The “In Defense of Food” Book by Michael Pollan Essay

Introduction

Michael Pollan wrote the book In Defense of Food to educate on what humans should consume to be healthy. There are various ideologies concerning nutrition that tend to cause some misunderstanding. Contemporary beliefs and customs affect the diet of particular groups of people. Processed meals are not healthy and occasionally result in nutrition problems. In overcoming the challenge of better nutrition, the consumption of plants is an ideal option for regaining good health. The Western diet contains many substitutes that do not promote healthy living; most of it is processed and packaged. Pollan outlines the basic rules for eating better and reclaiming healthy bodies to overcome the effects of the Western diet. Any literate person of a Western culture who needs to reclaim good health must embrace natural foods as they provide natural nutrients that are good for healthy living. Natural foods must be consumed by the young and the old as they guarantee healthy living by providing natural nutrients not developed in laboratories.

Discussion

As a nutritionist, Michael Pollan wrote the book InDefense of Food, highlighting the effects of the Western diet and providing guidance on healthy eating. He acknowledges that people suffer from over-nutrition and must adopt changes by consuming natural food. Natural food is far more nutritional as it contains natural ingredients that are not developed genetically. Pollan outlines the changes we underwent, from eating raw food to consuming nutrients that cause health effects (Pollan 20). He identifies the Western diet as the leading cause of the health problems we currently experience (Pollan 23). As a solution, he provides basic rules for healthy eating, which involve consuming plants that grow naturally. Pollan argues that industrialization has caused several transformations, from eating whole to refined meals, from quality to quantity, and from food culture to food science (Pollan 106). Westernization of meals has resulted in the undermining of traditional food cultures, which promoted natural food consumption.

People are advised to get over the ‘nutritionism’ brought about by the Westernization of food. Michael Pollan warns people to avoid any meals processed in factories and embrace natural food (Pollan 28). He further states that people must stop eating any meal incapable of rotting (Pollan 139). Individuals are advised to visit the farmer’s market rather than the supermarket that contains most processed food. Adopting this new way of acquiring food will eventually lead to the escape from the Western diet, which is dominant in fast-food outlets and supermarkets (Pollan 140). The book further guides the consumption of leafy plants of different kinds to acquire other nutrients essential to promoting better health (Pollan 161). The audience is advised to food grown in healthy soils, predominantly local and organic. The simplest and safest way to acquire natural nutrients is through consuming food per the traditional food culture of each individual (Pollan 175). Michael Pollan also advises on the amount of food to be consumed as too much consumption is also wrong (Pollan 182). Food needs to be served in small amounts, and the consumer needs to eat gradually.

The author shows great concern about the eating trends of Western culture and hopes his book will cause people to reevaluate their eating habits. Any literate person of a Western culture who desires to reclaim better healthy living through eating healthy meals is the potential target audience of the author. Michael Pollan’s book narrates all the challenges and effects of Westernized food and offers a solution (Black). In his understanding, literate individuals can reevaluate their actions and engage in a food-centric movement that will cause a massive change in the food industry and benefit everyone. The book is divided into three main sections, The Age of Nutritionism, the Western Diet, and Getting Over Nutritionism (Black). Each of these sections has a specific purpose for the reader. From the first section, the audience is exposed to the main issue; the over-emphasis on nutrients rather than on food. Secondly, a connection between Westernized diseases and the food consumed is addressed. In the last section, the author provides basic guidelines that can change eating habits.

As a nutritionist, Pollan has vast knowledge related to healthy eating habits. In his book, Pollan states that everyone needs to eat real food, not too much, and mostly plants. The advice provided is not only to literate individuals but to the entire human race with no idea of healthy eating habits. The audience is advised to eat real food like vegetables, fruits, and grains (Pollan 155). The consumption of edible food-like substances mainly produced in factories should be avoided at all costs. Pollan makes some recommendations that can result in better eating habits. One, eat only food you are sure your grandmother would recognize as food (Pollan 51). Avoid consuming food with many nutrients that are hard to pronounce (Pollan 25). He also advises against buying foods where we refuel our cars. Changing eating habits requires dedication to pull through (Black). It has some implications that some may find hard to get used to, including eating smaller amounts of food.

The author is a nutritionist and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, teaching science and environmental journalism. His vast knowledge about the nature and culture of people and the interaction between the two equips him with enough knowledge to come up with such a book that narrates healthy eating habits. He is commonly known for his passion for books exploring food’s socio-cultural impacts, such as The Omnivore’s Dilemma. He outlines three golden rules that guide us on how we need to eat. We need to eat as many natural foods as possible; we should try to it less of them and mainly consume green leafy plants. In the article by Black (2008), the author acknowledges the three golden rules of Michael Pollan concerning healthy eating. She indicates that despite seeming simple, the seven simple words mean a lot and are a declaration of war against the current Western culture (Black). Pollan targets Westerners and their culture and offers support for realizing good eating habits.

Conclusion

Nutrition has been an issue over the years, especially with the many introductions of new nutrients developed in laboratories. In the book, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan narrated Western culture’s effects on food and nutrition. Many people are now focused on nutrients forgetting about the importance of healthy food. The contemporary world prefers fast foods that last for days without decomposing and are easy to prepare. The author outlines the challenges of westernizing food and offers guidance to realize better health. He indicates three significant steps to his target audience in attaining healthy eating habits: eating natural food in small amounts, primarily leafy plants. All individuals are advised against eating processed food in factories but instead, opt for food directly harvested from the farm. As a nutritionist, Michael Pollan aims to direct the masses towards healthy living, starting with healthy eating.

Works Cited

Black, Jane. “What’s for Dinner?”The Washington Post, 2008, Web.

Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. The Penguin Press, 2008.