Recently due to the advancements in technology it has become more common to hear on the news or read articles about GMOs and other food modifications. This kind of food industrialization is not something new. According to Michael Pollan’s novel, In Defense of Food, food modification has been occurring for many centuries. In our society modifying foods has become the… Read more »
Although I have been aware of the intersectionality of American politics and the national food system for quite some time, I am overwhelmingly taken aback by the discovery of nutritionism’s influence within such a unique relationship. Before diving into Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, I perceived the bond between food and politics to be linked to grassroots movements towards… Read more »
As a college student, myself and many others are always lacking something. Time, energy, money, you name it. Despite this, according to the American Dream we are doing everything we should be doing. Our education is leading us well on our way to fulfilling that happy dream of living in a white picket fenced house with a perfect spouse (and… Read more »
Buying products marked “green” or “eco-friendly” may promote our culture’s emphasis on environmental sustainability, ensuring demands placed on the environment do not surpass what it is capable of fulfilling for present and future generations, as a value. However, the result of purchasing based on environmental claims is often the opposite of an individual’s intent. Environmental claims for products are not… Read more »
In his book In Defense of Food, Pollan talks about how Americans have lost faith in what their mothers are telling them to eat and are placing greater trust in food scientists. The relationship of breaking food down to its carbs, sugars, and nutrients is not proving beneficial for consumers of the western diet. Who can we trust when deciding what to… Read more »
It’s amazing how many different places our food comes from. We don’t think about it because it’s so easy to take it for granted – we eat food every day. But the entire process is insane. Suppliers, producers, resellers, transporters, and more. (full size image here) Now look at the supply chain for Annie’s Mac n Cheese. (full size image… Read more »
In the 1940s processed foods began their rise to prominence in the American diet. Foods that used to be too expensive for the average consumer suddenly became readily available to them. Although Americans were better able to feed themselves, rates of malnutrition and other new illnesses began to rise. To combat this, producers started supplementing their nutrient stripped foods with… Read more »
Sociology professor Andrew Szasz came up with the term “inverted quarantine” to describe people who seek to isolate themselves from exterior ecological threats by way of individualizing environmental responsibility. Similarly, according to Michael Maniates, Americans think that the environment can be spared as a result of smart consumer action done by individuals. Such an idea is also the main focus… Read more »
In his book In Defense of Food, Pollan discusses the shift from food culture to food science in the Western world. Food culture is complex, and can have many different definitions largely revolving around the different perceptions of food. Food science jump-started in the US, which ties into mostly historical, and somewhat current, political, wealth, and socio-economic aspects. The combination… Read more »
We live in a very fast pace world and free time is often hard to come by. Most Americans are working up to 40 hours a week if not more. The process of purchasing and cooking a healthy whole foods meal as Michael Pollan the author of In Defense of Food suggests takes both time and labor. It is much… Read more »