Pollan tells us how to eat

This is my final Michael Pollan post. He has told us what to eat and at the end of In Defense of Food, Pollan gives some guidelines on How to Eat (not too much). Some of these hit home for my family, more than "what" to eat.

• Pay More, Eat Less- I know, in a recession we are already following this principle. But, according to Pollan, this is about quality vs. quantity. We are a Sam's Club economy believing more and bigger is better. But, just maybe... better is better. Shrink the portions and eat better quality food. Overeating is killing us because we have no internal cues to stop us from eating. We eat until the food is gone, not until we are "no longer hungry" and then wonder why we are fat. Pollan is at his best during this section (183).
• Eat Meals- Sit at a table, with others (if possible), not in front of a TV or in a car. Slow down. Not only should we sit to eat (together). We should eat something prepared, not taken from a freezer and warmed by microwave, each person in the family eating their favorite prepared food-like substance (189).
• Do all your eating at a table- not a desk (192).
• Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does- I love this one. Gas stations make more money from snack foods than selling gas. As Pollan says, they sell the car and us the same processed corn- ethanol for the auto and high-fructose corn syrup for us (192).
• Try not to eat alone- this can be difficult, but the shared meal keeps us from eating as much and makes us human (not just animal). it is part of the difference between feeding (bad) and eating (good)(192).
• Consult your gut- Our gut should tell us what to eat and how much, not the portion size on the plate, the television show or our eyes. Follow the 3/4 full principle. When you are 3/4 full...Stop eating (192).
• Eat Slowly- be deliberate. Enjoy your food. Be mindful. Don't gorge yourself (194).
• Cook and, if you can, plant a garden- We live in the city on a small lot and have a garden. If you have a piece of land, a porch, a ledge, or a balcony- you can have a garden. Food should not be fast, cheap and easy. It connects us to nature, others and our own bodies. Take the time to cook a meal, especially if you have planted something. In today's world, it is an active state of rebellion and resistance- and its saves money (197).

There it is. I think these principles are for everyone, especially those that call themselves Christians. I think the church should be talking about it.

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

and ENJOY.

Pollan tells us What to Eat

In In Defense of Food, when Michael Pollan tells us what to eat, he writes "mostly plants." Luckily, he defines it;

• Eat Mostly Plants, especially leaves- This one hurts meat and potato Americans, like me. His book explains why, but simply put- this is where the nutrients are. According to Pollan, we must eat plants, but don't need meat (with the exception of Vitamin B12)- but there is no health reason to dismiss it, just lower it. He calls himself a flexitarian- mostly plants, with a little meat (162 ).
• You are what you eat eats too "The diet of the animals we eat has a bearing on the nutritional quality, and healthfulness, of the food itself, whether it is meat or milk or eggs." Too many of our animals are fed nasty stuff that ends up in us. This costs more money, but not much, if we eat less meat (167).
• If you have space, buy a freezer- When you find good pastured meat, buy lots and freeze. Also freezing does not significantly hurt the nutrients of produce (168).
• Eat Like an Omnivore- try new species of plants and animals. Biodiversity is good for our bodies and it is very good for the land and what it produces (169).
• Eat Well-grown food from healthy soils- this is pretty obvious. It does not always mean "eat organic" but it does much of the time. There is lots of processed organic food out there (look in my pantry- sadly) and there are many small farmers that produce good food that are not "organic" for a number of reasons (169).
• Eat Wild foods when you can- wilder foods that have not been terribly influenced by people tend to help our bodies. Of course, be careful, because we don't want to hurt endangered species of plants or animals (171).
• Be the kind of person who takes supplements- people that take supplements tend to be healthier, not because of the supplements (except a multi-vitamin), but because they pay attention to their bodies and are more health conscious (172).
• Eat more like the French, or the Italians, or the Japanese, or the Indians, or the Greeks- people that eat traditional diets are usually healthier. This is very complex and I will let you read what Pollan says for yourself (173).
• Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism- Soy is such an example. Unless prepared in the traditional Asian method, it has many shortfalls. Novelties usually don't improve health and taste (176).
• Don't Look for a Magic Bullet in the traditional Diet- Food and diet are much more than the sum of their parts (177).
  
