Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments for Eating

Mr. Hartan's Science Class

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Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments for Eating

November 21, 2008 at 9:30 am · Filed under Environmental Science

EAT LIKE MICHAEL POLLAN by Lloyd Alter, Toronto (Planet Green)

Michael Pollan has written a new book, In Defense of Food (2008, Penguin Press), in which he is critical of not only the way we eat, but also the way we are told to eat. He calls it nutritionism.”It’s a way of thinking,” he tells the Globe and Mail, “that elevates nutrients above the food itself, that tells us food is foremost about health.”

His prescription: Make your own dinner. “By giving time back to our meals,” he says, “you’ll gain in the education and civilization of your children, you’ll gain in terms of health and you’ll also gain pleasure. Maybe there’s a reason why, for most of human history, food has been close to the centre of life. And maybe there’s much to gain by putting it back where it belongs.” Here’s how to eat, the Michael Pollan way:

1. Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food: By concentrating on pre-modern foods, you avoid overprocessed products. Another way of putting it: Don’t eat anything incapable of rotting.2. Avoid products containing ingredients that are (a) unfamiliar (b) unpronounceable (c) more than five in number, or that include (d) high-fructose corn syrup: Ethoxylated monoglycerides? Enough said.

3. Avoid food products that make health claims: The creations of food science make louder claims than the produce department does, though the added benefits may not be clear. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation awards its Health Check symbol of assurance to Safeway Caramel Swirl Dairy Dessert and Stouffer’s Skillet Sensations Shrimp Alfredo, as well as to Heinz Chicken and Pasta SpongeBob Shapes Condensed Soup.

4. Eat mostly plants, especially leaves: If researchers agree on anything, it’s that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces health risks. Leaves are filling, low in calories, and high in antioxidants and fibre.

5. Eat wild foods when you can: Wild greens have higher levels of useful phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids. Wild fish have higher omega-3 levels than grain-fed farmed fish.

6. Regard non-traditional foods with skepticism: Chinese tofu recipes may be healthy, but the jury is out on the value of the soy isoflavones used as an additive in processed foods.

7. Have a glass of wine with dinner: Or two. Moderate drinkers appear to live longer and suffer less heart disease than teetotallers do.

8. Pay more, eat less: Good food (in both taste and nutritional value) costs more, but this makes you eat more discerningly.

9. Eat meals: No more business-meeting snacks, TV treats, or in-car munching. And family dinners should be just that-one meal for everyone, not personalized microwave entrées.

10. Do all your eating at a table: Desks and couches don’t count.

11. Consult your gut: Studies have shown that we tend to clear our plates no matter how supersized the portion is. A simple way to reduce calories is to eat slowly and stop when you’re full, if not before.

YOU ARE WRITING A 2-3 PARAGRAPH REACTION/REFLECTION ON THE ABOVE ARTICLE

Click HERE for an audio/video interview with Michael Pollen on Democracy Now! (Includes Transcript)

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50 Comments »

Jake g. wrote @ November 21, 2008 at 6:45 pm

I think Micheal Polland is right. America is becoming way to obese and it isn’t just how much people are eating, it’s also what they are eating. I also think that if people would watch what they eat and excersize they could be more fit. Excersize is very important to staying healthy, you should excersize at least an hour a day. Excersize doesn’t have to be a chore, you can have fun with it maybe play football or soccer with your friends.

My favorite of all the 12 commandements is #1 because it is true and I like the name. It is true because many foods today are made to last a lot longer than they should for shelf life and it’s a little disgusting if you ask me. The way the author put it is also funny because my grandmother wouldn’t want something that lasted forever because thats just not natural. I also agree that you should make your own food because I think if you make it yourself it is healthier.

Brittany J wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 2:31 pm

I think that what Michael Pollan had to say is one hundred percent true. Eating is important in everybody’s lives and provides an excellent source of energy. I also agree with the 11 ways to eat correctly. it’s good to eat the right foods and Pollan tells the reader how to do that.
By following the steps that Pollan created, people can still eat, but the right foods and the right portions. They will be able to eat things that are healthy and that are recognizable to someone. It’s not good to eat things with unknown ingredients in them. Also, by sitting down and eating a real meal with the family, it will make eating and cooking fun and nutritious for evrybody. Pollan has found the key to eating right and wants to share it with everyone.

