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In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Unavailable
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Unavailable
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Audiobook6 hours

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Written by Michael Pollan

Narrated by Scott Brick

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Food. There's plenty of it around, and we all love to eat it. So why should anyone need to defend it?

Because in the so-called Western diet, food has been replaced by nutrients, and common sense by confusion--most of what we're consuming today is longer the product of nature but of food science. The result is what Michael Pollan calls the American Paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we see to become. With In Defense of Food, Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Pollan's bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating.

Editor's Note

Healthy eats…

Michael Pollan’s smart, reasonable, and responsible take on eating well has made him a household name. With its focus on whole foods, this is the perfect guide to eating fresh fruits and veggies any time of year.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 1, 2008
ISBN9781429589222
Unavailable
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Author

Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan is the author of The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, all New York Times bestsellers. A longtime contributor to The New York Times Magazine, he is also the Knight Professor of Journalism at Berkeley.

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Reviews for In Defense of Food

Rating: 4.055822461004273 out of 5 stars
4/5

1,872 ratings125 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    3.75 starsFood is no longer what it used to be. It has been broken down into its parts (vitamins, nutrients, etc), some of those parts taken out and/or added back in, as studies find we need more or less of those parts. It has been overly processed. Pollan explains how this happened and what we can do to try to get back to eating real food, and hopefully stave off many diseases that seem to have ballooned since this overprocessing of food became the norm. I found it quite interesting. There was some stuff I knew and some I didn't. Pollan writes in a way that the info is interesting and accessible, although there was a section in the middle where I did lose focus a few times (which is why I didn't quite rate it 4 stars). I didn't like it quite as much as The Omnivore's Dilemma, but still really interesting.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This one wasn't as much fun or interesting as the Omnivore's Dilemma or Botany of desire. I liked his structure better for those titles. There is some rehashing of information from Omnivore and a lot of the other information I had picked up in other places. (Except that bit about the dentist doing research in the 30s - that was pretty interesting) He also discounts nutritional research while relying on it. I probably should have read the book in print to have the advantage of a bibliography or any notes. The reader's tone verged on smug, which did not serve the material well. It's good information if you haven't read The Omnivore's dilemma.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Eat plants and a little meat. A summary of the excellent advice in this book. Well written with well documented ideas. This book is a reference on my shelf.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What should we eat? Is it really possible to eat non-industrialized food?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was so interesting that it kept me on the stationary bike for longer than scheduled, and that says something! If you've ever wondered what the big scary deal about processed food is, this will answer all of your questions. I actually chose this for tips on eating better, which is covered in the last third of the book, but eating real food is definitely higher on my priority list after reading Pollan's summary of the relevant research!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    where [book: fast food nation] was brilliant book, but a "downer" this one's an "upper," so to speak ... or a healthy antidote to [author: eric schlosser] lightningrod. that both are also so well-written make them all the more indispensable food for thought. [pun intended, sorry]

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The now well-known catch phrase "eat food. mostly plants. not too much" doesn't really sum up this book, which also examines the history of nutrition science and the growth of "nutritionism", the focus on constituents of diet rather than a holistic study of diets. Pollan's previous book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma", changed the way I buy food; this book is changing not only my shopping habits but also the ways I prepare and eat food.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." This first sentence says it all. Pollan follows the trail of the impact of science, the government, the nutritionists and even the journalists like himself that have created the Western diet and its detrimental effect on our health. It should send us all to out cupboards to purge and to the market for all that is fresh!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pollan's done it again. This book takes up where he left off with The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan here discourses learnedly on nutrition and how the Western diet has tried (and ostensibly failed) to separate food from nutrition. The food industry is so seductive, so stealthy that many of us never noticed when we stopped eating food and began eating food-like nutritive products. Pollan lays the blame of our current diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity epidemics squarely on this shift. I can't find any reason to disagree with him. The book ends with a list of recommendations which Pollan sums up thus: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
    Highly recommended, but read The Omnivore's Dilemma first.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely loved this book mostly for it's eye-opening descriptions of how Western food has come to be. It has inspired me to change my eating ways and excites me for the coming of the farmer's market.

    Lists many great resources for eating good food.

    Also, very interesting because it was my introduction to food politics. A great reminder of just how much goes unseen.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. That's Michael Pollan's mantra, although the last third of the book expands his list of rules significantly. It makes a lot of sense to me. The first part of the book is a history of "nutritionism," which he defines, roughly, as the reduction of a food to its component parts (as in protein, fat, carbs, vitamins). He believes that nutritionism is a bad thing, given the number of unknown factors that can make a food "good" or "bad." An example would be how many people in my age group grew up believing that margarine was healthier than butter; now that we know about trans fats, butter is less demonized. I do feel that Pollan's "rules" are a lot easier to follow for me than they would be for my daughter, who lives alone, has two jobs and full-time college, and not much money. But they are worth reading about just the same.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Manifesto on eating sustainable, local, organic, economically fair food in modern America.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    We're all being taken over by packaged, processed food, and even real food is less healthy now than it was a few generations ago. Take-away message: we're all screwed.

