Who would’ve thought that food needed to be defended, especially in a country like the U.S.A. where it seems to be in abundance, but Michael Pollan wrote a whole book to defend food. Why does it need to be defended? Isn’t food more abundant and better than ever before? I think we can find those answers by looking around us.
One of the things that struck me the most when I moved to the U.S.A. was the amount of people that suffered from things like allergies, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, overweight, strokes, cancer and other diseases. But when one takes a look at what the average American eats it is not surprising why thigs are this way.
Michael Pollan writes that food needs to be defended because most of what we eat now is not food and the way we consume it – in front of the TV, in the car and increasingly alone- is not really eating. Most of us realize to certain degree that the food we consume is not very good for us, but I was aghast to learn how far the food industry has gone to make food disappear from the shelves and to cover it up. And you would think that those food companies would be looking after the health of their customers.
An example of this is the infamous high fructose corn syrup that now seems to be in every single food product you buy at the grocery store. And they still have the indecency to tell you that it isn’t bad for you with a straight face.
It shocked me to learn that a lot of foods are stripped off their natural nutrients to give them a longer shelf life, but then they just throw a couple of vitamins and minerals back to make them look “healthy”. Pollan warns us that when a food claims to be healthy, that is the first sign that it isn’t.
But the food industry is not the only one at blame here. We (I am including myself here) have lost the sense of cooking and good eating because of our lifestyles. This doesn’t mean that we need to spend hours preparing our meals with expensive ingredients. This only means that we need to rethink the way we cook and eat. After all, eating is one of our most basic needs in life and it can be one of the most enjoyable activities of the day (just look at the French, Italians and, why not, Mexicans). Spending a little bit more time preparing and enjoying your food is one of the most satisfying and best things you can do for your health.
What is Pollan’s conclusion? Very simple, eat food (nothing that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food), not too much (small meals during the day and a light, satisfying dinner with family or friends), mostly plants (in reality we don’t need anything else).
In defense of food is the best non-fiction book I’ve read this year. I highly recommend it to anybody who eats (or want to eat) food, the real kind.
¡Buen provecho!
14 Replies
I love Michael Pollan’s writing and views. Nice post!
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I’ve read a lot about this book, though I haven’t read the book itself. It seems like a really good book, with a really good premise! I agree, we need to eat more real food instead of all these packaged weird things that are sold. I’m guilty of using lots of white flour and sugar, stuff like that. I think we can all improve in the things we cook and eat. Thanks for this post.
I wonder if they have that book at our library? I might have to check it out.
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Lovely and informative post Ben. The best line is: Don’t eat anything your grandmother would not eat.
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Ben, excellent review. I still haven’t read the book but have every intention of doing so, especially now after your recommendatioon. Our family’s philosophy, much like yours, is all foods (natural foods that we grew up with) in moderation is good for the body. It is when we gorge and abuse ourselves that we run into health problems. Bien hecho mi amigo joven. Bien hecho.
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Can you believe those new pro-high fructose corn syrup commercials?! I almost fell off my chair the first time one came on tv. I do have to say since Matt & I have started our blog & joined a CSA, we cook from scratch more & feel a lot healthier.
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I’ve been wanting to read this one for a long time Ben…a really great review overall!
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Very interesting read Ben:D
Posted on October 15th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I am so with you on this one. My kids eat quite healthily (bit of a control freak about it I’m afraid!) and even with this I can see a difference in their attention span & attitude when the ‘junk’ or pre-made foods increase. They love cakes & biscuits, but at least if the majority are home made I am doing the best I can. Really interesting Ben, thanks.
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 5:35 am
This book sounds great!
There is a bit of a revolution going on in the UK right now about real food led by the likes of Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley Whittingsall – but I don;t think our diet as a nation is quite as bad as that in the US just yet.
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Excellent post Ben! I couldn’t agree more!
… Mediterranean diet is my bible ;D
One of the things that shocked me the first time I travelled outside my country was that people were eating on the streets!!!! Here in Spain, restaurants are all full at lunch time and we not only enjoy our dinners but also our lunches
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I haven’t read it but I’ve read quite a bit about it (I know, not the same). But I have definitely noticed that my diet is better since I’ve begun to cook a lot of foods for myself. I find that even the less healthy foods I make (calzones, chicken with a lemon butter sauce) are still much healthier than other stuff I would probably eat. Of course there are limits, but I figure the more you eat food that you cook for yourself, the less you need to worry about nutrition and your diet.
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Interesting read Ben. I agree that food is changing and that most of it is becoming stripped of it’s simplicity and nutritients, so this looks like a good read. I’ll def look into it, it might make a good airplane ride read
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 10:52 am
This book looks really interesting, I’m going to buy myself a copy.
It’s amazing how even the most basic of foods contain ingredients that shouldn’t be there and do us no good at all. Just take a look at the ingredients on a loaf of bread.
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Great review. I will order it at the library. There is nothing better than homemade meals made with fresh ingredients.
Posted on October 16th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
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