The main theme of this book was to show how the age of nutritionism confused eaters about which foods are healthy and which ones aren't. Basically, nutritionism is all the stuff you hear about in the media. Low-carb this, fat-free that. All these ads were made in attempt to help people follow the trends in nutritional science. Before the age of nutritionism, people ate based on tradition and what they were taught. That is why you see many cultures that have their own ethnical diets. But with America, we never really had any national diet. We only ate food that our family heritage showed us. When the age of nutritionism came along, suddenly there were these invisible things called "vitamins" that determined whether we were healthy or not. Now people were looking at food scientists to know what to eat. And food producers began to add certain vitamins to their foods to "enhance" their healthiness. So when nutritionists thought that low-fat diets would prevent obesity, everyone started to change their diets to high-carb based diets and avoided foods with fats. This is when food products started to get the health benefits advertised on their boxes. However, scientist later realized that low-fat diets actually do the opposite; they caused people to gain lots of weight because fats are essential for our diets. So now, the low carb diets started to be the trend. Suddenly, the groceries stores were filled with low-carb products. But just like the low-fat theory, the low-carb theory was later dismissed. So now, American's do not know what to eat. They want to listen to the nutritionists but how can they trust them when their theories keep changing.This is the problem Americans face with all their food choices.
So Michael Pollan suggest some guidelines for American eaters so they know which foods are healthy and which are not. He says "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants."
Wait....Eat Food.....Well what does that mean? I have a box of Krafts Mac & Cheese right next to me. Is that food? And how much is too much? One box? These are definitely a few questions some Americans would have. This is how confusing our food system has gotten.
To explain his phrase, Michael breaks down each part to make it clear for the readers.
Eat Food
1. Don't Eat Anything Your Great Grandmother Wouldn't Recognize as Food
Your great grandmother has never heard of Oreos or Doritos. She would look at the food labels and ask you "Is chemicals all that you're eating these days? Do you even know what this stuff is on here? But I bet you a million dollars that you great grandmother has heard of oranges, spinach, and beans!2. Avoid Food Products Containing Ingredients that are A) Unfamiliar, B) Unpronounceable, C) More than 5 in Number, or D) That Includes High-Frutose Corn Syrup
I've heard this one before! But it's so true! You don't want to eat chemicals. Why not go for the real thing? Your body will thank you in the end! I promise!
3. Avoid Food Products that Make Health Claims
First of all, If a product makes health claims, then it is probably in a box, which means that it is processed so it probably isn't that healthy anyways. Secondly, it is processed. The food producers had to process the food in order to make those health claims true, which probably means they added other chemicals along the way. All in all....no.
4. Shop the Peripheries of the Supermarket and Stay Out of the Middle
I heard this one before too. By doing this, you are avoiding all the processed foods. All the produce, meats, and dairy products are all on the outer edges of the supermarkets. This is a very helpful tool when trying to lose weight or eat healthier.
5. Get Out of the Supermarket Whenever Possible
By this Michael means that shopping at farmer's markets, local farms, and by eating from your own garden is the healthest choice. So, if you can, try getting your food from these sources more than going to a grocery store.
Mostly Plants
1. Eat Mostly Plants, Especially Leaves
As much as scientists have been researching the health claims of different vitamins and nutrients, they have never found anything wrong with eating vegetables. In fact, that is the only thing that nutritionists are 100% positive about; that eating vegetables is the healthiest thing you can do. But most people have made vegetables a side dish to their meals or even got rid of them in their diets completely. Instead, we should think of vegetables as the main course and the meats and carbs should be the side dishes and should work around the vegetable. I have been saying this for a long time because I strongly believe it can change the way we look at our diet. So, for now on, pick the vegetable first, and then finish the meal with incorporating small amounts of meats and carbs.
2. You Are What What You Eat Eats Too
Like that isn't confusing! hahaha. What he means is that you are what you eat, thus, you are what the cow you ate ate. In other words, if the cow that your hamburger is made of ate grass, than you are grass. If the cow ate corn, than you are corn. Get it? Wow that was hard! So basically, you should know where your food comes from. This goes for vegetables too. Try eating vegetables free from pesticides and other chemical soils.
