Food Politics

1489 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Government and food industry

For over a century, the government has been give us nutrition advice, telling us what we should or shouldn’t eat to stay healthy. Marion Nestles argument in her book, Food Politics, shows a corruption in the relationship between the government, principally the USDA through its dietary recommendations, the US Farm bill, and the food industry. The problem, says Marion Nestle, is that our diets are a political issue, because dietary advice affects food sales. Accordingly, corporate food companies use their relationships with people in the government, and science to push their product as a healthy choice. In other words, when it comes to consumption of food, strategic decisions are driven by economics; science, common sense, and health have very little to do with it. This explains why the food pyramid/plate has changed a number of times over the past century. It’s been influenced by the corporate food companies to drive sales. An example of this is given in chapter two of Food Politics, where the recently appointed Secretary of the U.S Department of Agriculture blocked the printing of the department’s latest food guide—the eating right pyramid. The reason for this was that the pyramid advised a dietary pattern in which people should eat more grains, fruits and vegetables, with a reduction in dairy and meat products, and even less consumption of foods high in fat and sugar. Accordingly, it’s no surprise that companies in the meat and dairy industry used their influence to prevent such a food guide from coming out. As you can see, there is a correlation between dietary advice and sales in the food industry, and therefore, corruption is inevitable.
The evolution of the kosher food industry in the United States is quite fascinating in ho...

... middle of paper ...

...f US organic food and the conventional food production. Firstly, most non-organic produce is treated with a variety of growth-enhancing substances. Secondly, Non-organic produce is commonly subjected to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grading and quality standards, which is not the case for organic produce. Thirdly, organic meats are often physically smaller then non-organic meats. The reason for this is because non-organic meats are treated with growth-enhancing substances. Lastly, various substances, such as food additives and pesticides are used on non-organic produce, which is not the case for organic. Additionally, organic products such as eggs, meats, and cheeses, come from animals that are raised without the use of antibiotics, and various other substances. Essentially, this means that organic products contains, if any, way less artificial ingredients.

Show More
Related

  • Summary of the Chapter "Nutritionism Defined"

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    Michael Pollan, an American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism (Michael Pollan), writes in his book In Defense of Food, the dangers of nutritionism and how to escape the Western diet and subsequently most of the chronic diseases the diet imparts. In the chapter “Nutritionism Defined” Pollan defines the term nutritionism. Pollan’s main assertion being how the ideology of nutritionism defines food as the sum of its nutrients, and from this viewpoint Pollan goes on to write how nutritionism divides food into two categories, with each macronutrient divided against each other as either bad or good nutrients, in a bid for focus of our food fears and enthusiasms. Finally, Pollan concludes that with the relentless focus nutritionism places on nutrients and their interplay distinctions between foods become irrelevant and abandoned.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The American Paradox By Michael Pollan

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his essay “The American Paradox”, Michael Pollan illustrates his conclusion that Americans who focus on nutrition have a higher probability of decreasing their well-being. Pollan defines the American paradox as “a notably unhealthy population preoccupied with nutrition and the idea of eating healthily.” For most of our human history, our parents and culture have influenced our diet. However, today the idea of what to eat has been based on the opinions of scientists, food markets, and nutritionists. I agree with Pollan’s argument that being preoccupied with what we eat makes us unhealthy, however, we need a balance and a sense of responsibility in what we eat.

    Read More

  • Government + Food Industry = ?

    1478 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nestle, Marion. Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Wendell Berry's 'The Pleasure Of Eating'

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    “We cannot be free if our food sources are controlled by someone else” (2). Berry argues that the average consumer buys food without question. That we depend on commercial suppliers, we are influenced by advertisements we see on TV and that interfere with our food choices. We buy what other people want us to buy. We have been controlled by the food industry, and regard eating as just something required for our survival.

    Read More

  • Eating In The American Paradox, By Michael Pollan

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Eating is an instinctual habit; however, what we decide to put in our body is a choice that will affect our way of living. In “The American Paradox,” Michael Pollan, a professor of journalism at University of California, Berkeley, disapproves of the way Americans have been eating. The term “American paradox” describes the inverse correlation where we spend more of our time on nutrition, but it would only lead to our overall health deteriorating. According to Pollan, our way of eating that had been governed with culture, or our mother, was changed by the entities of food marketers and scientists, who set up nutritional guidelines that changed the way we think about food. Nutritional advice is inaccurate as it is never proven, and it is not beneficial

    Read More

  • Kosher Diet Essay

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    Kosher products are springing up on the shelves of grocery stores, and the kosher food industry is turning to be multi-billion business. There are more than twelve million American consumers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, choosing kosher food products for reasons related to food safety, quality, vegetarianism, lactose intolerance, and dietary restriction. The U.S. market for kosher industry is estimated to be approximately $100 billion and generating over $12 billion in annual sales. The kosher business is growing at an annual rate of 15%, with 3,000 new products emerging every

