Friday, September 18, 2009

The Falsehood of Our Food

Michael Pollan is bringing something to light that every American should thrive upon. He is trying to answer the question of, “what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy” (Pollan 1). He argues that the food that we consume is sometimes lethal, and he attempts to declare what must be changed.

The book gives many examples of how science, specifically food science, is working against our benefits for one of the first times. Food science is actually hurting our health in many ways. Through the production of hydrogenated vegetables, artificial ingredients, and false nutrients we, as humans, our not truly getting the fuel our bodies need.

I agree with Pollan on his stance that all we need to do as humans is eat “whole fresh foods rather than processed food products” (1). It is somewhat common sense; a box of Captain Crunch is going to be much less beneficial towards your health than a apple or banana. Although, is this what the food industry is portraying to us? They say that ‘ “ Cocoa Puffs, and Lucky Charms are screaming their newfound “whole-grain goodness” out to the public ’ (40).

The food that we consume has changed over the years. Pollan speaks of his grandmothers cooking and how “she was doing so much of it from scratch” (5). In the end whole fresh foods are much better for the body. I found an article that coincides with this subject. It is written by a website called the “Healthy Apple, Your Guide to Clean Eating.”

It is explaining how parents are ridding their children’s lunch boxes of refined sugars(processed foods). It is proof that many people believe, the neglected truth, that whole food is the best of foods to put in the body. I agree with Michael Pollan on the points he arises in this book and found many of them as helpful.