The Longevity Diet

• Gives a great introduction to calorie restriction.
• Provides a good summary of necessary minimums of nutrients (protein, fat, etc.).
• Is non-judgmental and even-handed.

• Diet is difficult to follow.
• Research has only been conducted in rodents.
• Long-term effects are unknown.

• 260 pages, paperback.
• Includes sections on parenting with calorie restriction and monitoring your health.
• Written by calorie restriction practitioners.

Calorie restriction is the only approach that has been proven to extend life in mammals. Whether it extends life in humans is open to debate. The Longevity Diet is written by Brain Delaney and Lisa Walford, both of whom are calorie restriction practitioners; Lisa Walford is the daughter of one of the pioneers in calorie restriction, Dr. Roy Walford.

The Longevity Diet presents not only some of the research behind calorie restriction, but also gives the reader practical information on how to reduce calories without sacrificing nutrition. However, calorie restriction is not for everyone, and many readers would find this diet difficult to implement. Anyone following a calorie-restricted diet should be closely monitored by a physician.

While calorie restriction itself has not been proven in humans, it is clear that many of the chronic illness in the U.S. are related to eating too much. Following the suggestions in The Longevity Diet might reduce high serum cholesterol and other signs of poor health. Readers must decide for themselves if the extreme approach of calorie restriction is right for them.

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