Willett's new book

Walter Willett, of Harvard's nutrition and epidemiology departments, author of over 900 publications including a textbook on nutritional epidemiology, has co-authored a new popular book

Eat, Drink, & Weight Less, by Katzen & Willett.

This looks more concise and weight-focused then his previous (but recently updated) best-seller "Eat, Drink, and be Healthy".

Here's his new weight-loss pyramid.

The addition of chocolate as an optional food looks yummy. It is included because (p. 40)

Dark Chocolate, unlike white chocolate, contains compounds called flavonoids that may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. To test this directly in humans, a group of Italian researchers fed fifteen volunteers either dark chocolate or white chocolate, about 4 ounces ber day, for 15 days. Then they reversed the type of chocolate that was fed to participants. While on dark chocolate, participants' blood pressure was significantly reduced as compaired to the period when they were eating white chocolate. Also, insulin resistance, an indicator of risk for diabetes, was reduced while consuming dark chocolate but not white chocolate. Bear in mind, though that four ounces of chocolate would provide more than 500 calories, so the amount we suggest on a weight control plan would have only modest benefit. Still, knowing that a bit of fine chocolate is nudging you toward better health, rather than in the opposite direction, should be sweet news indeed.