of Food Politics (University of California Press, $30 U.S.) comes with a new intro by Michael Pollan.Bloomberg
T. Colin Campbell’s first book, The China Study, co-written with his son, inspired Bill Clinton to give up meat and dairy. His latest work, Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition (BenBella, $30), co-authored with Howard Jacobson, explains the science behind the plant-based China Study, and why it works.