Science of Perception Box

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How Food Affects Your Mind with Michael Pollan

Jan 23, 2025

Guest

Michael Pollan

Join journalist Michael Pollan, who's spent decades exploring our connection with food and nature. He discusses how ultra-processed foods skew our perceptions of nutrition and the emotional impact of what we eat. Pollan advocates for reconnecting with whole foods, educated eating, and understanding modern agriculture. He unpacks the co-evolution of humans and plants, focusing on consciousness-altering substances like caffeine and psychedelics, exploring their effects on creativity and identity.

46:29

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INSIGHT

Food Shapes Mood And Cognition

Food powerfully shifts mood and cognition, but research is still limited.
Sugar and hunger state dramatically change behavior and perception.

insights

INSIGHT

Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Overeating

Ultra-processed foods drive overeating even when macronutrients are matched.
People ate about 500 extra calories daily on ultra-processed diets in studies.

insights

INSIGHT

Fiber, Microbiome, And Satiety Matter

Processed foods often lack fiber and feed the body differently, altering satiety.
They also bypass the microbiome, denying the trillions of organisms we should feed.

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Food, Mood, and the Science of Choices

02:11 • 11min

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The Changing Landscape of Food and Consumption

13:27 • 5min

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From Garden to Agriculture: Unpacking GMOs and Industrial Farming

18:27 • 2min

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The Interplay of Agriculture and Human Desire

20:47 • 4min

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Caffeine, Psychedelics, and Consciousness

25:03 • 17min

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Public Faces, Private Selves

42:02 • 4min

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#5299

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

Cooked

A Natural History of Transformation

Michael Pollan

In 'Cooked', Michael Pollan delves into the art and science of cooking, examining how the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—transform raw ingredients into edible and nutritious food. The book is divided into sections that focus on different cooking techniques: grilling with fire, braising with water, baking bread with air, and fermenting with earth. Pollan apprentices himself to various culinary masters to learn these techniques and explores the social, ecological, and historical contexts of cooking. He argues that cooking is essential for human well-being and that the outsourcing of cooking to corporations has significant negative impacts on health, culture, and society. The book emphasizes the importance of reclaiming cooking as an act of self-reliance and enjoyment, highlighting its role in connecting us with nature, culture, and each other.

#1274

• Mentioned in 21 episodes

In Defense of Food

An Eater's Manifesto

Michael Pollan

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.

#2377

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

This Is Your Mind on Plants

Michael Pollan

In this book, Michael Pollan delves into the world of three plant-based drugs: opium, caffeine, and mescaline. Through a blend of history, science, memoir, and participatory journalism, Pollan examines the cultural, historical, and personal contexts of these substances. He explores why humans are drawn to these plants and how they have been perceived and regulated differently over time. The book challenges the conventional narratives around these drugs, presenting them in a more nuanced and neutral light, and highlights their profound impact on human consciousness and our relationship with nature.

#711

• Mentioned in 32 episodes

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

Michael Pollan

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.

#2825

• Mentioned in 11 episodes

The botany of desire

a plant's eye view of the world

Michael Pollan

In 'The Botany of Desire,' Michael Pollan examines how people and domesticated plants have formed a mutually beneficial relationship. He links four basic human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that fulfill them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. Pollan illustrates how these plants have evolved to meet human needs and how, in turn, humans have helped these plants spread and thrive. The book delves into the history and impact of these plants on human society, highlighting the complex and often reciprocal nature of the relationship between humans and plants.

Humans have a symbiotic relationship with plants. Plants coevolved to suit our desires for nourishment, beauty, and altering consciousness. Journalist Michael Pollan has investigated the human connection to plants. This week on Science of Perception Box, Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch ask Pollan about modern trends like ultra-processed foods, industrialized agriculture, and consciousness-altering drugs from plants including caffeine, cannabis, and psychedelics.

For more than 30 years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in our minds. Pollan is the author of eight books, six of which have been New York Times bestsellers. In 2003, Pollan was appointed the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and the director of the Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism. In 2020, along with Dacher Keltner and others, he cofounded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.

Dr. Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

Dr. Christof Koch is Chief Scientist for the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and the current Meritorious Investigator and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

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Episode Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:26) - The Profound Impact of Food on Mood and Perception

(04:17) - Exploring Ultra-Processed Foods and Their Effects

(06:45) - The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Food

(10:29) - The Connection Between Food, Culture, and Education

(17:46) - Michael Pollan's Journey into Food and Agriculture

(21:42) - The Symbiotic Relationship Between Humans and Plants

(22:55) - The Human Desire to Alter Consciousness

(25:15) - The Transparent Experience of Coffee

(25:47) - Caffeine's Benefits and Drawbacks

(26:38) - Exploring Consciousness-Altering Substances

(27:18) - Psychedelics and Cultural Evolution

(29:02) - Creativity and Psychedelics

(32:52) - The Nature of Ego and Consciousness

(41:11) - Public vs. Private Self

(45:31) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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