THE DIET MYTH: The Real Science Behind What We Eat

The answers are much more surprising - and fascinating - than we've been led to believe. The key to health and weight loss lies not in the latest fad diet, nor even in the simple mantra of 'eat less, exercise more', but in the microbes already inside us.

Drawing on the latest science and his own pioneering research, Professor Tim Spector demystifies the common misconceptions about fat, calories, vitamins and nutrients. Only by understanding what makes our own personal microbes tick can we overcome the confusion of modern nutrition, and achieve a healthy gut and a healthy body.

"Tim Spector carefully explains that we are NOT what we eat, but rather that our trillions of microbial inhabitants have a thing or two to say. Lucidly written, The Diet Myth provides a first-class education about the conjunction of our microbes and our health" ~ Martin Blaser, author of Missing Microbes

"I don't read diet books and I certainly never plug them, but The Diet Myth is a worthy exception that provides new insight into why we should think twice about what we put in our mouths. ~ Dr Mark Porter, The Times

"It's not often that a book changes my life in a mere three chapters...given my usual reluctance to jump on any nutritional bandwagon, I reckon this makes Tim Spector's work a rather compelling read. It's truly eye-opening stuff, and we owe it to ourselves and the 100 trillion friends inside our bodies to read this book" ~ Felicity Cloake, Literary Review

"Combining...fast-paced science with medical self-help...[A] model of clear, accessible and entertaining science writing" ~ Financial Times

"Witty, well-written and broad-ranging, littered with fascinating factoids and case studies. Spector thoughtfully explains the strengths and weaknesses of the available evidence, drawing on research on gut microbes as well as his long-running studies on the genetics of twins and his own often hilarious experiments with various diets" ~ New York Times

"Life-changer: This is a remarkable read. Spector is a highly respected scientist - I guarantee his book will change the way you think about food and healthy eating" ~ Delicious Magazine

"Spector's] fascinating book explores the various elements of the human diet: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, artificial additives, cocoa, caffeine, nuts, alcohol (and antibiotics)...if there is one thing he is convinced of it is that the microbes in our guts are the key to our optimum health and that we ignore them at our peril, GOOD BOOK GUIDE He makes a brilliant case" ~ William Leith, Evening Standard