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Michael Pollan has written a new book, In Defense of Food (2008, Penguin Press), in which he is critical of not only the way we eat, but also the way we are told to eat. He calls it nutritionism."It's a way of thinking," he tells the Globe and Mail, "that elevates nutrients above the food itself, that tells us food is foremost about health."
His prescription: Make your own dinner. "By giving time back to our meals," he says, "you'll gain in the education and civilization of your children, you'll gain in terms of health and you'll also gain pleasure. Maybe there's a reason why, for most of human history, food has been close to the centre of life. And maybe there's much to gain by putting it back where it belongs." Here's how to eat, the Michael Pollan way:
1. Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food: By concentrating on pre-modern foods, you avoid overprocessed products. Another way of putting it: Don't eat anything incapable of rotting.2. Avoid products containing ingredients that are (a) unfamiliar (b) unpronounceable (c) more than five in number, or that include (d) high-fructose corn syrup: Ethoxylated monoglycerides? Enough said.
3. Avoid food products that make health claims: The creations of food science make louder claims than the produce department does, though the added benefits may not be clear. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation awards its Health Check symbol of assurance to Safeway Caramel Swirl Dairy Dessert and Stouffer's Skillet Sensations Shrimp Alfredo, as well as to Heinz Chicken and Pasta SpongeBob Shapes Condensed Soup.
4. Eat mostly plants, especially leaves: If researchers agree on anything, it's that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces health risks. Leaves are filling, low in calories, and high in antioxidants and fibre.
5. Eat wild foods when you can: Wild greens have higher levels of useful phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids. Wild fish have higher omega-3 levels than grain-fed farmed fish.
6. Regard non-traditional foods with skepticismL Chinese tofu recipes may be healthy, but the jury is out on the value of the soy isoflavones used as an additive in processed foods.
7. Have a glass of wine with dinner: Or two. Moderate drinkers appear to live longer and suffer less heart disease than teetotallers do.
8. Pay more, eat less: Good food (in both taste and nutritional value) costs more, but this makes you eat more discerningly.
9. Eat meals: No more business-meeting snacks, TV treats, or in-car munching. And family dinners should be just that-one meal for everyone, not personalized microwave entrées.
10. Do all your eating at a table: Desks and couches don't count.
11. Consult your gut: Studies have shown that we tend to clear our plates no matter how supersized the portion is. A simple way to reduce calories is to eat slowly and stop when you're full, if not before.
Difficulty level: Easy
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