Michael Pollan Defends Food In His New Book

A "Thank you." to RB who sent along this NPR interview with Michael Pollan.

Author Comes To Natural Food's 'Defense'

Pollan, author of the recent (2006) New York Times' best seller, "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals", has a new book (2008), "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto".

His manifesto, in 7 words:

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

I liked this part:

"You're going to have to spend either more time or more money, and perhaps a little bit of both," Pollan says. "And I think that's just the reality. It's really a question of priorities, and we have, in effect, devalued food. And what I'm arguing is to move it a little closer to the center of our lives, and that we are going to have to put more into it, but that it will be very rewarding if we do."

Ok, I don't like so much the part about spending more time. Ack. But I think he's right. And I love the way he said it ... moving food "a little closer to the center of our lives." I've found that the further back I purchase my food on the food processing continuum, the more time I spend, well, processing food.

Pollan also says:

"Don't eat anything that your great-great grandmother would not recognize as food."

I think I'll pioneer a little beyond that advice. If it wasn't a potato or salt cod, my great-great grandmother might not have recognized it.
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