Food Rules

Yes, food rules, as in it's awesome, but I am referring to the title of one of Michael Pollan's books. Michael Pollan is best selling author and one that is revered in the health/food blogging world. He's written seven books, notables being The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and Food Rules. So far, I've read In Defense of Food and I've quickly read Food Rules.

When I was in NYC last week, I had the pleasure of staying with a friend who has a library I admire. She has everything from classics to nutrition to travel to Harry Potter! I was delighted to see that she had Food Rules
because I wanted to read it, so I sat down with the book and skimmed the whole thing in about an hour. Here's a blurb from his website that gives the book's synopsis:

"Eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. In this age of ever-more elaborate diets and conflicting health advice, Food Rules brings a welcome simplicity to our daily decisions about food. Written with the clarity, concision and wit that has become bestselling author Michael Pollan’s trademark, this indispensable handbook lays out a set of straightforward, memorable rules for eating wisely, one per page accompanied by a concise explanation. It’s an easy-to-use guide that draws from a variety of traditions, suggesting how different cultures through the ages have arrived at the same enduring wisdom about food. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat buffet, this is the perfect guide for anyone who ever wondered, 'What should I eat?'"


Food Rules features 64 rules and Pollan briefly discusses each. They are so straight forward that there is no use in saying more than a few paragraphs. Another thing is that these rules are so obvious! For example:

#25: eat your colors (natural colors of course, Fruit Loops don't count)
#46: stop eating before you're full
#60: treat treats as treats

#60 is so hard for a lot of people. We have so much access to sugary foods and foods that should be considered treats, e.g. ice cream, Cokes, cookies, etc. However, these foods have turned into daily staples for a lot of people. People are drinking Cokes and eating treats as regularly or more than fruits and vegetables. Instead of treating treats as treats, people are celebrating every day. My question is: are we ever going to get past our sugar addiction? I'm guilty too: cookies are probably my favorite food. However, my willpower is stronger than my desire for cookies (most of the time) so I don't eat sweets every day.

Here are some other good ones:

#20: It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car
#54: Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper
#57: Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does

Food Rules is a good read and definitely worth checking out. The book is full of common sense and ideas that are so simple - we should be reminded of them every day!