Nutrition are the substances in food that our bodies process in which enable it to function, by supplying it with what is necessary to maintain a healthy and balanced life. To make sure we get all these nutrients we need a balanced diet, this means that you can eat all foods just best to eat more of some than others. Our nutrition requirement varies from person to person, depending on whether you male or female and you age. Nutrients are the chemical compounds found in food. Food is made up of a complex mixture of nutrients. These nutrients are needed to help us maintain growth, energy and health.…
Michael pollen is a food nutritionist with the slogan “eat food, not too much and mostly plants”. In his article “Escape from the Western Diet” he discusses the problems surrounding the different type of processed food and ways to tackle it. Pollen uses nutrition to investigate how people surrender themselves to the Western Diet by either staying on processed food, junk food and fast food to nourish themselves rather than eat healthy. He strongly believes that processed foods are not sustainable because they are expensive on a daily basis to live on. Pollen furthermore explained that eating healthy and more of pants are more practical, more economical and more sustainable by simply changing the way people choose to eat. In other to live healthily,…
In “The Coking Animal”, the author, Michael Pollan, gives his opinion and observations on the American food system. Pollan links the facts that since we look for the most convenient and least time-consuming way to get food, we often intake more calories, sugar, fat, and salts, which are substances our bodies are automatically bound to like. After examining my own eating habits, I realized that these conclusions made by the author are merely accurate. When I am crunched for time, what do I usually decide to eat? The answer is simple: something fast, cheap, and appetizing. If you think about it, what is fast, cheap, and appetizing is normally not healthy, but on the contrary, food that is time-consuming to make, more expensive than fast food, and only sometimes enticing, is the type of nutrition that we, as humans need. Another point that is closely related with the food we eat is the people we eat it with. Looking at myself, I normally have meals with people. I think it is fun to go out and have lunch or dinner with friends. Usually, if I am going to spend the night with a friend, we meet up at a restaurant for dinner and then go to one or the other’s house. I personally believe that eating alone and not socializing causes one to eat more than what he or she would usually eat while spending time and socializing with another person. In conclusion, the mindset and desire of the people of America is going to have to change for the better if we want our nation as a whole to become a healthier one.…
In the book, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, author Michael Pollan commences his tale with a few straightforward words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. In his introduction, An Eater’s Manifesto, Pollan discusses how the dietetic wisdom that was passed down from older generations has been heavily tainted by “nutritional science and food industry marketing” (Pollan, 2008). The first volume of the book entitled, The Age of Nutritionism”, delves into this problem and helps uncover the cause of today’s “nutritional confusion and anxiety” (Pollan, 2008). Nowadays, it is not uncommon to have “edible foodlike substances” displayed in every aisle of the grocery store with all products promoting some kind of nutritional benefit from their consumption. These dietary facts are often modified to showcase dietary benefits that are barely present in the food product, if present at all. With such prevalent misinformation, today’s society has become so overly concerned with nutrient enriched food that people have either forgotten or are unaware of the importance of the fundamentals. Pollan further explains that humanity has become “a nation of orthorexics” meaning that people have developed “an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating” centred on the theory of nutritionism (Pollan, 2008). Chronic diseases that have the highest death rate such as obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer, can be attributed to the “Western diet” which consists of “highly processed foods and refined grains; the use of chemicals to raise plants and animals in huge monocultures; the superabundance of cheap calories of sugar and fat produced by modern agriculture; and the narrowing of the biological diversity of the human diet to a tiny handful of staple crops, notably wheat, corn, and soy” (Pollan, 2008). In the second volume entitled “The Western Diet and the diseases of Civilization”, Pollan analyzes the…
When it comes to the topic of nutrition, most of us agree that in order to live a long healthy life one must eat right and choose nutritious alternatives to preserved and fast food products. The incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy is a huge problem that lingers in our every day lives. In recent discussions of nutrition, a controversial issue has been whether obesity is determined by the food industry or the way we eat. Some are convinced that trusting yourself and your body will lead to better choices, others argue that eating food in moderation and more fruits and vegetables is the path to choose. In this day and age, there are many different debates on what one can do to eat healthier and make better decisions in regard to diet. Many people have proposed their own theories and advice on beginning a healthier lifestyle, such as Mary Maxfield and Michael Pollan.…
In an excerpt “Western Diet” from Michael Pollan’s, reminds us of the many different nutritional theories behind the large number of diseases that afflict those who eat the “Western Diet” However, Pollan disagrees with these theories and states that both the food and health industries are partially to blame for this. Pollan claims the food industry is to blame because they use these different nutritional theories to release new products, and that the health industry is to blame because they use these theories to develop new prescriptions and treatment methods. Denis Burkitt suggests that the only way to avoid this vicious cycle is to “go backwards to the diet and lifestyle of our ancestors” (439), which Pollan interprets as “eat foods that are less processed”. While this sounds easy enough, Pollan points out that this is not as straightforward as it sounds and that even factors like soil condition and livestock feed make this concept a daunting task. Pollan’s answer to this paradox is to simply eat smarter and he goes as far to suggest that we ourselves are part of the problem because we do not spend enough money or time in terms of preparation on food. Finally, during his conclusion Pollan gives us three rules that he claims will help us to “Escape the Western Diet”(437,) which include “Eat Food, not too much, and mostly plants” which is pretty simple when you think about it.…
