In Defense of Food

Nutritionism myths:
1. What matters most is not the food but the "nutrient."
2. Because nutrients are invisible and incomprehensible to everyone but "experts," we need "expert" help in deciding what to eat.
3. The purpose of eating is to promote a narrow concept of physical health.

These myths, which are promoted as tenets of western nutrition science, fail to acknowledge food as pleasure, community, family, spirituality, culture, friendship, identity of self, identity of other, our connection to the natural world. This reductionist view of the western diet is destined to maintain the status quo, as scientist continue to tinker with this nutrient and that nutrient, looking for the silver bullet. Pollan talks about the dualism involved in food: good vs. bad nutrient, which is insulting in its simplicity to both food the the Creator of food.

Food is about more than maintaining or improving health. As we make greater strides to improve our health through focusing on the elimination of this nutrient or addition of that nutrient, we further confuse what was once a decision simplified through history, culture, religion, and family. The story of margarine, pg. 32-36 is a perfect example of food science's focus on improving health through food, which resulted in the introduction of hydrogenation (a.k.a., trans fat).

This reductionist science has not surprisingly resulted in the simplification of our food chain, via vast monocultures of corn, wheat and soy. Today corn contributes 554 calories a day to America's per capita food supply; wheat 768; soy 257. Keep in mind the average American adult is operating under the 2000 calories/day total consumption model (pg. 117).

What has led us to this point? Industrialization of food is far too simplistic an answer. Capitalistic American gives the consumer what it wants, and if we demanded more food and less foodstuffs, the monolithic food giants would provide. Americans spend less than 10% of their income on food; less than 30 minutes a day preparing meals; 65 minutes enjoying meals (pg. 145). Why?