In Defense of Food

[chargirlgenius]

Has anybody else read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan? I'm listening to it on CD while painting the bedroom, and I'm loving it. I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with "Eat food, not products" on my own over a year ago. Anyway, I recommend it to anybody who has ever dieted, or, well, ever eaten an American diet.

Although, listening to it on CD is a tad on the annoying side. The reader gets a bit of preachy, smug attitude in his voice, and while I'm sure that the book is full of plenty of preachy, smug attitude, I can handle it better in print. Annoying, but it doesn't detract that much from the book itself.

I've also recently read The End of Overeating by David Kessler. Admittedly, I haven't read the final chapter or two, where he lays out his plan for beating the system. I'm sure it's good, but I can't imagine it's the much different from Michael Pollan's Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. mantra. Kessler hits HARD on the food industry and their marketing of highly processed foods. Pollan seems to aim more at "nutritionism", and science-based eating that is seemlingly prevalent in our culture. The books enhance each other's messages.

If Pollan hits on science, and Kessler nails industry, Marion Nestle (no, no relation) focuses on government (and industry, really) in her Food Politics blog (and in her book, too, I'm sure, although I haven't read it).

I'm looking forward to more reading... Food, Inc., the movie or the book, and Fast Food Nation, among others. I'll definitely check more Michael Pollan, including The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Other suggestions? Oh, and while I'm talking about food, do any of my southern friends shop at "Earth's Fare" stores? Jeff was in Huntsville for work this week, and I read an article about one of those stores opening in that area. Sounded intriguing.

Comments

[tashadandelion.livejournal.com]

I think I already emailed you about it, but I've received recs in the past for Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It's about her family's decision to relocate across the country to a farm on which the whole family worked to make their own food, or if that wasn't possible, to buy from local farmers. Supposed to be a fascinating and inspirational read.

I have some insight into that sort of thing from my own family's adventure with it in the 70s. I credit my generally strong immune system to that time period's food. It didn't get much healthier than how we ate back then.

Which is why I'm so mad at my mother for letting my young son gorge on pudding once a week at her house. :^/

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

That's the thing - when I was a kid I was brought up on everything homemade. I was one of those kids whose appetite was definitely controlled by foods *not* being hyperpalatable. I didn't eat a lot, simply because I didn't like it. Of course, until I hit my early teens I was underweight. But then when I hit the hyperpalatable foods at the same time as teenage angst, it was all over. Hm. Sorry to ramble - that's the stuff of another post. ;-)