In Defense of Food
by Michael Pollan · first published 2008
66% recommend30% neutral5% critical
Why HN recommends it
Accessible case against nutrition-science fads and processed food, built around the rule eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Suits anyone wanting guidelines rather than a diet, and a good intro to nutrition.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
What to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health: a manifesto for our times"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." These simple words go to the heart of Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, the well-considered answers he provides to the que
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Also, don't eat boxed foods or foods that went through multiple stages of processing. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan spells it out very well, but I'll just give you my simple definition: Eating healthy is as close to eating dirt without actually eating dirt. Produce, grain, cheese, 1/2 pound to a pound…
on “Everything You Know About Fitness is a Lie” ↗…this perspective and the concerns it raises about our food supply. Michael Pollan has been writing compellingly on the subject for many years, and I recommend you check out The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food. They provide a well-research view of why things are so skewed in our food system, and why that is dangerous to our current and future health. "If they're truly in demand, one would expect wages or profits…
on “What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a living” ↗…re-formulated Low Glycemic Index Wonder Bread and carry on as usual. We'll be healthier, Food Industry will make another fortune, everyone's happy. Thought this would be a good opportunity to pimp the book: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. It's quite extraordinary if you are interested in your health (in the broadest sense of that word), food, and the history of Nutrition Science and the western diet.
on “Your arteries on Wonder bread” ↗2010 - Outliers, Malcom Gladwell 2011 - In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan 2012 - Born to Run, Christopher McDougall 2013 - Four Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss 2014 - Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon 2015 - Awaken the Giant Within, Tony Robbins 2016 - Black…
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade?” ↗Eat food (as opposed to processed food-like substances). Not too much. Mostly plants. Read Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food": http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594201455/ It's a whole different model from the shifting "red meat is bad" "no, carbs are bad" "avoid fat" "eat omega-3 fat!" madness that has ruled eating for decades.
on “Ask HN: Hack a healthy, yet not expensive, meal.” ↗I'm sorry, I don't have any sources other than Michael Pollan's book, "In Defense of Food," which I highly recommend anyway.
on “More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart” ↗…is one reason I find Michael Pollan's work so interesting, like "Unhappy Meals": http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.... (advice: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.") and In Defense of Food: http://www.amazon.com/Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/01431... . His basic point is that "food science" doesn't know very much, is heavily politicized, and that we don't really know on a deep level…
on “How Western Diets Are Making The World Sick ” ↗If you want to see why this is a terrible idea if you care about your health, with plenty of cites to peer-reviewed science, read "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan.
on “Soylent Campaign” ↗Reminds me of the key line from Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" book. "Eat food. Mostly Plants. Not too much." The key bit being "eat food"--real food from nature not food products invented in a lab or made in a factory. In other words does it pass the grandmother…
on “Lab analysis finds near-meat and meat not nutritionally equivalent” ↗…need them for immediate use. And for the foods you want to eat less of: don't buy them. It's very hard to eat what's not available. ________________________________ Notes: 1. Michael Pollan, from In Defense of Food, which is a good book to add to your list, though perhaps not the best starting point.
on “Ask HN: How do you decide what to eat/mealplan?” ↗…they should not, because congressmen like the bucks passed to them by the agricultural lobbies, because those bucks help them get reelected. Etc. For a real interesting read, pick up Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. It explains how the interplay between government officials who meant well and ones clinging to power through corporate dollars degraded our country's diet to the point where it's significantly less healthy…
on “FCC Says BitTorrent Throttling Illegal, EFF Releases Tool for You To Test Your ISP For It” ↗…of an 18 year old now is barely less than it was before even antibiotics. The last really large jump came with the advent of indoor plumbing. If you want more about the effects of diet on health, read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.
on “Is Food the New Sex?” ↗I just finished "In Defense of Food." Michael Pollan makes a pretty good case that the health care issue is driven by processed food - causing obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Essentially if americans ate less processed…
on “The biggest issue facing America” ↗…nutritional science makes it possible for Lucky Charms to tout health benefits on the front of their box by listing individual nutrients. This is profitable for the food industry. For more I'd recommend "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan.
on “Organic has no health benefits” ↗…It's essentially bread + toppings. Bread can be a fine healthy food, and if you pick healthy toppings, you can have a healthy pizza. I think this would be better advice. First, spend a weekend reading "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. The take away from that is the healthy eating is a systematic thing, not a matter of individual ingredients. Second, watch a lot of episodes of "Good Eats" on the Food Network.
on “Pizza And Ramen Are Hurting Your Startup” ↗