3. Eat Like an Omnivore
By this, Michael means eat a variety of food. Don't stick to a routine diet. Incorporate many different kinds of vegetables into your diet. This not only prevents you from getting bored with your meals, but it also exposes you to more nutrients to help your body get all the ones you need to stay healthy.
4. Be the Kind of Person Who Takes Supplements
Scientists haven't proven if taking vitamin supplements actually works or not, but studies show that people take vitamin supplements try to live healthy lives. So Michaels not telling you to eat vitamin supplements, but to care about your health and eat healthier. Easy as that!
5. Eat More Like the French, Italians, Japanese, Indians, or Greeks
These cultures all have their own traditional foods that are full of REAL FOOD! These cultures mostly shop locally, cook their own foods, and enjoy their meals. That is why we see low obesity rates in these cultures. If you eat like them, you will be on your way to good health!
Not Too Much
1. Pay More, Eat Less
Michael has a theory that if people in the West were to spend more on their food, we might cherish it more and thus, eat less of it. Right now, our culture encourages the opposite. Our motto is like "EAT MORE FOR LESS" which usually consists of foods that are not healthy for us. Also, foods that are more expensive usually mean high quality. Therefore eating more expensive food should make us healthier. This does not include organic Oreo cookies. If you didn't know that by now, than I think you weren't paying attention ;).
2. Eat Meals
In America, we tend to eat-on-the-go instead of sitting down and having a meal. Not only does this make us eat fast (he suggests eating slower because it is better for our metabolism and might be one of the causes of obesity), but it also means we are eating things with mysterious ingredients. Therefore, he suggest that eating at tables, not in a car or at your desk, will help you eat slower and enjoy what you are eating.
3. Try Not to Eat Alone
Studies have shown that when we eat alone, we are more likely to eat more unhealthy foods, eat faster, and eat more than we normally would eat if we were eating with other people. Try eating with others more often. You'll probably enjoy your food more too :).
4. Consult Your Gut
Because we are eating so fast, we can not tell when we are full. On average, it takes about 20 minutes for the body to elicit the "I'm full" response. But if we are eating meals in less than 10 minutes, how are we to know if we ate too much? The French are really good about this. When eating in groups, they eat slowly and stop when they feel full. This is a better way to listen to the signs of your body. If you listen to your body, it will respond back happily. Sounds like a relationship, huh? That's exactly what it is; a relationship with your own body!
5. Cook, and if you can, Plant a Garden
I don't think that Michael emphasized this enough. But when you cook your own food, you know exactly what is in it. Also, you appreciate it more because you made it yourself; it's your accomplishment. I think that this is one of the biggest reasons that Americans are so confused with food choices; they aren't learning how to cook (and how important it is to cook) early enough in life. Thus, when they are on their own, they result to the processed foods because it is the easiest option and they don't know what else to do. And planting the garden is the best way to get fresh vegetables. So if you can, plant a garden!
Wow, is that enough rules? There will be a quiz on them tomorrow so you better remember them all. Just kidding :)
But overall, I think these are really straightforward and helpful guidelines to eating healthy. It's all about changing our mindsets on the foods we eat. I think that America is past their turning point. More and more people are beginning to realize how backwards we have been thinking about food and how we need to change. This book has really encouraged me to think about how I am going to live my legacy. I think that is by promoting healthy eating in young people. I mainly want to do through teaching them the importance of cooking and how to do it right. I believe that if young people knew how to cook, they would want to do it more because allows them to be creative as well as challenges them to learn more. And it is some thing that should be known by all human beings because we all have to eat and we all have to take care of ourselves at least at one point in our lives. If every child was required to learn to cook, maybe this would stop obesity in generations to come. How awesome would that be?
But now I have to make this dream a reality. Wow, that's harder said than done!
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