Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants

I waited several months to get the book, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan from the local library. I started as # 15 on the hold list for one four copies. It is a huge national bestseller, possibly indicative of our American un-ease (or dis-ease) with our eating habits and choices.

It is a follow-up to a truly remarkable book The Omnivore's Dilemma in which Pollan described in great and mind-rattling detail the different industrial food chains based so much on corn, soy and oil. Now he gives us all a way to look at it differently.

First he takes on what he calls "nutrtionism" or the reductionist approach that has taken food and made it into nutrients that can be separated, added, studied, and quantified. He challenges that approach which has been in control for over 30 years and has given us the food and culture independent way of eating, produced fast food and lots and lots of "food products" with laundry lists of ingredients and promises of greater health. All the while we get let healthy food wise.

Then he gives some directions and ideas summarized in the seven words in the title of this post. In short he says:
Eat food. He then defines real food and tells us to watch out for any food that has more than 3 or 4 ingredients listed or that claims to be "Healthy!"
Not Too Much. We eat portions that are far too large, partly in order to get the nutrients, partly spurred by artificial tastes and smells and end up with far more calories than we need. Stop eating when you are 80% full, slow down, eat with people in community are some of his ideas.
Mostly plants. No, he is not a vegetarian but he does speak of the importance of plant (not seeds alone or meat based) food. He says we do need a wide-variety since after all we are omnivores. But unfortunately the industrial food chain has caused us to eat more food products, even the meat we eat.

This is of course a very short summary. I am old enough to remember when some of what he advocates was the way most of us ate. We don't do that anymore. For those of us who can make those choices, it is important to consider. Unfortunately, since I assume I am not all that different from the average person in this, it will take a huge shift in thinking and much discipline or even some periodic times of being "hungry" as we adapt to a more natural and healthy approach.

For that reason I am encouraged that the book has been such a best seller. It is a national conversation we need to have.