Is that food?

originally published Thursday, February 8th 2007

Would my great-great-grandmother eat this?
The food world is unnecessarily confusing these days. The more you read, the more conflicting views you find on what foods you should eat. Scientific studies, "revolutionary diets" and health claims abound. But before doctors, nutritionists, journalists and that girl in the office next door told us what we should eat, how did we know?

The answer is simple, tradition.

I strongly urge everyone to read the article written by Michael Pollan printed in NY Times Magazine Sunday, January 28th. In "Unhappy Meals" , Pollan takes on the issue of what to eat with gusto, but not without humor.
I support the following suggestions:

• Eat food your great-great-grandmother would recognize as food. Which means that those Soy Protein Crisps and that Blue Gatorade are probably out.

• Avoid processed food with health claims. 'When Kellogg's can boast about it's Healthy Heart Strawberry Vanilla cereal bars, health claims have become hopelessly compromised. (The American Heart Association charges food makers for their endorsement.) Don't take the silence of the yams as a sign they have nothing valuable to say about health."

• Avoid food products with more than five ingredients, especially if you cannot pronounce them. I have long exercised this policy when shopping for food. I tend not to eat things when It's not obvious where they've come from.

• Buy food as close to the source as possible. Shopping at local farmer's markets really eliminates the guess work. Download a map of NYC green markets here.

• Pay more for better food and eat less. Americans spend more money and time worrying about their diets than actually enjoying food. Quality food fills you up faster and leaves you more satisfied.

• Cook! Cooking is becoming a lost tradition, where it once was an essential element of life. Our ancestors spent half their lives growing and procuring food. We can spare a few minutes a day. I suggest starting with breakfast.

• Food is more than fuel. Eat more like the French, the Greeks, or any society more traditional than our own who values food as communion, pleasure and part of their culture. Enjoying food in a myriad of ways benefits your health. Share food with friends and you'll see.

• Eat like an omnivore. Restricted diets do more harm than good, not just to our bodies but to biodiversity. Try new species of foods. The more varied your diet the more likely it is to be healthful.

For so much more, check out the full article. If you don't have time to read it now, print it out and read it later. It's that important.