Chemistry is oftentimes called the central science because of how it can act as meeting point for other fields of science. A perfect example is how chemistry can merge with biology. In this review article, we want to help you find the best biochemistry textbook for your need.
Any of these texts will allow you to tackle the study of this common subfield of chemistry and biology. But it is always important to figure out which one is best for your particular situation, no matter if you are a student, an educator setting up a course, or a science enthusiast!
What Is Biochemistry?
Biochemistry studies biological processes at a molecular and cellular level while adding chemistry into the mix. Scientists can combine physiology, chemistry, and biology to investigate the chemistry of living systems.
Biochemistry is actually the foundation to learn about any biological processes. Many people like to claim that physics is applied math, and chemistry is applied physics. Well, continuing that patter, biology is applied chemistry. The basis of all biological processes are chemical, and certain chemical simplifications are required to study living organisms. That’s where biochemistry comes into place.
It can help explain diseases found in animals, humans, and plants. Many times, it is the first step to learn about how to treat and cure such illnesses. Biochemistry is an essential part of education, for both chemists and biologists, but also for medical students. Finding the best biochemistry book to learn about biochemistry is key for their education.
The Best Resources to Learn Biochemistry
We are going to review seven different books and help you understand more about them. Of course, we’re going to tell you which one we think is best and why.
Besides getting your hands into the best text you can find, it is also important to understand the requirements you need to study college biochemistry. In most cases, you are going to have to have a bit of a background in basic chemistry. You may also want to have some statistics knowledge, and understanding the basics of organic chemistry in your skillset.
Sometimes, this kind of merging of two different disciplines can make its study a bit hard. But don’t worry. There are some perfect tools to overcome these difficulties, in the form of textbooks.
That is why we are here today. We’re looking at the best books to help you learn and understand biochemistry.
Our Top Pick: Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry
First off, we come forward directly with out top choice. The best book for most people, and also the most overwhelmingly used all around the world for biochemistry courses is Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, originally published by the American biochemist Albert L. Lehninger.
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry
It went through several new editions, and right now is published and edited by David Nelson and Michael Cox. It is equally a great choice for chemistry, biology or medical students. It is also our recommendation for self-study. You cannot go wrong with Lehninger.
It is also always a great help to have the accompanying study guide to the textbook.
Table of Quick Comparison
Reviews of the Best Biochemistry Books
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry
This is our top pick, and we think it is the best biochemistry textbook for anyone. It’s the top best-seller for any intro biochemistry course. It amazingly brings coherence and clarity to the mix of chemistry and biology.
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry
You’re going to learn about the definitive discoveries enduring principles, and groundbreaking advancements within the field. If you need little knowledge on either chemistry or biology to catch up with this book. It’s on its Seventh Edition right now, with clear writing and careful explanations.
There is also a study guide for this book called the Absolute, Ultimate Guide to Principles of Biochemistry Solutions and Study Manual. You can get extra help with the study guide so that you make sure you understand the content. Most people love how this guide complements the main text, and it is really helpful for following a biochemistry course. It is highly above average in regards to accompanying study guides of this kind.
Voet Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Life at the Molecular Level
This fifth edition of Voet’s book takes a nice and updated approach, and focuses on the advancements within the biochemistry field. We think it is the second best biochemistry book for MBBS and other types of undergraduate students. It has a nice angle focusing in structural biology and bioinformatics.
Voet Fundamentals of Biochemistry
Still, you get a solid foundation in biochemical education, which is rooted in chemistry, as we mentioned in the introduction. It is worth highlighting its focus on human health applications. A very nice feature is that probably has the best graphics of all biochemistry texts out there, which is great if you are a visual learner.
Miesfeld McEvoy Biochemistry
Biochemistry by Miesfeld and McEvoy is designed to help you understand a variety of biochemical concepts, one by one, building on top of each other. This is the approach taken by Miesfeld. This results in easy to read chapters, which feature high-end graphics within the text. The complete tables of contents show how the biochemical processes work as a whole, and within each chapter, the authors dig into how all these processes apply to everyday life.