• Have a glass of wine with dinner- Be careful. But, in moderation, wine is proven to be very healthy (181).

next up, How to Eat.

Pollan's Main Prescription

There are some wonderful tips from Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. But, lets start with the thesis.

His main prescription, which manifests itself in his mantra (eat food, not too much, mostly plants) is quite simple, yet (in American terms) close to impossible for the vast majority of busy Americans. It is this:

1. Escape the Western Diet* (he believes all traditional diets are wonderful, apart from ours which is heavily processed, full of sugar, destructive to the planet and individuals- tooth decay, diabetes, cancer, etc.)

2. Escape the Ideology of Nutritionism (this cannot be done justice apart from his book. However, it is an ideology- not science-that separates a diet from its culture, individual foods from their diet and the chemicals, minerals, vitamins, etc in a food from the actual food. It has led to additives in processed foods, never ending studies trying to figure out what part of food is good and which is bad- separate from the food itself)

*diet in the traditional sense- a way of eating. it has nothing to do with most people's definition of diet- eating less.

Defending Food

I was able to digest the wonderful tome In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto in the spring, returning to it the last few weeks, hoping to remember some of Michael Pollan's advice and see if I had been putting it into practice.

As has been stated regarding this work, it is the practical conclusion to his Prize Winning Omnivore's Dilemna (a much larger and all encompassing work). Where OD showed the history and repercussions of our food choices upon the planet, IDOF documents the effects of food choices on the human body. To be truly holistic as an eater, one must think about both. While I became a more conscience eater due to environmental considerations, my body has been served. However, it is good to consider the impact upon both environs (as a father, I am now just as concerned with the internal significance of food choices). Sadly, I have met too many selfish organic eaters, lacking any concern for the impact of food upon animal, planet or the other.

In light of that, I am going to share some of the principles of In Defense of Food during the next few days. I decided to do it now, since the book has been out for a while. Since many of you have read the book, it will come as a reminder. However, if you have not read it; hopefully this will spur you to read it to see how Pollan works out his guidelines for healthy eating... summed up in the manifesto:

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

By the way, did you see Nicolas Kristoff's op ed on eating ethically? Read it. Here is the money quote:

So, yes, I eat meat (even, hesitantly, goose). But I draw the line at animals being raised in cruel conditions. The law punishes teenage boys who tie up and abuse a stray cat. So why allow industrialists to run factory farms that keep pigs almost all their lives in tiny pens that are barely bigger than they are?

Defining what is cruel is, of course, extraordinarily difficult. But penning pigs or veal calves so tightly that they cannot turn around seems to cross that line.

put down the hamburger and step away

I know this may come as a shock, but apparently factory farmed meats pose health, environmental and economic risks to the world, America, its farmers and citizens.

Down with cheap meat!

Here is the study, which says the risk is unacceptable.

It is not liberals only taking notice. American Conservative has, too. Thanks to Crunchy Con for the link.

Just get down to the Library, bookstore or iTunes and pick up In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan's great new book which is the opposite of everything you have heard from official sources concerning eating over the past 40 years or his instant classic The Omnivore's Dilemma, the story of where our food really comes from and put down the fast food and learn to eat... not just feed or refuel.

Top 10 Reasons I am not a vegetarian

During lent I tend to think about meat much more often than other times of the year (you guess why).

While the reasons for vegetarianism are numerous and as a lifestyle it is vastly superior to that of carnivores, here are my Top 10 reasons for not embracing this lifestyle and sticking with a carnivorous lifestyle.

