This book throws a lot of information at you about how your body digests food, and I'll be honest and say that I didn't grasp all of it. Or even, like, half of it. And I haven't done any due diligence and checked out the science they back this book with.

The recipes are a bit unrealistic since they call for a bunch of things we just don't normally stock like chia seeds (where do you even buy those?), coconut milk, and garam masala (which I should keep around, but I don't :/). On the plus side though, a lot of those off-beat ingredients are used in multiple recipes, and since the diet plan seems pretty rigid that's a good thing. The recipes also don't use a lot of ingredients themselves, which I believe goes along with not overloading your stomach.

Overall, this might be worth it to try if you have digestive issues that you want to clear up. I don't know about the sustainability of this diet over a more balanced diet in general, though.

Copy courtesy of Reader's Digest, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

21-Day Tummy not only aims to help you lose stubborn belly fat, it also is designed to help people deal with the stomach problems that plague so many people- gas and bloating, heartburn and acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Millions of Americans suffer from these stomach issues, and this book, written by Liz Vaccariello from Reader's Digest, along with Kate Scarlata, a registered dietician, share the science behind their methods in easy-to-understand language, and if you are one the people who suffer from any of the above stomach problems, this book is more than worth your time.

Vaccariello recruited eleven people to try the diet with her (she lost 10 pounds in 21 days) and their stories are interspersed throughout the book. They lost of a total of 90 pounds in the three weeks, with the participating men losing slightly more than the women.

The book's main goal is to balance gut flora (bacteria in the GI tract) and reduce inflammation by eating more magnesium-rich foods and anti-inflammatory fats and reducing carb-dense foods and carbs that ferment rapidly.

They describe foods to avoid, called Belly Bullies, which include such surprising foods as garlic, onions, apples, asparagus and the popular agave sweetener, which contains fructose, a big no-no. Belly Buddies, foods that you should eat, include fiber-rich foods magnesium-rich foods like spinach, kale, peanut butter, bananas, blueberries, quinoa, whole oats, almonds, chia and pumpkin seeds and Greek yogurt.

The book lays our the three-week meal plan, divided into three phases. Each day has its own page with a breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner menu. All of the meals seem very doable, with no crazy food supplements or ingredients that you have to shop for at specialty stores.

Recipes follow the menu plan, and there are several I would like to try, including

Scrambled Egg Quesadilla
Mini Quiche
Hearty Roasted Vegetable Soup
Grilled Turkey Cutlets with Grape Salsa

There is also a week-by-week shopping list, which is very helpful, and a simple exercise plan, with an interval walking workout and core routine laid out clearly and simply for the reader, with illustrations of the each exercise.

With so many diets out there, including the Paleo Diet and Mediterranean Diet, the 21-Day Tummy Diet seems to be a sound, scientific way to lose belly fat and help people with their myriad digestive problems. The eleven people who tried the diet shared interesting results, including being able to eliminate prescription heartburn medication completely in one case.

The website for the 21-Day Tummy contains more information, and there you can try the book free for 14 days to see if it can help you. ( )

What I love about 21-Day Tummy is that it isn't just a book on weight loss and diet management; it's unique in that it also places importance on the digestive tract. Many of the recipes and theories revolve around the bodily chemistry regarding certain foods and exercises, so this diet plan is one that targets both shedding pounds and metabolizing your digestive system.

If you suffer from weight gain due to digestive slowdown, this is the perfect book for you. It is well backed and well explained, so anyone can follow and understand the logistics of the diet—even if you have minimal experience with dieting. That's what I love about Vaccariello's diet guides; they're so accessible!

The recipes, as expected, are amazing. Just looking at the photographs makes my mouth water, and I love how each ingredient is elaborated upon. There are helpful lists of digestive do's and don't's throughout the book, which are entertaining and useful for the kitchen. Other helpful tools include measurement conversion charts, grocery shopping lists, green lights and red lights of foods (regarding how they'll treat your stomach), and myths about certain foods busted or confirmed.

I find it really helpful that the regimen's goal is to not only flatten tummies, but also regulate the inner workings of the body. It takes the focus off the scale and tape measures, and places it onto feeling and being HEALTHY.

Pros: Methodical, biologically sound approaches to dieting and improving the digestive system // Lots of tried-and-true recipes that are worth testing // Real-life testimonies and weight loss plans and interviews of successful dieters included

Cons: Some recipes don't include pictures and are difficult to follow // I'm skeptical of the timeline. Although the book doesn't necessarily claim to change lives drastically in 21 days, it keeps dieters on a schedule that seems a bit too rigid

Verdict: I personally was not really able to follow this diet book because it deals a lot with digestive issues rather than just wholesome, healthy eating, but I appreciate how specific the regimen is. It isn't something I could actually stick with—in fact, it doesn't seem very lenient—but I recommend Vaccariello's newest diet book for those who struggle with acid reflux and eating the right way due digestive problems. With the perfect amount of motivation and realistic, delicious-looking recipes, 21-Day Tummy helps you look and feel your best by using a targeted approach of not only eating well, but also taking care of what's on the inside.

Rating: 7 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): Not perfect, but overall enjoyable; borrow, don't buy!

Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, FSB Media!). ( )