Miesfeld McEvoy Biochemistry
This book is significantly detailed, but it is the go-to-the-point textbook for biochemistry. It is probably the one that makes learning a more enjoyable experience, not focusing un unimportant details. This is why we recommend it especially for self-study. But it is still a very competent option for taking college courses.
Thanks to its beautiful and logical illustrations, it’s a great book for understanding biochemistry.
Garrett Grishman Biochemistry
The authors, Garrett and Grishman, have an innovative way of organizing the framework so that you are guided through the concepts of the course more easily. This helps you see how biochemistry is useful in the everyday world.
Garrett Grishman Biochemistry
However, this is not the recommended choice for beginners. This book goes into a lot of detail, and assumes previous knowledge on the subjects by the readers. A couple of years of studying chemistry and cell biology are recommended before digging into this piece.
But if you do have that experience, this is a great resource, and a great reference book. The vocabulary and content collected in this textbook make it an awesome purchase for anybody who wants to build a career in the field of biochemistry. A must-have for any professional’s library.
Of course, this is the most current edition, and it has been updated to include revised presentations and new material. You also get into its online learning system with end-of-chapter content that is book-specific. This could help to improve grades and master the concepts.
Molecular Cell Biology
The Molecular Cell Biology textbook is ideal for those who want to focus on the medical relevance of biochemistry. It is generally a great pick for medical students.
Molecular Cell Biology
Although fairly comprehensive, this textbook is written in a concise style, you need to focus a bit to get the details, but this is largely compensated by the beautiful illustrations of the latest editions. Drawings are really helpful and great complement to the text.
We think this text is one of the best choices for medical students. It fulfils its purpose nicely on this arena. However, don’t leave your basic knowledge on organic chemistry and biochemistry much behind, since it is also not the most beginner-firendly text.
Netter’s Essential Biochemistry
This is the first-edition of the Netter’s Basic Science series on biochemistry, written by Peter Ronner. This book is a great choice to grasp the basics of biochemistry.
It features a focus primarily on clinical applications with concise writing. This book is not comprehensive (less than 500 pages), but very concise and directed to medical students. It also has excellent illustrations to help you understand the subject more fully.
Netter’s Essential Biochemistry
As we mentioned, the text is concise and it’s the perfect weapon to get the information you need as quickly as possible. No excessive or unnecessary details. Of course, end-of-chapter questions and summaries help you reinforce the key concepts.
The author’s approach is making this text as the best biochemistry textbook for medical students. However, anyone can use it to get a clear picture of the field and why it is important (since it discusses many medical applications, cases and examples).
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Biological, and Organic Chemistry
Clearly, from the title of the book, you can tell this one is not simply a biochemistry textbook. Indeed, this text is a great introduction to chemistry, from atoms and bonding theories, to the subfield of organic chemistry.
However, later in the textbook, it does dive into biochemistry. This book is the perfect choice for people who want to get into biochemistry, but are still building their basic chemistry knowledge.
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Biological, and Organic Chemistry
Let’s be honest, if you want to learn biochemistry, you need to build a base on chemistry first. If you think you’re lacking that base, this more general and introductory textbook might be your prefect fit.
Of course, as a general chemistry textbook, it will not go deep into many details on any specific subject.
To Sum Up…
When it comes to choosing the best biochemistry book, there are a variety of options. Your course syllabus may require you to have a specific one. However, if you want to go above and beyond, learning more than the rest, it’s important to have one of the best options. And one that fits your particular need.
We think that Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry is the best-seller on the market for a reason. It is a comprehensive and detailed textbook, which is also not difficult to read. It will fit most purposes perfectly.
We would like to finish by reminding you that reviews for the best textbooks in other subfields of chemistry are available in our general guide to learn and study chemistry. Make sure to take a look!
Thank you for the guidance. God bless.