Bradford (Ford) F. wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 3:56 pm

I think that all of these rules are very effetive and correct as far as living a healthy lifestyle. I think that basically if all of these rules are followed with very few occasional exceptions, then there really is no way to get food-indueced unhealthiness or sickness.

Bradford (Ford) F. wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 4:04 pm

I agree with pretty much all of these rules. If them are followed, then there is really nio way that a person could get food-born disease or odesity.
If a person eats only natural “unedited” foods, then they will not be taking in artificial flavors, artificial preservetives, or anything else with the word “artificial” in it. With all natural foods, there can be almost no diseases from the food.

Mary C wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 6:04 pm

I think he makes a good point, however, in pointing out that a lot of households that couldn’t necessarily afford to “eat less, pay more” can afford cell phones or cable TV. Is having cable really more important that eating decent food? Besides, these are general recommendations. I think the real takeaway is simply to care more about what goes into our mouths, no matter what the income level we are in.
Also, I love the suggestion that farmers’ markets and CSAs should accept food stamps. That requires intervention from the government.

Shannon B wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 8:57 pm

What Michael had to say, I found very interesting because all of his facts he presented I have never heard before. I have heard the typical, “eat a piece of fruit” or “don’t eat junk” but never anything like what Michael said. I have learned a lot about eating habits and food choices I should make. I found it useful to know that eating wild foods have a higher level of omega 3 fatty acids. For example, wild fish are better for you than grain-fed farmed fish. The next time I have fish, I will keep this statement in mind. I found interesting that you shouldn’t eat a food that you cannot pronounce the ingredient of probably because it is artificial and cheap which generally isn’t a healthy product to be eating on a regular basis. A second thing I found important to know when eating is to not just clear your plate but to eat slowly until you are full. This is important because you may finish your food and consume more than what your body was hungry for.
I think it is very important that people like Michael post articles like this to warn people about food hazards. It is important that people eat healthy because without these cautions, damage like heart disease can risk your life. After reading this, I think I will eat my foods with more concern for my health and make healthier choices. I will also consume my food slower and always eat my meals at the table and never at a desk or a couch. To conclude, Michael has some influential ideas about eating and I will make sure to include them in my days before something dreadful happens like heart disease.

Brooke R. wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 10:41 pm

I learned a lot of things that I didn’t know from this article. I thought this article was just going to talk about vegetables, fruits,and greens. I didn’t expect to learn about when and where you should eat. I really agree with the last commandment, because I know that it often common when people are little, their parents often say that they can’t go out and play until they finish all of their food. I know that is what may parents and many of my friends parents said when we were little.

I didn’t expect to learn as many things as I did. I think that they should tell more about the commandments in the descriptions under each commandment. I am curious to know more about commandments 7,9, and 10. Overall it was an interesting article and I learned many new things.

Chelsea- period 4 wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 11:25 pm

This article based on Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments on Eating is a very resourceful an reliable source. I found his opinions and tips on eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle very interesting, as well as useful. Although, many times my parents and friends have brought most of these ideas to my attention repeatedly ignored them because I always thought that they were making up these theories. My parents and friends never had a reasonable explantion or description for these theories, which they concluded to improve my health and energy. Therefore I have always neglected these assumptions. However, with Michael Pollan’s 12 commandments, I understand now that healthy eating habits and moderation are key factors to a well- besed diet and active lifestyle.
Pallon’s 10th commandment was a new fact to me, however. At first, i didnt really understand why eating on the couch or at a desk could affect my diet or eating habits. But as I thought about Pallon’s commandment, I realized that this theory made sense. Being forced to eat at the kitchen table or counter, enables me to limit myself to eat meals at my own time and therefore i will know when to stop eating. If I can eat only at the kitchen table, i won’t grab any snacks to eat on the couch or in the car, where i will most likely eat uuncontrollably and will be unaware of how much i am consuming.
I also found Michael Pallon’s 8th commandment fascinating because it is a very important fact that all people who shop for their families or themselves should be aware of while they are at the grocery store. This commandment states that good and healthy food costs more, which therefore forces a person to eat that product discerningly and savingly. Pollan has a very good point. He is telling people out there that eventhough good food (organic) costs about double than that of a cheap product, it is worth spending the money on because it includes all of the nutritional values and vitamins it, and not artificial flavoring or fats. Also because the product is so expensive, people will feel the need to savor the food, to make it last longer. Now that I am aware of these helpful tips, I will use them in my daily life.