1. Roast Beef (slow cooked with lots of veggies)
   
2. Country Ham (salty)
   
3. Bacon....mmmm...bacon (not the turkey stuff)
   
4. Christmas Ham (or Easter or Thanksgiving)
   
5. Suwannee Pack Sausage (this comes from my home town and is nearly impossible to find- it is the greatest sausage in the world- many people have it flown worldwide- tastes a bit like andouille).
6. Barbecue Pork (from any number of southern joints -it must be slow cooked by wood fire and chopped)
7. Memphis Ribs (dry rubbed)
8. Texas Style Chili (no beans)
9. Carnitas (esp. those from Chipotle)
   
10. Gator Tail (I rarely eat it, but it is nice to know I can chomp down on a gator anytime the University of Florida gets too full of itself- I think I need some right now.)
    

That said, I eat very little meat (unless you are a legalist and consider fish meat).

ECHO

My family is heading on vacation in April to the wonderful shell filled Island of Sanibel about 3 hours south of Tampa. While I get a little frustrated by my city and state, I am usually glad to be a Floridian around vacation time, since I can find great deals to wonderful places.

While in Sanibel, I hope to visit this interesting place. it is a Global Village specializing in sustainable agriculture for the poor areas of the world, headed up by a group of Christians hoping to help indigenous poor with their own community development.

I am such a geek and I am sure no one else in the family will want to go with me.

Check out ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization).

just because it says "fruit" on the box...

In case you lived in a happy dream world in which you believed advertisers, marketers and packaging, this recently released study will come as no surprise. And, if you have children it will come as no surprised that marketers attempt to take your money and your children's health by appealing to parents with the words "fruit" and kids with the sugar and images on the boxes.

If you have ever tried to explain why Clifford Crunch, which is organic and has Clifford on the package is not disgustingly repulsive, yet Scooby-Doo Cinnamon Marshmallow Cereal which is also promoted by a cartoon character is very bad for your child, you know it is not an easy task.

If you have ever had to explain why the fruit rollups the other kids take to school are bad for them, without declaring those children's parents "bad" or "unhealthy", while the apple and celery you sent are good (yet don't make you a "better" parent) you know this is not easy.

Hopefully schools, churches and others declaring their interest in good parenting and healthy children will publicize studies such as this and attempt to educate parents on healthy food choices for kids. Of course, step 1 for parents is taking the extra moment in the grocery aisle to actually read the ingredients on the package.

Where's the Fruit study

Website

some op eds to peruse

I am not sure if you checked these op-eds during the past few weeks.

1. Jackson Diehl thinks we are in this Iraq thing for the long haul. The rest of our time will need to be measured in years (as in 6-12) instead of months, as most Americans want. As I have stated, we have created such a mess there, that sudden withdrawal will create a humanitarian crisis on par with Darfur or Bosnia/ Serbia. I am also in agreement with his assessment that by taking out Saddam, of course there would be a Civil War and ethnic strife/ cleansing. To think otherwise is naive. History has shown that the removal of a central oppressive figure brings fracturing. that the Bush Administration did not see this is among the most incompetent of its many fold mistakes in this war. According to the adage, the definition of insanity to try the same actions over and over again, expecting a different outcome. Therefore, by dismissing the lessons of Soviet Russia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Serbia, The Congo and Lebanon, they are acting clinically insane. Read the article for yourself (it is much more diplomatic than me).
2. Hannah Lupien wants us to make healthy food available to poor families. As one that works in direct services to poor and homeless families, I believe this must become a priority for all. It is my desire to help create an environment where the poor can eat as well as my family. I wish I had the conviction to not eat healthier food until it is available to all. Read here.
3. While we tend to look at all who disagree with us as "enemies," hoping justice will come to them, but mercy will come to those on our side of the political or religious divide, sometimes friendship must outweigh the importance of political or theological arguments (I guess this brands me as emergent and liberal). Nick Bromwell, self pronounced Liberal English Professor and Scooter Libby's former roommate and oldest friend offers this wonderful essay on how his friendship with Libby colors his desire for "justice." It is a must read for all sides. Read here

Is Good food for the rich only

Good article on buying organic, local (REAL food, in the eyes of the author) food on a budget. The author lets us know that good food is not just for those with money and other resources. Even on a fixed budget you can eat well.
link

thanks to Crunchy Con for the hit