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.

how to Eat Food

Eating food should be simple. However, Pollan reminds us that anything processed is not "food" in the traditional meaning of the word. It is nothing but a "food or food-like product." Pollan's prescriptions for eating food are these...

First of all, avoid all foods that your grandmother (and increasingly, your great grandmother) would not recognize. Then;

• "Avoid Food Products containing Ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high fructose corn syrup" (pg 150)- go to your pantry and see how much this includes, even the healthy sounding stuff (especially the healthy sounding stuff).

• "Avoid Food Products that make health claims" (pg 154)- even Fritos adds a little something that give it the chance to make a "qualified" health claim.

• Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle" (pg 157)- Processed food is in the middle, while real food- meat, veggies, fruit, dairy- lines the wall.

• "Get out of the supermarket whenever possible" (pg 157) you find little or no processed foods at a farmer's market or CSA. Plus, your produce is fresh.
  

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.

A Sustainable Faith

If you live within a few hundred miles, don't forget to attend the Sustainable Faith Event (snappy title, huh) this weekend in St. Pete. I am the emcee, which is the best thing about the conference I am sure. However, for only $25 you get more than just my wonderfully snide sense of humor on display (plus wardrobe changes, oh yes)...

Shane Claiborne will be leading 2 plenaries, while Tim Keel and Frank Viola will lead others. A panel discussion will have such luminaries as Danielle Shroyer, Chris Haw, Tim, Frank and Troy Bronsink. Breakout sessions will be lead by everyone previously mentioned and other local legends. Oh, and the one-and-only Spencer Burke will be our guest teaching everyone how to publish their books.

There will be great music, great fellowship, a Super bowl Party, lots of promotion of great sustainable ideas for your church, life, shopping and faith, as well as time to spend in St. Pete getting in touch with their vibe and eating their great food.

Worm Poop

I am sure that word will give me another R rating... I want to share some cool t-shirts made by friends of mine to promote their business venture.

Sunnye Dreyfuss, a member of our community in Houston and Boston (I was honored to perform the ceremony for her and Josh) has a sustainable business called WormJava. It is natural fertilizer for your plants made from worm poop (in her words). Check out their site and buy some plant food (and buy a great t-shirt that will get you noticed around town- the t-shirts are sweatshop free).

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

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