Is there an audiobook of How Not to Die?

Yes. How Not to Die has an Audible audiobook edition, narrated by M.D. FACLM Michael Greger.

How long is the How Not to Die audiobook?

The How Not to Die audiobook runs 18 hr 52 min.

Is How Not to Die on Kindle Unlimited?

Yes. How Not to Die was included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on July 6, 2026.

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger book cover for the Book of the Day nutrition book review

Our score

4.6/ 5

Outstanding

Listen to How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease free with an Audible trial Narrator, runtime & our audio review

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EDITION PUBLISHEDJanuary 2015

PublisherFlatiron Books

Genres

Non-Fiction Nutrition Cooking

Themes

Diet as preventive medicineThe case for whole, plant-based foodsSpecific foods and their effectsBuilding a healthier kitchen

How Not to DieDiscover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

Name: How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
Price: 19.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Michael Greger

Michael Greger

Dr. Michael Greger surveys the research on the leading causes of death and argues that diet can prevent or reverse much of it. How Not to Die is a dense, evidence-stacked case for plants, with a practical eating guide bolted on the end.

The Review

Our take

Greger, a physician and tireless reader of nutrition studies, structures the book around the fifteen leading causes of death in America and asks, for each, what the science says about preventing it through diet. The first half marches through heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and the rest, citing study after study in support of a whole-food, plant-based way of eating. The sheer density of references is the point: Greger wants to overwhelm you with evidence, and for many readers the cumulative weight is genuinely persuasive.

What distinguishes the book from generic wellness fare is its specificity. Greger doesn't just say eat more vegetables; he digs into particular foods and compounds, the berries, greens, beans, and spices he believes do measurable work in the body, and he explains the mechanisms in accessible terms. He's an enthusiastic, sometimes wry guide through the literature, and his obvious command of the studies lends the recommendations authority even when his framing is more advocacy than neutral summary.

The back half is where the book earns its place on a cooking shelf as much as a health one. Greger lays out his Daily Dozen, a practical checklist of foods to hit each day, and the approach translates directly into how you shop and cook, organizing meals around legumes, whole grains, greens, and fruit. It's a usable framework rather than a rigid meal plan, and it nudges you toward a kitchen built on whole ingredients, which is where the lasting behavior change actually happens.

The honest caveat is that Greger is a committed advocate, and the book reads as a one-sided brief for plant-based eating rather than a balanced weighing of the evidence. He tends to present the studies that support his case and downplay complexity, so a careful reader should treat the more sweeping claims as the strongest version of the argument, not the last word, and check big changes with a doctor.

Why you should read

For readers curious about plant-based eating
Great if you want evidence behind dietary advice
If you like a practical daily framework
For anyone using food to support long-term health

What to expect

Dense, study-packed nutrition writing
Disease-by-disease dietary analysis
A practical Daily Dozen checklist
Committed plant-based advocacy

Still, the core message, that what you eat profoundly shapes your long-term health, is sound and delivered with unusual conviction and detail. How Not to Die works best as a motivating, reference-rich push toward a more plant-centered kitchen, paired with the practical structure to actually do it. For readers ready to let food do some of the work of medicine, it's a substantial and surprisingly actionable guide. Greger's energy is genuinely contagious, and even a skeptical reader is likely to come away eating a few more beans and greens than before, which is arguably the whole point. The book succeeds not because every claim is airtight but because it shifts the default, making the plant-forward choice feel like the obvious one and giving you a concrete structure to act on it. Treated as motivation rather than gospel, and paired with a doctor's input for anything serious, it can genuinely change how a kitchen runs, and that practical reach is what sets it apart from the crowded shelf of diet books that inspire for a week and then gather dust.

Reviewed by Jordan · How our reviews are written

Our verdict

4.6/ 5

Outstanding

Listen to How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease free with an Audible trial Narrator, runtime & our audio review

Included with Kindle Unlimited Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices may vary.

Where to read or listen

Is there an audiobook of How Not to Die?: Yes. How Not to Die has an Audible audiobook edition, narrated by M.D. FACLM Michael Greger.
Listen to How Not to Die free with an Audible trial
We earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.
How long is the How Not to Die audiobook?: The How Not to Die audiobook runs 18 hr 52 min.
Is How Not to Die on Kindle Unlimited?: Yes. How Not to Die was included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on July 6, 2026.
How much does How Not to Die cost?: On Amazon: Kindle $19.99, Paperback $19.00, Hardcover $15.36. Prices as of August 27, 2026 at 3:45 AM EDT and may change.

Filed underNutrition Cooking Browse the archive →

Common questions

What is How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease about?: Greger, a physician and tireless reader of nutrition studies, structures the book around the fifteen leading causes of death in America and asks, for each, what the science says about preventing it through diet. The first half marches through heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and the rest, citing…
Is How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease worth reading?: We scored How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease 4.6 out of 5. Dr. Michael Greger surveys the research on the leading causes of death and argues that diet can prevent or reverse much of it. How Not to Die is a dense, evidence-stacked case for plants, with a practical eating guide bolted on the end.