Introduction

For the first time in history, too much food is making us sick. The Modern American Diet (MAD) is expanding our waistlines while starving and shrinking our brains. Rates of obesity and depression have recently doubled, and though these epidemics are closely linked, few experts are connecting the dots for the average American.

Using data from the rapidly changing fields of neuroscience and nutrition, The Happiness Diet shows that over the past several generations, small, seemingly insignificant changes to our diet have stripped it of nutrients—like magnesium, vitamin B12, iron, and vitamin D, as well as some very special fats—that are essential for happy, well-balanced brains. These shifts also explain the overabundance of mood-destroying foods in the average American’s diet and why they predispose most of us to excessive weight gain.

After a clear explanation of how we’ve all been led so far astray, The Happiness Diet empowers the reader to steer clear of this MAD way of life with simple, straightforward solutions, including:
• A list of foods to swear off
• Shopping tips and kitchen organization tricks
• A compact healthy cookbook full of brain-building recipes
• Practical advice, meal plans, and more!

Graham and Ramsey guide you through these steps and then remake your diet by doubling down on feel-good foods—even the all-American burger.