In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Many good points, but not without flaws

2008-05-02
I have some mixed feelings about this book. The first section, "The Age of Nutritionism", is very strong and contains a fairly detailed history and critique of nutritional advice, in particular how it has developed since World War II. Even in my short lifetime, I have noticed the demonization of fat give way to the current demonization of carbs, not to mention near-daily nutritional analysis updates on omega-3s, antioxidants, trans fats, etc. -- all of which I found a bit suspect. So I found this section of the book quite interesting, learning some of the history behind these nutritional fads I'd already observed.

The second and third sections of the book were also fairly good, though I have reservations about some of his advice. After lambasting nutritional scientists for "reductionist science", i.e. concentrating on the positive and deleterious effects of individual nutrients on health rather than the effects of whole foods, he goes off on a tangent lamenting the lack of omega-3 fatty acids in the Western diet. He is acutely aware of this gaffe, as he briefly addresses it and others in the intro to the last third of the book, but gives little explanation as to why he concentrates on a single class of nutrients like this, after complaining about the same kind of thinking! Granted, the prevalence of fish in all (or nearly all) primitive diets lends credence to the assumption that various nutrients in fish are beneficial to the human diet, but it seems a bit absurd to concentrate just on omega-3s rather than the whole fish.

That would be my only major complaint about the book, though I do have a few minor nit-picks here and there as well. Overall, though, I think the dietary advice herein is both sound and simple. Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. Get involved with a shorter food chain (e.g. farmer's markets or CSA) when you can, and be cautious about your consumption of overly processed foods, though I would add that the occasional indulgence is probably not all that detrimental to your health.

Insightful and thought-provoking

2008-04-30
This book ought to be on the shelf of any self-respecting foodie. For anyone who is concerned about getting the most out of the universal human act of eating, I recommend this book without qualification. It is well-researched and the subject matter is engrossing.

In Defense of Food

2008-04-28
Fabulous book about the real value of real food. I recommend it to anyone who is willing to read the truth.

It will make you rethink how you eat

2008-04-28
This is truly an amazing book. Pollan writes in a style that makes information really accessible. It will definitely make you rethink how and what you eat. It is far better than most 'diet' books some people devour. I'd also recommend his previous book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" if you're interested about the ecological and ethical ramifications of the food chain.

Best Food Book I've Ever Read!

2008-04-21
Very frustrated with our current food situation, I picked this book up hoping for some help on figuring out what to eat and what not to eat. What a revelation! I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes for the last 40 years. We go to the supermarket and wonder why it's so hard to figure out what to buy- but Pollan shows us the truth in his book. "In Defense of Food" does what it says it will- defends food. The shocker is in the title- but you've got to read the book to find out what food really is!