I’ve just started reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. In brief, very brief, it’s about how we as omnivores can (and do) eat pretty much anything but what we chose “may well determine our very survival as a species.” This isn’t a diet book but it will definitely make you think twice about what you’re putting in your mouth. Personally, I’d much rather learn about what we eat and why than be told what to eat and when.
Here’s a quote from the book’s website:
“Pollan follows each of the food chains that sustain us—industrial food, organic or alternative food, and food we forage ourselves—from the source to a final meal, and in the process develops a definitive account of the American way of eating. His absorbing narrative takes us from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots and fast-food restaurants to organic farms and hunting grounds, always emphasizing our dynamic coevolutionary relationship with the handful of plant and animal species we depend on. “
The first section of the book that focuses on processed food is a definite eye opener. In it, the author follows corn from a field to the various places it ends up in our diet and the diet of the things we eat, specifically cows. Trust me when I say you will never look at corn the same way again.
I’m looking forward to reading more. Anything that inspires me to eat 1) less 2) a little lower on the food chain and 3) more healthfully is a good thing.
