Dont Blame The Eater Summary

In the book In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, the first three chapters; "From Foods To Nutrients", "Nutritionism Defined" and "Nutritionism Comes To Markets" author Michael Pollan discusses how scientists views on foods have changed, the definition of Nutritionism and how Nutritionism moved to markets. In the first chapter,"From Foods To Nutrients" Pollan discusses how scientists have changed their view on whole foods over the 1980's as well as years through World War II and instead focuses more on macronutrients; protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Since vitamins helped in 1912, this contributed to the changing view about whole foods. Chapter two,"Nutritionism Defined" Pollan introduces the definition of Nutritionism as an ideology and

In this this reading “Escape from the Western Diet” by Michael Pollan, Pollan talks about a variety of scientific nutritional theories that are believed to be responsible for the numerous number of people that have been plague by diseases due to following the “Western Diet”. But Pollan believes that these theories are invalid and states that the food and health industries are the ones to blame. He believes that both the food/health industry are to blame because when the food industry decides to release new products they use nutritional theories while the health industry does the same when creating new prescriptions and treatments. His solution to this problem is follow what Denis Burkitt suggested which is to revert and follow the diet of our

“Under “Eat food”, the writer proposes some practical ways to separate, and defend, real food from the cascade of food like products that now surround and confound us, especially in the supermarket. Under “Not too much” the focus shifts from the foods themselves to the question of how to eat them, the manners, mores, and habits that go into creating a healthy, and pleasing, culture of eating. Lastly under “Mostly plants” he dwells more specifically, and affirmatively, on the best types of foods (not nutrients) to eat” (Pollan,

He probes them to learn the what, where, and how of dinner – knowing what is going into the body, knowing where that food came from, and knowing how that food was made. By first knowing what is being consumed, people can make better informed decisions about their purchases. Nutrition, or lack thereof, is a key component in the battle against obesity. Food giants are hoping to hide the often unnecessary filler present in their products by use of dodgy claims and socially engineered advertisements. In general, most consumers probably couldn’t say where their food came from. This usually boils down to the fact that shoppers typically don’t think about it. Breaking this reliance on mass-grown foods is the second part of Pollan’s proposition. The third and equally important element is how the food is produced. More specifically, Pollan is concerned whether or not the food has been produced in a sustainable manner. Preserving the biodiversity of food, maintaining fertile land for future generations, and ensuring consumers receive food that does not compromise health are all factors of sustainability. Without informed consumers, what, where, and how will continue to be unanswered questions. Whether it is for nutritional or ethical choices, a particular food’s history is something that needs to once again become common

In “Escape from the Western Diet” Michael Pollan argues against the scientific theories of nutrition, and discusses the harmful effects, and chronic diseases associated with the Western Diet. Pollan offers an alternate view of a healthier lifestyle to escape the western diet that simply suggests that we “stop eating and thinking that way.” (Pollan 423) He explains that the food industry has changed the wholeness of our food, which causes us to eat unhealthier things such as fast food. He approaches a solution to these contradictory theories and science by focusing on a personal approach to eating that is based on the individual's view of food. Pollan three rules to create a healthier lifestyle are to “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants” (Pollan 426) which suggest to eat “real” food in a new balanced and healthy way that creates a pleasurable approach of eating. I agree with Pollan’s concepts about the western diet and his rules of eating simpler.

After explaining his idea of nutrionism, he explains why people should escape from the diet in the first place. His reasoning is that people who eat the Western diet are far more exposed to chronic disease than people who don't eat the same; he then backs up and makes the majority of his argument by describing a cycle between the food industry and the medical community. Pollan claims that the food industries come up with “theories” so it can make a product of theirs look new and redefined. His example is when food industries propose that they have lowered the fat on a certain product, they do it to appeal to the latest nutritionist theory. With the idea of nutritionism in mind, nutritionist (who focus on single nutrients) come up theories to market their foods. These theories move to the medical community and they will market a product to sell that will help a consumer with their problem. For example, say the food industry comes out with a product that is half the fat as their original one, the medical community then takes this and comes out with treatments and medications to deal with the issues caused by the food industry. Medical professionals are still making a profit as is the food industry, and this ties into the western diet. Pollan comments on how people don't think that the medical field would do such

In his book " In Defense of Food " author Michael Pollan takes an interesting and thought

In addition to bringing to light these contradicting scientific theories, Pollan goes further to include how these theories benefit the food industry as well as the health industry. Pollan observes “for the medical community too scientific theories about diet nourish business… new theories beget new drugs… and new diets organized around each new theory’s elevation of one class of nutrient and demotion of another” (Pollan, 436). Basically, Pollan is informing that the health industry wants to profit off the theories declared by making drugs in regards to the nutrients cut down on. Similarly, Pollan notes the food industry comes out with a new line of products to match with the new theories made for the western diet. He reminds the reader to escape the western diet even though it will be hard because these industries only seek to profit rather than change the way people eat for the better (Pollan, 436).

