Food writer Michael Pollan's simple advice shapes a national conversation about the American diet.
One of my favorite pieces of advice on living well comes from food author, Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” He elaborates on these simple suggestions in his book and documentary (streaming on Netflex), “In Defense of Food.”
"In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto"
"Eat Food. Not too Much. Mostly plants."
As nutrition science continues to shift dramatically over the decades, Pollan urges people to look at traditional diets and eating practices, before industrialized agriculture and processed food began to fill our kitchen cabinets. Many of the world’s healthiest populations consume vastly different diets, but these cultures typically share these constants: they eat mostly fruits and veggies, healthy fats, and ferments while avoiding “food-like-substances” (ie. processed foods that have been stripped of their nutrients and/or injected with preservatives).
The documentary is rich with stories and visuals from around the world highlighting both the successes of traditional food cultures as well as exploring unfolding diet-related health epidemics. I can’t recommend this more highly to any and all ages: my two sons, 8 and 11, “ate” it up from beginning to end; my college staff told me it was an eye-opener and made changes to their diet and shopping habits; and my mom and her baby-boomer friends rave about Pollan’s “Food Rules” at every potluck.
Food Rules to Live By...
: An Eater's Manifesto
FOOD RULES:
1. Eat only foods that will eventually rot.
2. Eat only foods that have been cooked by humans.
3. Avoid foods you see advertised on television.
3. Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food.
4. If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't.
5. Eat your colors -- that is, eat as many foods as possible.
6. Use smaller plates and glasses.
7. Serve the vegetables first.
8. Make water your beverage of choice.
9. Stop eating before you're full.
10. Eat more like the French do.
11. Try to spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it.
12. Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
13. Break the rule once in a while.