Summary Of In The Defense Of Food By Michael Pollan
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The purpose of this paper will to be evaluate my diet from a three day log taken early in the semester. The guidelines to our analysis are developed by author Michael Pollan in his book, In the Defense of Food. The last section of this book focuses on the explanation of his opening line, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” These opening sentences comprise seven simple words amounting to three rules of eating. Pollan list several tips for eating throughout his explanation of each rule. We will dissect the three rules he has laid out for us and compare my diet to the diet that would exist under his guidelines. Eat food. This first principle presented seems simple in itself, right? However, throughout his book we explored just how little…show more content… Now that we have discovered ways to pick real food for our diet we learn what to eat of that food. The principle is pretty explanatory of having our diet consist of mostly plants. However, Pollan also walks us through many areas of foods to pick based on type and where the food comes from. Like he says eat mostly plants but of those plants focus on leaves rather than seeds. I have a examples of both in my diet, spinach and almonds. Leaves are especially important because these are less energy dense food. So these foods have better weight to caloric intake ratios. Leaves fill us up longer while taking in fewer calories for each serving. Though seeds and grains have higher caloric value they are great sources for energy storage. Both are important to a diet with an emphasis on leaves. Next Pollan discusses the role of meat in a diet. From my understanding of this section he doesn’t consider meat a focus of our diet, especially compared to our typical western thinking. Meat is usually considered the main item to a meal. Prior to this class I have always been told eat protein it’s essential to our diets. But I have come to agree with Pollan and others to use meat as a condiment to our food. True meat has essential B12 vitamins and complete amino acids. However, these necessities can be obtained in little amounts of meat. I have a sufficient amount of meat present in my diet that sufficiently provides my body with essential vitamins and minerals. I especially try…show more content… The last section of our analysis is lifestyle ideas to help us return a traditional diet. Pollan encourages us to pay more and eat less an idea from the French. Personally if I have to pay more for my food I will likely want it to last longer and savor it. This goes back to old saying of choose quality over quantity which can be applied through many areas of our lives including our foods. Other ideas given to us for lifestyle eating changes is like eat at a table, eat meals, no snacking, cook the food you eat and don’t eat alone. Most of these are easily obtained in my setting. I mainly only have meals because I don’t have in-between snacks available unless I buy them separately. With the community setting of our dinners we can always eat at the table and not alone. Once my college time is over eating alone will be a little tougher to maintain. Restarting at grad school with a new surrounding of people will take extra effort to make sure I am maintaining a lifestyle based on community eating which helps limit eating and make it an enjoyable experience. But with the disappearance of my current lifestyle I will be more prone to cook my own food which is a great way to return to more traditional eating. Other ideas come from this section such as listen to your stomach and eat slowly which lead to eating less calories overall which is contrary to a Western diet. I think these two ideas are the easiest to implement in my life right now to steer me closer to a