While everyone is running out to grab Michael Pollan’s latest book In Defense of Food, I have just finished reading his copyrighted 2006 New York Times bestseller, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. What an incredibly thought-provoking account of the United States’ sad disconnect from the food that we eat.
As a holistic health counselor for the past six years, one of my goals has been to encourage people to ingest the most nourishing food as possible. I understand the reality of their situations and Pollan certainly confirms this reality in his book: we live in a culture of convenience. It’s hard to even find fresh food. Other concerns that people have is that organic or local food is expensive. Yes, it is, but you get what you pay for!
If you thought the truths exposed in Fast Food Nation or Supersize Me repulsed you wait until you read this book. Before reading the The Omnivore’s Dilemma, I already took ages to shop for groceries (I’m a manic label reader), but after reading this book, I don’t think anyone will ever want to step foot in a grocery store with me. For instance, did you know that the cyrystalline fuctose, ascorbic acid, dextrose, lactic acid, lysine, HFCS, xanthan gum, and modified or unmodified starch, are all derived from corn? I’ve strayed away from products with corn for years because I know that corn in this country is genetically modified and inauthentic. I feel as though we’re not meant to eat things that are artificial—it messes up the food chain! And up until reading this book, the only corn-derived “chemical” I knew of was high-fructose corn syrup. So, yes, you will learn a lot when you read this book.
I liked the structure of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. It is broken into three parts: The first section discusses industrial farming; the second, organic food, both on the industrial level as well as the local level; and in the third section, Pollan experiments with hunting and gathering. Each section concludes with a meal representing the particular production of food-- a cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's; roast chicken, vegetables and a salad from Whole Foods; and grilled chicken, corn and a chocolate soufflé (made with fresh eggs) from a sustainable farm; and, finally, mushrooms and wild pig, from a forest near his home in California.
Pollan does an incredible job of submerging himself into the particular environments of each section. He visits industrial farms and even tries to follow the life of a particular cow from its birth two weeks prior to being shipped to an industrial farm to its death—steer 534, the poor fella. Pollan works on a small sustainable organic farm in Virginia and even participates in slaughtering the chickens (I certainly winced quite a bit here). Honestly though, Pollan reveals so many interesting facts about how unhealthy meat and processed food is in this country. For instance, when you read a label on chicken or beef that says “vegetarian-fed,” don’t let the marketing fool you. The vegetarian grains that these animals eat are highly processed granules of corn and soy. So unnatural!!!
Pollan has a sense of humor too. This book is satisfying on so many levels. After reading it, you will feel like an educated consumer and you will have had a few good laughs as well. Take for example Pollan’s first attempt at hunting—absolutely hysterical! All in all, this book only reaffirms my desire to bring health and wellness back to basics!!!
