Interesting and instructive. I object to the way he used the term "reductionist science".
There's good science and bad science; having a narrow focus might lead to irrelevance,
but is not a sin in itself. ( )

Pollan, Michael. (2008). In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. New York: Penguin. ISBN: 978-1-59420-145-5

How much actual food do you eat? That is the somewhat disconcerting premise that underlies this book. Michael Pollan suggests that, because of the great many processed food products with many additives and the policies of seeking to make more food at a lower cost, much of the food in the American diet today is not actually real food.
He suggests that if we made it a point not to eat any foods or food products that our great grandmothers would not recognize as food, we would go a long way to helping world ecology and our own health (p.148). He says we should also avoid ingredients that are unfamiliar, unpronounceable, and products with more than five ingredients. He says we should also avoid high fructose corn syrup. Pollan is quick to point out that these thins by themselves are not necessarily bad for us, “but all of them are reliable markers for foods that have been highly processed” (p.150).
Great detail is taken in this book to explain all the nasty details of why corporate food manufacturing, contemporary farming practices and government policies have conspired to make the things we eat not as healthy and nutrient rich , plus more harmful to the environment, than in the past. He explains why the various traditional and aboriginal diets are good models to copy, because these cultures discovered over a long period of time what food combinations work well together in terms of health and longevity. Contemporary and nontraditional foods have not been tested by time, and their effect on our bodies cannot be measured.
The book outlines eating guidelines that are basically a balanced approach, and common sense: eat more plants, especially leaves; eat meals rather than snacks (preferably at a table and not alone), eat slowly, and don’t look for magic quick solutions to dietary issues.

In addition to the practical advice, the book is an eye-opening view at the way our thinking about food has shifted from food itself to the nutrients food provides, and how we have begun trying to replicate these nutrients with synthetic substitutes. Pollan paints a picture where the cult of nutrition has taken over and allowed us to be jangled around by marketing claims of health issues that may or may not be true.
His argument against nutritionism is worth considering and his practical points worth beginning to implement. ( )

A well-written and compelling argument that nutrition science serves only to make us less healthy. Pollan's thesis that most of what we buy in the supermarket is not food at all is very convincingly presented; it had me making internal resolutions to buy fewer processed foods and more basic ingredients.

His guidelines for healthy eating are innovative, although they will require a fundamental lifestyle change for most Americans. His rules for eating are relatively simple and his arguments in favor of more time commitment to our food are persuasive, yet I wonder if they are persuasive enough to cause anyone but already environmentally-conscious to change the way they cook and eat.

I fear the people who most need to hear Pollan's message are those who are least likely to be moved by his arguments. ( )

If you're looking to revise your diet, or just interested in nutrition in general, this is a fantastic book. ( )

An interesting read for anyone who is fed up with the 'industrial food chain' as Pollan says, and advice for those who want to change. It is an interesting look into the politics of food and what to do about them. Low fat doesn't always mean better! ( )