Book Talk B

Chapter 6

From experience I am under the impression Americans are known for eating more than they should. Pollan supports that by explains how we have all been some of the ways we have been heavily influenced to eat more than what is healthy. People simply just eat what is in front of them. Once they eat that the meal is over, because people do not want to look like “gluttons” as Kroc would describe it. Which describes McDonald’s business tactics. This is an example of a company that has reduced prices in bigger serving sizes just to raise profits. This same scenario is a parallel to cokes bottles which have increased in size from 8 ounces to 22 ounces today. While people prefer bigger quantities of food, they are gaining weight, putting a stress on their metabolism, which only eventually leds to health problems.

This information all seems a little more obvious to the naked eye. it is clear that american suffer from big portioned meals. this is shown simply in most restaurants, and just the phyical state of our bodies. All people have to do is to become more aware of food quantities.

Chapter 7

The final chapter of Pollans industrial food section. After depriving where all the food really comes from this part is eating the actually meal. It must be hard eating the meal after knowing what he does now. The strange thing is, American never seem to question where the food comes from. Do they care? Is it worth knowing? People give themselves the answers they want to hear for the most part, so have no problem chowing down. But the industrial meal he now is eating, processed and all containing corn. Although we may not eat corn as it is naturally, it ends up in our food. The energy used to that process is abysmal, “the amount of food energy lost in the making of something like a Chicken McNugget could feed a great many more children than just mine.” (118)

Chapter 8

Another beginning of another interesting quest all about Pastoral Grass. Where Pollan actually visits a farm. It is filled with different types of crops and filled with livestock like chicken, turkey, rabbits, and eggs. The farm run by a “Grass farmer” named Joel Salatin. He is that type of farmer due to the fact that his farm would not be possible without the production of grass. It provides the working farm with food for the animals, which leds to manure for more healthy grass to grow. The animals all help out with the natural system of growing food. No fancy machines, but a fully functional natural system of food production if you ask me.

Chapter 9

I would just like to say WHOLE FOODS IS GREAT! My family gets most of our food there, we are proud and returning costumers because we seem to think it is just better. I don’t have a good enough reason to explain our preference. But that is why I found this chapter particular interesting. Pollan visits one of the many whole foods stores. He begins to read the labels; on top of that he does what most people don’t and started to question the truth of the labels. Bringing up the question; do the label express reality or just inspiring wording? Pollan talks about the expectations people have acquired. People need food to be accessible all the time, in different varieties and they want to feel good about where their food comes from, “The word ‘organic’ has become one of the most powerful words in the supermarket.” Where does this thinking come from? Well, pollan traces it back to 1940, J.I Rodale who spread the idea of healthy food through his writing in a magazine.

Chapter 10

Salatin refers to himself as a “grass farmer.” That’s the main factor keeping his farm functioning. He has a designated area for his cows to graze, Although grazing has a precise schedule. If the cows eat to early, you increase the risk of killing all the grass. On the other hand if the cows eat to late the grass is fibrous and so they wont eat it. Who knew there was so much strategy involved? Along with timing and other props like electric fences Salatin has created an efficient functional system. So Pollan is curious; why people have moved on from the system of agriculture. Well as it turns out, in our benefit grass is not always the best meal for cows. Most of the time grass can have an effect on the quality of meat, which is risky for business. However corn feeds cows and produces more meat faster. Not to mention how much cheaper corn is.

I would not that thought grass would be so challenging to grow and sustain. This is book continues to trace our methods back to very the very beginning. It further investigates all the little factors that make our way of life functional. Everything is connects, where everything has an effect on something else. Without parts of this book Its hard to see past a certain point in the series of events.