The Food Babe Way
Break Free from the Hidden Toxins in Your Food And Lose Weight, Look Years Younger, and Get Healthy in Just 21 Days!
By Vani Hari
Read by Vani Hari

Hachette Audio
February 10, 2015 / ISBN 978-1478955313
Nonfiction/Health & Fitness/Nutrition / Audio Book - Unabridged(9.5 hours on 8 CDs)

Reviewed by Leslie C. Halpern

Food activist and creator of the website foodbabe.com, Vani Hari shares her personal story of reclaiming her health and provides the latest research findings on nutrition in this information-packed audiobook. Her own story involves losing 30 pounds without dieting and clearing her chronically blemished skin merely by eliminating foods containing harmful chemicals, additives, and other toxic ingredients. Her personal transformation from sick, tired, and overweight to healthy, energetic, and fit inspired her to start the website and share her knowledge and experience with others.

While not a scientist, Hari cites nutritional studies of others with a keen eye toward hunting down hidden toxins that negatively affect our health. She compiles the information in easily understandable terms, often explaining difficult words or concepts. The 15 most harmful ingredients are examined (trans fat, MSG, nitrates, etc.), with examples of foods containing these chemicals and restaurants that serve these foods. She also explores marketing tactics in which companies use words such as “natural” and “FDA approved” to mislead consumers. Just when readers feel like there’s nothing safe to eat, she offers suggestions of organic brands, safe products, and home-made recipes (on a PDF) for a healthy diet.

Although calling herself “the food babe” and touting her influence with large food corporations may be off-putting for many readers, Hari does seem to care about others by not just presenting problems, but offering solutions so readers can transform their lives as well. The book’s foreword by Mark Hyman, MD, is read by Hari, who also narrates the audiobook. This results in the awkward situation of the author reading “I” and “me” in the first person when referring to Dr. Hyman, and reading “Vani Hari” and “she” when referring to herself in the third person. Having Dr. Hyman (or male voice talent) read the foreword would have eliminated this problem.

After this initial confusion at the beginning of the audiobook, the work provides useful information for helping consumers take control of their health.