Locavores are members of a community who eat locally grown products as much as they possibly can. They are people who believe in nutrition with an eye for sustainability. The movement has spread throughout the United States and at first glance appears to be a great, eco-friendly idea. Although after further reviewing, there seems to be more than meets the eye. There are several groups who oppose the idea of locavorism, and others who believe that it is a lifestyle that should be adopted by the entire United States. In the end, it all comes down to personal opinion.…
When Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma was published, many readers began questioning him for advice on what they should eat in order to stay healthy. In his more recent book, In Defense of Food, he responds with three rules, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants"(Pollan 1). This seven word response seems too simple for a relatively complicated question, but as he further elaborates these rules into specific guidelines, this summary turns out to be surprisingly complete. Using inductive and deductive reasoning, he debunks the ideas behind nutritionism and food science, and proves that the western diet is the cause for food related diseases. Inductive reasoning is when a general conclusion is drawn based off observations, and deductive reasoning is when specific conclusion is drawn based on general concepts (Griffith 269-270). In Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food, his reasoning is sound because he makes strong inductive and deductive arguments which are supported by studies and research from credible sources.…
Michael Pollan informs us that the Western diet of highly processed foods, fast foods, loads of added fat, sugar, salt, and tons of refined grains is not good for our bodies and detrimental to our overall health and well being. Our bodies need many more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than most people are eating. The overall message of this book is that anyone can nourish their bodies and become healthy if they stay away from the Western diet. Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are linked to this exact diet. In this eater’s manual, Pollan strives to aid Americans in the simplest way possible. He creates a manual that instructs people how to make small changes in their everyday life and eat a more traditional diet. Those who abandon Western-eating habits often experience significant improvements in their overall health.…
In the essay, Escape from the Western Diet, author Michael Pollan addresses the repulsiveness and utterly unhealthy aspects of the eating habits Americans exhibit. Pollan discusses a variety of issues related to the American food culture, including how the food industry and medical community contribute to these problems. In addition, Pollan presents his personal opinions and solutions for solving the problem while encouraging healthier eating. Incorporated within Pollan’s claims throughout his essay are specific quotations and analysis from various experts regarding the Western diet. Pollan’s assertions regarding the Western diet are absolutely…
In Michael Pollan’s essay “Escape from the Western Diet,” he informs Americans about the western diet and believes they need to escape from it. The reason Americans should escape the western diet is to avoid the harmful effects associated with it such as “western diseases” (Pollan, 434). To support his view on the issue, Pollan describes factors of the western diet that dictate what Americans believe they should eat. These factors include scientists with their theories of nutritionism, the food industry supporting the theories by making products, and the health industry making medication to support those same theories. Overall, Pollan feels that in order to escape this diet, people need to get the idea of it out of their heads. In turn he provides his own rules for escaping the western diet as well as the idea of nutritionism set forth by scientists.…
Many people believe that in order to be healthy in life, you need to choose the right foods and get your daily nutrition instead of eating fast food and processed foods. This leads to a debate whether or not obesity is determined by how we eat or the food industry. Some, like Mary Maxfield believe that if you trust yourself and your body, it will lead to a better path. Others, like Micheal Pollan say that if people don’t eat too much food and eat more fruits and vegetables instead, it can lead to a healthier lifestyle. In Mary Maxfield's article, "Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating", she has several disagreements with Micheal Pollan. She explains that food shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing no matter what you eat. Mary…
In the introduction, Pollan brings up a very good point about Americans and their views on dieting and eating “healthier”. Pollan explains the way that Americans went through a so-called “carbophobia” period in 2002, and how, unfortunately, this seems to remain true even today. The foods that American’s tend stay away from because of scientists and nutritionists devaluing…
In the essay, Maxfield continued for much of the essay to discredit Pollan’s work claiming he was just another of many experts to the masses who can’t properly feed themselves. She leans more favorable towards Kate Harding Paul Campos train of thought which are scholars who find fault with the body mass index to calculate body fat and determine obesity. The author falls in line with and quotes several times nutritionists Michelle Allison who believes in health at every size and what a person eats doesn’t matter as how they eat it.…
We are advised to consume food, rather than food products. Foods that have elements that we know what they are. We should eat mostly plants and in return it would benefit us and the planet. Portion control is very important eat but eat less. Pollan’s counsel is great but calls for supplement. Pollan disputes that many of our problems come from thinking about food in ways of the nutrients that are in them, an inclination energized by the food manufacturers practice of creating health matters on their foodstuffs built on which nutrients they have included or took away. Pollan points out that his reasons on avoiding the western diet are easier said than done. Pollan just wants his readers to eat smarter and goes further into suggesting that we are part of the issue because we do not spend enough money or time on getting our food ready. Pollan disagrees with scientist and strong believes that both the food and health industries are collectively to blame. Pollan says the food industry uses different nutritional theories to release new products and that the health corporation uses the food industry to develop new drugs and treatment methods and profits off of them. The method of eating is not to eat less than you want, but by making better decisions. The way to improving quantity is improving…