    Interesting information and great to raise awareness, but maybe a little one-note for an engaging town-wide read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is probably one of the most significant books I have read all year. I would even go so far as to say that I think it should be required reading! (Sorry for the cliche)On one hand this book scared the crap out of me but it offered enough insight on how we should be eating to bring peace of mind that I now know more about what I am eating and how to navigate the grocery store. I don't want to go into too much detail and spoil what the book is about but trust me, everyone should read this book!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    At times it was a bit bombastic -- and throughout it was pretty unscientific -- but I really enjoyed the no-nonsense, pragmatic arguments put forth and the bite-size (sue me) pieces of advice.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It seems as humans, our natural tendency is to break down the complex into the simple as a way of understanding what makes it tick. While this obsession has assisted our advancement in the sciences and humanities, on the subject of food, it may have actually harmed us.In Defense of Food strives to teach us that the benefits of food may not be in the individual components but in the food as a whole. With people's health in mind (or maybe not, if they were hired by food industrialists), nutritionists have all but removed food from the table and replaced it with potentially disease-causing vitamins and minerals. Michael Pollan illustrates the downward spiral of food destruction, reconstruction, and lends the willing-to-learn rules to return to eating well.A common sense (if you've ever stopped to think about it) and quick read book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Michael Pollan takes on a serious subject and does so with considerable wit. He gets a bit bogged down in terminology, but that aside, I think everybody should read this book. I've read several books on similar subjects, and all have guided me in some way towards a diet free of supermarket products which masquerade as food. I like his concept of the food chain, which he describes very clearly, beginning with overuse of pesticides and artificial fertilisers which deplete the plants, which in turn deplete the animals they eat, which in turn damage the people who eat both plants and animals.As a vegetarian, this book reinforces my commitment to a meat-free diet. As a resident of planet earth, it makes me fear for the future of every living thing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When people ask the most influention books I have read, I hope that this is on my list. I think that the ideas in this book can change the way we look at food. I hope that I can actually do it. There is nothing new in this book. It is not a diet book. It doesn't say eat this, don't eat that. The whole book is summed up on the cover; "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". The basic rules aren't nutrient driven; they are food driven. This book has given me ideas of how to (try) to get away from "food products" and actually eat food. I heartily recommend this book to everyone.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Some good points but a deeply flawed book. While spending the first half of the book excoriating 'nutritionism' Pollan then goes onto employ much of the same logic and methodologies in his recommendations. Also a very unbalanced book, nutritionism is responsible for positive things like iodized salt but no one offering a defensive of nutritionism can be found in this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am a skeptic regarding health claims or the latest food trends. For some reason I'm willing to read and listen to Pollan's writings. I find him honest, fair, and willing to "debunk" the latest food trends - something I greatly appreciate. Over the past 5 years I've been slowly making changes to my family's eating habits. Pollan's books "close the deal" on making changes. I find myself rightfully distraught over our food system and greatly concerned we will one day no longer have "real food" available to those of us not yet gardening. I recommend very few books, but this one I would do a bit of "proselytizing" over.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The author says, "Eat food, not too much and mostly plants" and offers a quick shortcut to healthy eating, suggesting that you shouldn't eat anything that your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.Following the Great Grandmother rule blanks out a lot of options (and removes most of the profitability of the agro-food processing industry) but he shows that it is still just viable if a shopper frequents farmers markets or avoids the packaged goods in the central aisles of supermarkets.He also interestingly shows how the food industry plays food science marketing with features such as "added fibre", "added omega3" etc. while ignoring the more beneficial natural sources.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." This is the takeaway message, Michael Pollan delivers to each of us in "In Defense of Food". This is such an important book and enlightens you as to where our food comes from and what impact this has on our daily lives.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." This is the takeaway message, Michael Pollan delivers to each of us in "In Defense of Food". This is such an important book for so many reasons. First, Pollan accutely describes how the very agencies which are designed to protect our food, are actually in the business of making food less nutritious and less beneficial for us. With agro-businesses heading up food production in the United States and foods being imported from other countries, it is essential that we understand the impact this is having upon our health. Even if you're unwilling to change how you eat or how you think about food, give this book a chance and enlighten yourselves as to where our food comes from and what impact this has on our daily lives.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An absolutely fantastic book on the current state of food and eating in America. Pollan explains it all clearly, keeping the reader engaged in what could easily be a dry and unapproachable topic. Like Fast Food Nation and The Jungle before it, In Defense of Food will hopefully change the way Westerners approach food. A must read for anyone who eats, period.