You Are What We Eat Analysis

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We have all heard the phrase “you are what you eat” at some point in our lives. Most of us simply brush it off, regarding it as just another tactic our mothers use to get us to try new things. This phrase has been used time and time again and it turns out, Mom was right, the food we eat does affect who we are in many ways. This theme of identifying ourselves with the food we consume is portrayed in both the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and the documentary Supersize Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock. In the article “Mom Was Right: You Are What You Eat.,” David Katz states:
Just as our homes are made from lumber without looking like trees, our bodies are made from the nutrients we extract from foods without resembling those …show more content…

Many live very fast-paced lives with rigorous schedules. Most people work full-time jobs, and do not arrive home until later in the evening. This makes the convenience of fast food more appealing than slaving over the stove after a long day at work. Due to these demanding schedules, people do not have time to prepare a healthy meal and in most cases settle for an unhealthy alternative, usually in the form of fast food. They are forced to eat what is readily available since limited options are presented. Kingsolver states:
Though they also may be busy with jobs and modern life, people the world over still take time to follow foodways that bring their families happiness and health. My family happens to live in a country where the main foodway has a yellow line painted down the middle. (39)
This presents the issue of why some countries, amidst their hectic lifestyles, continue to find time to prepare home cooked meals. Also, why the United States persistently defaults to the more convenient fast food option. We are hurting ourselves in the future by making these decisions today. The decisions we make today may lead to negative consequences in the future, “Arterial-plaque specials that save minutes now can cost years, later on” (Kingsolver 130). A conscious effort must be made in order to live a happier and healthier

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