In Defense of Food

Time for another book review!

“In Defense of Food” is Michael Pollan’s second book following “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” A much quicker read, “In Defense of Food” focuses on Pollan’s findings in his research in writing “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and seeks to give us guidance from said findings.

I did not enjoy this book as much as the first. It was well written, well researched, not quite as funny. But mostly, it spoke to a lot of points that, to me, were obvious from the first book.

Eat real food that does not contain things you don’t know what they are. Eat food from a local source and eat things in season. If you eat animals, what your animals eat is what you eat. So eat animals that eat things you would be okay eating. Cook at home.

The great thing about this book, however, is you can get the actual action plans from the information in the “Omnivore’s Dilemma” without having to actually read it.

I am a curious, inquiring and disbelieving person. I freely change my mind about things, but it takes a lot. So for me, the “Omnivore’s Dilemma” was a must read in order for me to believe “In Defense of Food.”

Some favorite anecdotes from this book:

“…in the late 1800’s five states passed laws requiring that all butter imitations be dyed pink so no one would be fooled.” This was struck down by the Supreme Court however, what a shame.

“It’s hard to believe we’re getting everything we need from a diet consisting largely of processed corn, soybeans, rice and wheat.” This is all what processed foods are made of. Just buying the outer edges of the grocery store takes care of this.

In regards to the nutritional value of plants:
“Because plants living on organic farms aren’t sprayed with synthetic pesticides, they’re forced to defend themselves, with the result that they tend to produce between 10 percent and 50 percent more of these valuable secondary compounds than conventionally grown plants.” Makes sense to me, we have taken the wild out of our food and left it dull.

“Very simply, we have been breeding crops for yield, not nutritional quality, and when you breed for one thing, you invariably sacrifice another.” I think the horse-people reading this would agree with this statement!

“Merely adding omega-3s to the diet – by taking supplements, say – may not do much good unless we also reduce the high levels of mega-6s that have entered the Western diet with advent of processed foods, seed oils, and foods from animals raised on grain.” I’ve been taking an Omega 3-6-9 supplement thinking that I was doing well by all three. I think I will go back to the Omega 3 only.

Regarding old time deficiency diseases, such as rickets – which were thought to have been only during the depression:
“But when children subsist on fast food rather than fresh fruits and vegetables and drink more soda than milk, the old deficiency diseases return – now even in the obese.”

“Store food is food designed to be stored and transported over long distances…” To keep food from deteriorating or being ravished by bacteria, rodents and insects, the nutrients are detracted. It appears that these animals are very interested in the nutrients, “More so, apparently, than we are.”

“…when you cook at home, you seldom find yourself reaching for the ethoxylated diglycerides or high-frutcose corn syrup.” Or ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, and ammonium sulfate…anyone have these sitting in their cupboards?

“EAT FOOD. NOT TOO MUCH. MOSTLY PLANTS.”

“Don’t eat anything your great great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” Cheese whiz anyone? How about Go-Gurt and Slim-Fast?

“Avoid food products that make health claims.” If it has a health claim, it means it’s in a package, which means it’s processed and probably has a ton of ingredients.

“Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.” Not a new concept to most of us I don’t think.

“Get out of the supermarket whenever possible.” Go to farmer’s markets and farms.

“Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.” Spinach anyone? The spinach haters can have lettuce.

“You are what what you eat eats too.” If cows eat the byproducts of themselves (the parts they can’t sell us outright) well then we are eating those parts too. Cow feet anyone?

“If you have the space, buy a freezer.” This allows you to eat out-of-season foods year round.

I could go on and on with the fabulous quotes from this book. I highly recommend it for anyone that eats, anyone concerned with their health and anyone with children.

I know, a lot of this stuff is more expensive. Another quote in this book (and I hadn’t thought of this) “Pay more, eat less.” Love it. Eat good food, eat less food. If you have to pay a lot for your food, you will probably eat less of it to conserve.

So far, local, organic is still usually more expensive. However I am finding farmer’s markets much more reasonable lately. Fingerling potatoes were $1/lb as were brussel sprouts at the farmers market last week. That’s really not bad especially considering brussel sprouts can be tricky to find fresh, it’s sort of hit or miss.

I have been buying my eggs from a local woman, I pay $2 a dozen. That’s only about 75 cents more than I pay at the grocery store for standard eggs; about $2 less than the same grass-fed antibiotic free at the grocery store.

I am looking into this more but it appears that going directly to the farm is less expensive, not to mention the health benefits, meeting the person that is actually growing my food and stimulating the local economy.

Also the quality difference in the eggs is pretty profound. I am still unable to post photos to my blog, but I can post links!

Here are industrial eggs.

Here are farm fresh eggs.

What is not obvious in these comparisons is that the yolks from farm fresh eggs are very firm, you can hold them in your hand, making separating very easy. The yolks are also very tall, they do not flatten out in the pan. The shells are also harder and I have found cracking to be easier for not getting any shell pieces in the egg.

I’m told the color of the egg has usually has to do with the color of the chicken.

Happy Sunday everyone!