Last week Michael Pollan was on Oprah to discuss the documentary Food Inc. I recorded it and I have watched it three times. If you have not seen this film, rent it, buy it, or borrow it. In one word it is EMPOWERING! I have heard other words and phrases to describe the film..."disturbing", "sad", "eye-opening", "it made me a vegan", and "I should just live in a cave because there is nothing safe to eat". In my opinion, that is NOT the purpose of the film. Yes, it can be disturbing and eye-opening. But, it doesn't need to scare you away from food or cause you to avoid anything that comes from an animal. I believe [most] animals are on this earth to provide nutrients for us (among other things), we just need to take better care of them. Additionally, they should not be the basis of our diet. Definitely not, "200 pounds per person per year."
Mr. Pollan sums up his belief into one, profound phrase..."Eat food, mostly plants, not too much." He also stated, "A lot of what you see in the supermarket I would argue is not really food. It's what I call edible, food-like substances." I couldn't agree with him more. He mentioned to Oprah that the supermarket can be so confusing, that there are cereals (Frosted Mini Wheats) promising to improves a child's focus in school. Those little wheat square may be "made with whole grain", but they are full of sugar. Yes, food companies are trying to fool us into thinking their products are truly healthy...most of them aren't. It is up to us to become educated, look at the label, read the ingredients, and decided if that is something we want to bring home to our family.
Another EXTREMELY interesting topic discussed was the amount of money we spend on food. "We spend less on our food than any people who have ever lived, than any people on earth - 9.5 percent of our income." Michael stated, "In 1960 18% of our national income was spent on food, and only 5% on healthcare. Today, 9% of our income is spent on food and a whopping 17% on healthcare. THE LESS WE SPEND ON FOOD THE MORE WE SPEND ON HEALTHCARE." It's true, American's LOVE cheap food. This is the American way, this is what has lead to the Western Diet - a diet that is high in fat and sugar and low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Before the Western Diet, populations did not have high levels of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc.
All these stats sure made me smile because I personally spend more money at the grocery store than most people I know who are in a similar situation (my age, married, children, financial...) and it was wonderful for my husband to hear. He would always encourage me to buy cheaper food (like the Captin Crunch that was 5 for $5) so we could save some money. I would always tell him otherwise, plus I couldn't be caught dead walking out of Harmon's with a sack full of Captin Crunch!!! I definitely do the best I can with the food budget I have and I am proud of it. I have to admit I was already doing a lot to support the cause of Food Inc. before I saw it, but there are a few things that it pushed me to be better at...
1. Buy fruits and vegetables in their proper season & reading where they were grown
2. Eating/preparing more meatless meals (which is easy for me, but hard for my hubby)
3. Purchasing grass-fed beef (which we only consume about once per week)
I know this topic may be a lot to take it, but the beautiful thing is that we all have the power to improve our food system. Pick 3 things that you can do better at. When those become normal, pick 3 more. Here are some examples...
1. Plant a garden this spring (only a few months away)
2. Support local agriculture and visit those farms (I am going to see the cows that supply milk for Winder Diary next month)
3. Cook more, eat out less
4. Support Meatless Monday
5. Buy free-range poultry and eggs (it really isn't much more expensive)
6. Avoid the cookie and cracker aisle
7. Don't buy cereals that are 5 for $5 they are likely the horrible kind
8. Drink more water and less soda
9. Read where your produce is coming from and pick a few to purchase organic
10. If you want junk food, bake it (one rule from Food Rules)
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