Bridget wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 11:31 pm

Michael Pollen brings up some interesting and important points in his guidelines. Most of his rules are reasonable and do make sense for living a healthier lifestyle, but on the other hand i disagree with many of them.
Starting with the first rule. I feel that “don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t eat” is a little extreme. It is in fact true that there are many ingredients in foods today that are unpronounceable and very unhealthy. There are also many other new ingredients “she” wouldn’t recognize that ARE good for you. That is a reason why this particular rule is unrealistic.
Michael Pollen has created a list of reasonable guidelines that should be considered, but i feel they definitely do not need to be strictly obeyed.

chenaperiod6 wrote @ November 22, 2008 at 11:49 pm

Michael Pollen’s article on the 12 Commandments of Eating makes much sense. He highlights some major points to keep in mind while trying to balance a healthy diet.
The two commandments about not eating foods “your grandmother wouldn’t recognize” and avoiding foods with “unfamiliar” or ” unpronounceable” were two that I found very interesting. You see the thing is, both those facts are right, but very hard to accomplish. Those foods that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize are the various processed snacks that are available to us on a daily basis. The procure a satisfying taste and are hard to give up. As for the unfamiliar and unpronounceable words, health hazards and the importance of the being educated on what you eat didn’t become so important until recently. Therefore still many people do not think to read food labels and double check before buying certain foods and those words happen to be in the majority of everything and so are difficult to avoid.
Most people would love to follow Pollen’s 9th and 10th commandments, but due to the hectic schedules of most people, especially Americans avoiding “office snacks” and eating all meals at tables is more difficult then it sounds. Most families do have dinner together at a table, but throughout the day while people are at work and school, different events both expected and unexpected cause shifts in daily schedules create more difficulties making a daily routine harder to follow.
Overall I thought Pollen’s article was beneficial and correct. I also made connections with my family’s personal diet about eating different vegetables and organic foods.

Shannon G wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 9:04 am

Michael Pollen’s twelve commandments on eating seem to be reliable. His first commandment, ‘don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food’ was a good rule. Most grandmothers seem to love healthy foods. Nowadays, we have created so many more ingredients and foods; it is hard to tell what is actually natural or over processed. Though it cannot be proven that grandmothers have a better idea of healthy foods, this commandment is easy and simple, and will probably benefit your health choices.
Commandment 3 made a good point about food products; most of them that make health claims are usually the farthest things from healthy. I was surprised The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation had ensured people that some desserts like Caramel Swirl Dairy Dessert are safe. I doubt this dessert can be called healthy, and I am almost positive that perhaps this foundation had been paid to call this food safe and healthy. I found that selfish; the foundation is giving the wrong ideas of healthy foods and also could potentially harm others.
Each one of Michael Pollen’s commandments seem to point out the obvious, but I think that in following his eating rules, people would find themselves healthier. His ideas like eating greener vegetables and more fruits can be proven, while other commandments are very sensible guidelines. All in all, I think Michael Pollen’s guide on eating food can be reliable.

Jeff D. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 11:27 am

Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments on Eating is a very interesting article. I think it is interesting how he said to not eat anything that your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize. This goes to show how unhealthy we have become and how disgusting our foods are. Back then, most foods were completely natural and mostly healthy to eat. Today, most foods are highly processed and are loaded with sugars and all different types of fats.
Another one of the commandments that I found interesting was the one saying to not trust food labels. It is extremely concerning that junk food companies are paying these people to say there food is healthy. I am shocked that the Canadian government allows this to happen. The government should ban these untruthful companies and stop the lying which to allow people to finally eat healthy again.

