A TRUE Omnivore

I found this section of the book probably the most interesting so far, because it is something that everyone has seen or heard of throughout most of their lives, and at this point in time more-so. Pollan talks about how we as humans have a need to have both meat and herbs in our diet, and how so people may take that idea and try to make their own "healthy" diet. Every animal is created to be able to eat certain things, and some things not. This was explained by the story of the monarch butterfly and how it only eats the milkweed because it has everything that could be needed for survival. However humans are a little more complex and require a lot more nutrients and minerals to keep our bodies going. Out teeth are able to not only tear meat like a carnivore, but also grind plants like a herbivore and our jaws make this capable for this action to happen. We were given this ability to use it. You see new ads everyday of the healthiest diets ever of the sure way to shedding unwanted poundage before beach season, however very few of those diets incorporate the use of all the blocks of the food pyramid. I also found the section to explain how the possibility of brain size may also influence diet. The fact that as our brains become more mature and grown they tend to become less picky, and really open up their food variety choices.

In chapter 17 the idea of animals eating animals becomes apparent. To me the idea of eating another animal is simply the food chain. Granted I agree that for the most part, the animals are treated very inhumanly for the production of food products. However, if we were to take time and care into preparing every single chicken, cow, and turkey, the amount of time spent on this process would not only drastically increase the price of the product, but also decrease the amount of output product. No emotions attach I think what is being done to produce the food should be left to the professionals. That being said, I will say that free range chicken/beef is much more satisfying at the expense of cost. After watching the video Food Inc. I definitely got a wake-up call into what REALLY goes on in feedlots. I knew the process was bad and gruesome, but that was just plain sick. However, even after seeing that, I am not going to vow and stop eating meat products all together. The food tastes good, its filling, and it keeps people healthy, which is really what people are looking for in a meal, satisfaction.

What I REALLY say!

In Chapter four of They say, I say the author summarizes the best way to give constructive feedback in the form of agreeing, disagreeing, or agreeing with some modification. Although most would give feedback with a simple agree or disagree, few would will disagree with reasons, and that is exactly what the author is trying to portray. Anyone can tell an author they do not like a piece of homework, however that does not help the author in anyway, shape, or form. With the use of reasoning the author can find what they did good on, and what they could improve. Also, one way find themselves torn between the disagree and agree aspect of things, and in this case, would bring forth the "Yes, but..." statement. I found this part very interesting because everyone uses it although they may not know it. We all have been involved in an argument or a debate and used the line, and usually you follow the line with a form of back-up or evidence. I found this reading both information and helpful as I am the type who likes to debate, no necessarily to win an argument, but to improve my keys points by exchanging ideas with another person on the opposing side of a controversial topic

What is really what it says it is? Organic foods? Surely companies can't lie to you and tell you what you want to hear to buy their product... or can they? Everyday you see the cans on the shelf "NOT injected with growth hormone...." or "Compare to ..." It seems the only way anyone can sell a product is by lying or publicly bashing another company. Oh but wait! its not lying! It's a sale tactic, you give the buyer what they want to hear, that if they use your product they will begin to live the healthy lives there parents wanted them to. Seems something like this should be illegal, or in-just, buts it's not.

Most describe it as "Stretching the truth" or "Sugar coating it" but what is really going on is good old fashion false advertising. Michael Pollan identified this travesty in chapter nine and tried to explain what one must do to get ALL the facts in what is really used to make that organic granola bar. Of all the labels on those food products you find little stories that take you on a personal adventure as to how that food was made, however, I find it hard to believe that farmers really take all the time and effort to produce bright red, fat, plump, delicious tomatoes, without using a drop of some sort of growth hormone.

(Scholarly source)

URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122637815/PDFSTART