How Ultraprocessed Foods Work

In 'In Defense of Food', Michael Pollan argues that the Western diet, characterized by highly processed foods and a focus on individual nutrients, has led to increased rates of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. He proposes a simple yet profound alternative: 'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. ' This approach emphasizes the importance of whole, unprocessed foods, moderate portions, and a diet rich in plant-based foods. Pollan critiques the food industry and nutritional science for creating confusion about what constitutes healthy eating and advocates for a return to traditional, culturally informed ways of eating.

In 'The Omnivore's Dilemma', Michael Pollan investigates the American food system by tracing the origins of four meals: one from McDonald's (representing industrial food), one from Whole Foods (representing industrial organic food), one from Polyface Farm (a sustainable farm), and one that he hunts, gathers, and grows himself. The book delves into the politics, perils, and pleasures of eating, highlighting the profound consequences of everyday food choices on health, the environment, and society. Pollan's narrative takes readers from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots to organic farms and hunting grounds, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between humans and the food they consume.

In 'The Dorito Effect', Mark Schatzker examines the impact of industrialized food production on the flavor of food. Since the 1940s, agricultural practices have resulted in larger, cheaper, but blander food. Simultaneously, technological advancements have enabled the creation of artificial flavors to compensate for this loss. Schatzker argues that this interference with the natural chemical language of flavor has led to increased consumption of low-quality, highly craveable but nutritionally empty foods, contributing to health crises such as obesity and related diseases. The book suggests a return to eating real, flavorful food as a solution to these health issues.