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book changed my perspective on my own food habits and on America's food culture. For instance, I knew that eating locally produced foods was the right choice ethically, but did not really understand why local foods often taste superior to conventionally produced and shipped foods, and seem to make me feel better physically. Pollan points out that this is because local foods are generally less processed, are often fresher, and its producers are more often primarily quality-driven families rather than purely profit-driven corporations. For a compressed version of Michael Pollan's food wisdom, check out Food Rules. It's small enough to fit in your glovebox or purse!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I was looking forward to reading Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, since his plain-spoken eating philosophy (in the unlikely event that you haven't heard it, it's "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.") is pretty close to my own. The first half of the book, which presented background information on our cultural eating habits, lived up to my expectations. Well-written and likewise well-researched, Pollan's exploration into the Western diet should be sufficiently convincing to anyone who has thought critically about their eating habits.The second section, in which Pollan sets down his "eater's manifesto," was surprisingly thin, though. Pollan implies several times that he prefers a vegetarian diet, but he never quite argues this sufficiently. Likewise, his admonishments to "eat food . . . not too much" seem somewhat divorced from our dieter's culture and the strange, strained relationship that advertising and the media has with food. Having read the similarly themed, but meatier (hah!) The Obesity Myth several years ago, I couldn't help but wish for a deeper exploration or at least acknowledgment of sociological factors that make eating food, and not too much of it, difficult for many people. Pollan simply says that it's a "shame" that not everyone can afford or has access to pasture-fed beef and copious veggies; the reality is much worse than that, though it may be difficult for Pollan, unarguably a member of the upper-class intellectual elite, to see past his own cultural blinders to acknowledge it. I think the biggest problem here is that Pollan can only be preaching to the choir: those who are similarly privileged (and I can't deny that I am) will nod knowingly at his references to his CSA box; but those who could actually reap the most benefits from the changes he suggests will likely never encounter this book, and if they do, implementing the advice inside is likely to be, at best, impractical, and at worst impossible.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    heard him on NPR being interviewed about his Open Letter to the Next President. Replacing the White House Lawn with a garden, making food purchased with federal dollars have to come from locally, sustainably grown farming, determing the true value of food, lots of ideas here to learn more about some amazing, some humorous, some serious.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book changed the way I look at food, eating, and nutrition. Excellent and highly recommended!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the follow-up to Pollan's excellent The Omnivore's Dilemma. In Defense of Food is about identifying real food, and adjusting your diet accordingly. By identifying food, Pollan isn't talking about the packaged goods lining your supermarket shelves and freezer cases. He's talking about more fundamental basics: fruits, vegetables, grass-fed beef: in other words, the kind of items our ancestors would have immediately recognized as food. And this, Pollan believes, is important because the more processed our diet is becoming, the less healthy we are as result. Incidents of Type-2 diabetes and heart disease in particular have been on a dramatic rise in recent decades and show no sign of abating. Paradoxically, over the same period, we have generally become even more obsessed with our health. The verdict? The things that food companies are pushing upon us as food (and, thanks to a strong lobby, with government encouragement and approval) are killing us.Pollan tells us why. The mystical world of vitamins and nutrition is still pretty much a mystery. Most vitamin supplements among the vast array found at the supermarket are worthless. The unique combination of chemicals and fiber that aid absorption when eating real food is lost when vitamins are isolated and introduced in other forms. While you might be ingesting a recommended quantity of, say, vitamin B-6, your body isn't using it, so in the end, you are still deficient even if though you've religiously taken your supplements. Additives in various kinds of processed food even go as far as to counteract the nutrition that might be contained in uncompromised ingredients. Pollan also brings up how some of the demonized foods: fats in particular, seem to have no detrimental effect in some cultures that have a culinary legacy, such as France, Italy and Greece. Among the things he preaches throughout is the need to eat less, and eat slower. Add to that, don't eat alone. And a glass or two of wine with meals isn't so bad either. Other advice is buy foods your ancestors would recognize as food. Don't buy anything with more than 5 ingredients, or ingredients you can't identify. I would have liked to see him include some sample meal plans like he did in The Omnivore's Dilemma -- not that it needed it for substance, but it would have nicely illustrated his points and give readers an exact point of reference to begin their journey into "real food."
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The book can be summed up in seven words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."Simple enough. This book has led me to really think about food and health in a way I have always wanted to. I like the farmer's market, but I don't go to it every week (or even every month). This book presents such a straightforward and articulate case that I'm probably going to sign up for a CSA box soon. In Defense of Food is a call to action - Ignore the "experts" and remember your great-grandmother! Take back your health! Take back your right to fresh food! Enjoy it!I like what this book has to say about food - food is healthy, but not everything labeled "food" is food. And you shouldn't eat too much. Sounds good. All that Pollan discusses and recommends is very interesting, and I will definitely think about this book, follow some of its advice, and recommend it to others.