David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé take us far beyond the well-worn adage to deliver a new truth: the roots of good health start on farms. What Your Food Ate marshals evidence from recent and forgotten science to illustrate how the health of the soil ripples through to that of crops, livestock, and ultimately us.

The long-running partnerships through which crops and soil life nourish one another suffuse plant and animal foods in the human diet with an array of compounds and nutrients our bodies need to protect us from pathogens and chronic ailments. Unfortunately, conventional agricultural practices unravel these vital partnerships and thereby undercut our well-being. Can farmers and ranchers produce enough nutrient-dense food to feed us all? Can we have quality and quantity?

With their trademark thoroughness and knack for integrating information across numerous scientific fields, Montgomery and Biklé chart the way forward. Navigating discoveries and epiphanies about the world beneath our feet, they reveal why regenerative farming practices hold the key to healing sick soil and untapped potential for improving human health.

Humanity's hallmark endeavors of agriculture and medicine emerged from our understanding of the natural world--and still depend on it. Montgomery and Biklé eloquently update this fundamental reality and show us why what's good for the land is good for us, too. What Your Food Ate is a must-read for farmers, eaters, chefs, doctors, and anyone concerned with reversing the modern epidemic of chronic diseases and mitigating climate change.

Author: David R. Montgomery, Anne Biklé
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 06/21/2022
Pages: 400
Weight: 1.3lbs
Size: 9.00h x 5.70w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781324004530


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 01/01/2022 pg. 17
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2022
Booklist 04/15/2022 pg. 15
Publishers Weekly 04/25/2022
Library Journal 06/01/2022 pg. 166

About the Author
Montgomery, David R.: - David R. Montgomery is a professor at the University of Washington and a MacArthur Fellow. He lives in Seattle, Washington.Biklé, Anne: - Anne Biklé is a biologist and environmental planner. She lives in Seattle, Washington.