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan is a comprehensive look into the present day food culture of the United States. Throughout the book the author tries to find out the true composition of the diet that is consumed by Americans on a daily basis. There is an excessive dependence by the American population on the government to know which food is good for them. This paper will critically analyze the book as well as the stance that the author has taken. Since there is a deluge of information about diets and health available today, the relevance of this well researched book in the present day world cannot be emphasized enough. Its relevance is not limited to the United States alone but to the entire human society which is moving towards homogenous food habits.

People may say that they are obligated to do something that they may not want to do. An example of this can when someone may say that they don’t want to go to work but they have to go. People do not have to go to work if they do not wish to go otherwise people would not have any income to live on. This is similar to the obesity issue. People feel like they are obligated to eat out all the time because of various issues. Some issues are explained in the essay “Don’t Blame the Eater,” by David Zinczenko. The author asserts that children are suing big corporate companies such as McDonald 's because it is making them fat. He states that it is an issue worth sympathizing with. In this essay, he draws from his past experiences as he grew up stating that the only available options are those of a more affordable to his economic demographic. Such as the ones provided by fast food industries. He continues by stating that he was among the lucky people who were able to escape from obesity due to his decision of joining the navy. Even though he was able to avoid obesity as a life issue, he affirmed that it is very hard for people not to eat fast food when those are the only options a person can pick because there aren’t many healthy options. He adds to this by articulating that even the healthy choices is given by theses fast food industries such as a salad still contain an ample amount of calories. In conclusion, Zinczenko argues that choosing to dine-in at a fast food

He advises us to eat only things our grandmother would recognize. Foods without any unpronounceable ingredients or high fructose corn syrup. He tells us to stop eating on the go or in front of a television. Pollan also warns us to beware the dangers of reductionist science, especially when it is applied to food. It is this part of Pollan's advice that I believe to be the most critical and informative much more than avoiding high fructose corn syrup or taking time with meals. It is the most challenging because it requires us to change the way we approach food. It requires a change not what loaf of bread we choose to buy or the places and time we spend eating, but a change in the way we think. It requires us to think in terms of relationships. But if we can start to discuss food and health concerns along with health care, environmental, and immigration issues, recognizing that they is a problem, maybe we can come closer to finding a

As a culture and as individuals, we no longer seem to know what we should and should not eat. When the old guides of culture and national cuisine and our mothers’ advice no longer seem to operate, the omnivore’s dilemma returns and you find yourself where we do today—utterly bewildered and conflicted about one of the most basic questions of human life: What should I eat? We’re buffeted by contradictory dietary advice: cut down on fats one decade, cut down on carbs the next. Every day’s newspaper brings news of another ideal diet, wonder-nutrient, or poison in the food chain. Hydrogenated vegetable oils go from being the modern alternatives to butter to a public health threat, just like that. Food marketers bombard us with messages that this or that food is “heart healthy” or is “part of a nutritious meal”. Without a stable culture of food to guide us, the omnivore’s dilemma has returned with a vengeance. We listen to scientists, to government guidelines, to package labels—to anything but our common sense and traditions. The most pleasurable of activities—eating—has become heavy with anxiety. The irony is, the more we worry about what we eat, the less healthy and fatter we seem to become.

Obesity has become increasingly more prominent in American society. It is also a major health issue affecting many adults and children in the US every year. In his article "Don't Blame the Eater," David Zinczenko sympathizes with children who are suing McDonald’s making them fat. In his own experience as a “latchkey kid”, he knows how easily fast food makes teenagers put on weight with a steady diet of fast food meals. Zinczenko argues that both lack of fast food alternative companies and lack of providing nutrition information contribute to childhood obesity.

In the documentary Food Inc. The message is that the food industry does not want us to know about what we are eating. . This problem may be true however it is driven by the consumer’s continual interest in buying cheaper and cheaper products. The farmers way of life has been revolutionized. Modern farmers think faster, cheaper, bigger. It’s really not until when consumers demand

While nutritionism is suppose to scientifically guide us to eat healthy, Pollan points out that there is no scientific evidence to back it. Instead, he provides research conducted by Harvard nutrition scientist that proves the opposite. "In the public's mind [...] words like 'low-fat' and 'fat-free' have been synonymous with heart health. It is now increasingly recognized that low-fat campaign has been based on little scientific evidence and may have caused unintended health consequences." (Pollan 43). In Based off these observations, Pollan uses inductive reasoning to draw the conclusion that nutritionism is more harmful then helpful.