Feeding You Lies Book Summary - Feeding You Lies Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Feeding You Lies summary

Vani Hari

How to Unravel the Food Industry’s Playbook and Reclaim Your Health

4.2 (87 ratings)
17 mins

Brief summary

Feeding You Lies by Vani Hari exposes the deceptive practices of the food industry. It reveals how certain food brands lie about their products and how to avoid their harmful effects on health.

Topics
Table of Contents

    Feeding You Lies
    Summary of 5 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 5

    Soda is a key driver of obesity, but manufacturers manipulate public opinion and the law to evade responsibility.

    According to the National Institute of Diabetics and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, over two-thirds of all Americans were obese in 2017. This number underscores something that’s been known to public health experts for a while now: America is in the grips of an obesity epidemic. But what’s driving this crisis? Well, there are multiple factors but one culprit is clear – soda.

    Around two-thirds of American children consume at least one soda a day while a third drink at least two. This is bad news for their health; a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking one can of soda per day increased the risk of heart attack by 20 percent. The Center for Disease Control, meanwhile, links heavy soda consumption with Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, and asthma.

    Despite all this evidence, the American Beverage Association – ABA for short – refuses to admit that its products pose a health risk. Instead, the trade association advocates exercise, which is demonstrably less effective as a weight-loss tool than a healthy diet. Coca-Cola, one of ABA’s members, has even introduced a calorie-counting app called “Work It Out,” designed to help the company sell its low-calorie ranges, including Diet Coke and Coke Zero. Ironically, so-called “diet sodas” are every bit as dangerous and fattening as regular sodas.

    These measures are part of an all-out war on public health authorities’ efforts to change consumer behavior and warn them of the dangers of sugary drinks.

    Another is the Sugar Association. Like its ally the ABA, it actively spreads food industry propaganda and attempts to manipulate politicians by making large donations to their campaigns. These efforts have a huge influence on government policy. Since 2009, for example, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the ABA have spent $67 million on efforts to prevent both the introduction of a sugar tax and health warnings being put on their products.

    Even more worryingly, these associations are so influential that government agencies actually use them as policy consultants. The Departments of Health and Human Services, for instance, took advice from the ABA when it issued dietary guidelines!

    Want to see all full key ideas from Feeding You Lies?

    Key ideas in Feeding You Lies

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Feeding You Lies about?

    Feeding You Lies (2019) is an exposé of one of America’s shadiest industries – the food sector. Fed up with being lied to and sold junk rebranded as “health food,” blogger Vani Hari decided to find out what was really going on behind all the glitzy marketing. In Feeding You Lies, she details what she discovered. Along the way, she provides a wealth of tips and tricks to avoid being taken in and make healthier choices in the grocery store.

    Feeding You Lies Review

    Feeding You Lies (2019) by Vani Hari is an eye-opening exploration of the food industry and its deceptive practices. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • It provides in-depth research and analysis on the manipulation of food products, empowering readers to make informed choices about what they eat.
    • With compelling examples and personal experiences, the book sheds light on the hidden agendas of corporations and challenges common misconceptions about "health foods."
    • Through its accessible and engaging storytelling, Feeding You Lies captivates readers, ensuring that learning about the food industry is anything but boring.

    Best quote from Feeding You Lies

    Food is medicine, plain and simple. If our food is sick, then we as a country are going to be sick as well.

    —Vani Hari
    example alt text

    Who should read Feeding You Lies?

    • Shoppers overwhelmed by marketing hype
    • Frustrated dieters wondering why they aren’t losing weight
    • Nutritionists and healthy eaters

    About the Author

    Vani Hari AKA “The Food Babe” is a food expert best known for her hugely popular blog about clean eating, a nutritional approach based on the avoidance of processed foods. Four years after launching her blog, she published The Food Babe Way, a 21-day guide to detoxifying your diet. Hari is also the mind behind Truvani, a company specializing in nutritional supplements.

    Categories with Feeding You Lies

    Book summaries like Feeding You Lies

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    36 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Get started

    Feeding You Lies FAQs 

    What is the main message of Feeding You Lies?

    Feeding You Lies exposes the deceptive tactics used by the food industry to mislead consumers.

    How long does it take to read Feeding You Lies?

    Feeding You Lies can be read in several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Feeding You Lies a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Feeding You Lies is worth reading for its eye-opening insights into the food industry.

    Who is the author of Feeding You Lies?

    The author of Feeding You Lies is Vani Hari.

    What to read after Feeding You Lies?

    If you're wondering what to read next after Feeding You Lies, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Why Diets Make Us Fat by Sandra Aamodt
    • Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink
    • “You Just Need to Lose Weight” by Aubrey Gordon
    • Million Dollar Habits by Brian Tracy
    • Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson
    • Mind Gym by Gary Mack & David Casstevens
    • Breaking Up With Sugar by Molly Carmel
    • Hardcore Self Help by Robert Duff
    • The Fine Art Of Small Talk by Debra Fine
    • Eat to Beat Disease by William W. Li