What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets

"You are what you eat" has never been as fully visualized as it is in What I Eat, the latest project from the authors of the 2006 James Beard Cookbook of the Year, Hungry Planet. This fascinating study of individuals and their diets features a Japanese sumo wrestler, a Massai herdswoman, a traditional Iranian baker, an American competitive eater, world-renowned Spanish chef Ferran Adria, and more. Eighty profiles are accompanied by personal stories and demographic particulars (age, activity level, height, and weight), and arranged by the total number of calories each person puts away in a day. Essays from Harvard primatologist Richard Wrangham, journalist Michael Pollan, NYU professor and nutrition consultant Lisa Young, and others discuss the implications of our modern diets for our health and for the planet. This compelling blend of photography and investigative reportage expands our understanding of the complex relationships among individuals, culture, and food.