Michael Pollan's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual is such a quick read at only 139 pages that I almost forgot to write about it here after I read it all in one afternoon. Pollan writes in his other books about his simple "diet" philosophy: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants, and this book is divided into three sections based on those three ideas. Each section contains "rules" meant to guide you towards creating a food culture for yourself that avoids the traps of modern industrial processed food and establishes healthier eating patterns.
Disclaimer: Let me just say that I usually cringe at the thought of "healthy lifestyles." I sneer at exercise, I've never been inside a gym, I don't run (weak ankles!), and I hate "health food." Foodies and trendy diet nuts are to be avoided. I like bourbon, butter, and backsliding. I love caffeine and chicken friend steak. Nevertheless, some of the "food" that I see advertised on TV scares the bajeezus out of me. What are we eating, America?! It's not right.
So I appreciate that Pollan is offering up 64 completely commonsensical tips for doing a better job of consuming actual food in reasonable portions. Here are some of my favorites:
#2: Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
#11: Avoid foods you see advertised on television.
#19: If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.
#36: Don't eat breakfast foods that change the color of the milk.
#39: Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.
#47: Eat when you are hungry, not when you're bored. "If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you're not hungry. Food is a costly antidepressant." - I've actually been using this test. It makes so much sense!!
#63: Cook.
#64: Break the rules once in a while.
As always, whenever someone lays out some simple, honest Truths for you, it feels good to embrace them. Buy this book! (Thanks Jane and Dale for buying me this book!)
Sounds like a smart book. OMG, you've never been inside a gym!!!!!!!!!!! I too like bourbon and butter, but it's really hard to cook a lot when you work all the time and live alone. What if you cook with bourbon and butter? Does that still count?
ReplyDeleteI think that since I've been pregnant for the better part of 2 years now, my ideas about food have changed drastically. Maybe it is because I moved to an area where farmer's markets are on every corner. I know that I have changed the way I look at food. Don't get me wrong, I still put back a bacon cheeseburger when I have the chance, but I would rather make the bacon cheeseburger at home where 1.) I know where the meat came from 2.)it is cheaper and 3.) I know exactly what is in the bacon cheeseburger.
ReplyDeleteCooking from scratch always tastes better than anything you can buy prepackaged at the grocery store. I'm going to check this book out. Sounds up my ally.
BTW, kind of going along with the food topic have your watched Food Inc.? Very informative. Oh and did you check out Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Very good also!
Amy, I think cooking with bourbon and butter would fall under the Don't-eat-anything-your-great-grandmother-wouldn't-recognize-as-food category so it would most definitely count! :)