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Organic Farming

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    Organic refers to the way agricultural products, food and fiber, are grown and processed. “It is an ecological system that at its core relies on a healthy rich soil to produce strong plants that resist pests and diseases. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemicals in favor of more “earth-friendly” practices that work in harmony with nature. In the case of livestock, antibiotics are prohibited, opting instead for preventative measures for keeping animals healthy and productive. Organic production also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).” (Ameriorganic) To find organic products one must only look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seal. The seal certifies the product must be 95%

    Read More

  • Escape From The Western Diet Essay

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    When we think of our national health we wonder why Americans end up obese, heart disease filled, and diabetic. Michael Pollan’s “ Escape from the Western Diet” suggest that everything we eat has been processed some food to the point where most of could not tell what went into what we ate. Pollan thinks that if America thought more about our “Western diets” of constantly modified foods and begin to shift away from it to a more home grown of mostly plant based diet it could create a more pleasing eating culture. He calls for us to “Eat food, Not too much, Mostly plants.” However, Mary Maxfield’s “Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating”, argues differently she has the point of view that people simply eat in the wrong amounts. She recommends for others to “Trust yourself. Trust your body. Meet your needs.” The skewed perception of eating will cause you all kinds of health issues, while not eating at all and going skinny will mean that you will remain healthy rather than be anorexic. Then, as Maxfield points out, “We hear go out and Cram your face with Twinkies!”(Maxfield 446) when all that was said was eating as much as you need.

    Read More

  • The American Paradox, By Michael Pollan

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nutrition and health have become more popular in today 's society. Our generation is becoming more and more indebted to the idea of being healthy and eating nutritious meals. However, in “The American Paradox,” by Michael Pollan he argues that our unhealthy population is preoccupied with nutrition and the idea of eating healthy than their actual health. He also mentions the food industry, nutrition science and how culture affects the way we eat and make food choices. While Pollan is right about all these factor that affect our eating habits, there is more to it than that. Convenience, affordability and social influence also affects our food choices making them inadequate.

    Read More

  • The Americanization of Food

    1403 Words  | 3 Pages

    Food is traditionally considered as a simple means of subsistence but has developed to become filled with cultural, psychological, religious, and emotional significance. Consequently, food is currently used as a means of defining shared identities and symbolizes religious and group customs. In the early 17th and 18th centuries, this mere means of subsistence was considered as a class maker but developed to become a symbol of national identity in the 19th centuries. In the United States, food has been influenced by various cultures such as Native American, Latin America, and Asian cultures. Consequently, Americans have constantly Americanized the foods of different cultures to become American foods. The process on how Americans have Americanized different cultures’ foods and reasons for the Americanization is an important topic of discussion.

    Read More

  • In Defense Of Food Essay

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    The only problem with Michael Pollan’s outlook on nutritionism is the fact that he is completely against scientific research on the subject because history in this matter has not been reliable. With any good, there is also bad that follows. This relates to scientific research on nutrients which have provided many useful things to society, yet brought some evils such as processed foods which have plagued the American Diet for many years. Amongst all the countries in the world the United States of America has a population in which two-thirds of their people are obese. When it comes to processed foods, people should take this chemically engineered food with a grain of salt, take a more traditional approach and use current knowledge to promote a healthy

    Read More

  • Government Should Have A Say In Our Diets

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    The government must have a say in our diets. Because the issues of obesity have already reached national scales, because the costs of obesity and related health issues have gone far beyond reasonable limits, and because fighting nutritional issues is impossible without fighting poverty and other social issues, the government should control the range and the amount of available foods. The cost of healthier foods should decrease. The access to harmful foods should be limited. In this way, the government will be able to initiate a major shift in nutritional behaviors and attitudes in society.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Persuasive Speech On Organic Food

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sup Point B: Organic food is different from conventional food in several ways. Organic food uses natural resources like manure and compost in to enrich the soil where food is being grown. Any form of chemicals such as pesticides are not permitted to be used in any form. Organic farmers use crop rotation to preserve the soil. Organic farmersdo not ...

    Read More

  • Processed Food Should or Should not Be Banned from School Meals?

    3534 Words  | 8 Pages

    The 'Secondary'. Food politics: how the food industry influences nutrition and health.

    Read More

  • Organic Foods vs. Non-organic Foods

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    First of all, the main reason that people choose organic food is that people think organic foods have less chemical residue, such as pesticide, and fertilizer. In the article “Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer”, Crinnion indicated that organic foods just had 33 percent of the amount of pesticide and fertilizer residues that found in conventional foods, and conventional foods contain two or more types of chemical residues than organic foods (Crinnion, 2010). In addition, Crinnion used a study of Seattle preschoolers as an example to demonstrate organic foods have less pesticide residues. The study of Seattle concluded that children who ate more conventional foods had six times higher level of pesticide resi...

    Read More

More about Food Politics

Open Document