Book Review: "In Defense of Food"

I love listening to audiobooks especially when I'm taking a walk, prepping food, or putting away laundry. I recently finished listening to "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan, which actually is a bit older of a book than I realized, from 2008. I gleaned so many interesting facts from the book, that I would love to share with you. I encourage you to read or listen to it as well; it's a relatively quick read!

While I didn't agree with everything in the book, I think it has some important takeaways that can serve us all as we live our lives for the Lord. Some of these may seem obvious, but it is always nice to have a succinct list that can be referred to if our nutrition feels off.

• Much of what we are eating today is not food - Try to stick to a majority of whole, real foods instead of processed "food."

• The Western diet is linked to many of the chronic diseases we are facing - Processed foods, refined grains, reduction in biodiversity of diet, added sugar all are affecting our health in a negative manner.

• There has been a shift in eating food to eating for nutrients - Many foods will supplement whatever the "it" nutrient of the year happens to be. The whole of the food is more important than its nutrient parts.

• Replacing saturated fats with low-fat carbs and added sugars is causing fat to be retained - Excess refined carbohydrates and added sugars can cause our bodies to hold onto fat instead of burning it for fuel.

• We are overfed but undernourished - The cheapest foods (grains, sugar, junk food) are also commonly the least nutritious.

• Avoid foods with unfamiliar, unpronounceable ingredients, foods with more than 5 ingredients on their nutrition label, and foods with high-fructose corn syrup - Try to stick to ingredients you can recognize and use when you cook from scratch yourself.

• Stick to the peripheries of the grocery store - This is where the healthiest choices are -- vegetables and fruits, meat, dairy, eggs, etc.

• Try to eat a large diversity of foods - By eating many different plants (beyond corn, soy, wheat, and rice) and animals, we can better get the nutrients our body needs to thrive.

• There is no magic bullet - Eating the celebrated food of the moment isn't going to cure you of the health issues you may be facing. Persistence and continuing to put in the work even when it's mundane and boring will get you closer to your goals.

• Focus on quality over quantity - Slow down and cook, focus on the ingredients, take your time savoring the food you eat with others if you can.

• Give thanks - Give thanks to God who created the blessings we have been given, in food and in life. He is the Creator of it all, and deserves our thanks and praise.

I hope some of my takeaways and thoughts from "In Defense of Food" resonated with you. If you have any questions, or would like to pursue nutrition coaching with me by your side every step of the way, please reach out! I would love to hear from you!