Ellie – Period 3 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 12:24 pm

I think Michael Pollan’s Commandments for Eating are very useful and help encourage a healthy diet. I agree with all of his ideas for eating and think it will help produce a healthier environment if everyone follows it. I think every ‘commandment’ stated is true. All of them will help in their own way and decrease health risks or dangers. All in all I think his philosophy on eating is helpful and beneficial towards our health.

I found it interesting how for the first one he said, “Don’t eat anything your great- grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” I think this is interesting because it’s true. There are so many processed foods today that there weren’t when your great- grandmother was growing up. Also how he said, “If researchers agree on anything, it’s that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces health risks.” I think this is captivating because no matter what era we go back to, it is always told that fruits and veggies are the key to a healthy diet.

Lastly, throughout all the ‘commandments,’ he tells how it is important to have a set time for meals. I agree with him because everyday people are skipping meals and eating at any moment or time that they want. If you have a schedule for each meal of the day, you can enhance a simple way to reduce calories and eat healthier.

I think Michael Pollan’s Commandments for Eating are helpful, beneficial, and most of all healthy. I completely agree and think they will help reduce health dangers and increase a flourishing environment.

Jeff Q wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 1:08 pm

I found this article to be not only a great guide on how to eat healthier but it was also fairly amusing. The article mentioned many things that seem to be plain commen sense but its amazing how many of these rules are broken not only by americans but by people all around the world.
For example the article made a reference to portion control and that if we just stopped eating when we were full then many great health risks like obesity and heart related sicknesses could be avoided to a great extent.
The other great point i thought the article made was the talk about the evils of modernized prossesed foods. This is one of the main causes of todays obesity issues along with the need for instant gratification that is filled by very unhealthy fast food restaurants like McDonalds and Burger King. If more families just sat down and had a home cooked meal like the article suggests then we wouldn’t be facing the many problems that we are facing today.

sarah l. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 1:39 pm

I thought this article was a good thing to read because it was informational and simple.so much was piled into 12 steps. one of the steps i really liked was step 1. this said that you should not eat anything that you can not pronounce. this makes sense because if you don’t know what it is, let alone how to say it, you probably shouldn’t eat it. I also like step 3 which said do not eat foods with health claims. i thought this was interesting because usually you would think it would be good if it said it was healthy, but foods that are really healthy don’t need to say they are. i could not believe some of the foods and cereals that received a health check and were clearly not healthy.
this article was not only informational but also very simple. people of all ages could apply this to their everyday life and use it easily. it was not too specific or personalized so it applies to whoever is reading it. also it was easy to understand and was written in plain English with out big scientific words. the steps were clear and to the point and i think many people could learn from these 12 easy steps.

Andy B wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 1:53 pm

I found Michael’s commandments on eating healthy very interesting. I will use his tips on eating healthy in my everyday life. I found it funny that you should not eat anything that your great grandmother would not recognize as food. I also found it interesting that eating leaves is healthy for you. I wish he could specify on which leaves. I do not know if this article was targeted for adults or kids. I think it is targeted for adults because it says to drink a glass of wine with dinner and obviously kids are not allowed to drink wine. I think it is interesting that you should not eat anything that has unfamiliar ingredients or anything that you cannot pronounce because it is artificial and it is not healthy for you.
I think it is important that Michael posted this article because it gives people a heads up on what they should be eating. Hopefully people who read this will improve their lives by making smarter and healthier choices. I know I will make better and smarter choices everyday to improve my health. Now I will eat slower and stop when or before I am full. Also I will eat the right portions for the right foods and I will eat at a table rather than a desk or a couch. In conclusion, Michael’s ideas are important for people to recognize so they can eat healthier and improve their lives.

MayaZ wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 2:14 pm

After reading Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments for Eating, I feel guilty. I can understand why he says no to eat food with complicated ingredients or added nutrients. I cannot however, agree with his number 1 commandment; don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. In this day and age, practically every food out there has good and bad nutritional value. It’s all about being smart. First, saturated fats were bad. Then it was cholesterol that we shouldn’t eat. Now eggs and butter and high-fructose corn syrup are making a comeback. It’s easy to comprehend that people are skeptical whether or not to trust this next set of do’s and don’ts.

I feel that labels should be put on all food products so the consumer can make the smart decision on whether or not to eat it. Otherwise it’s practically impossible to have a proper diet. People who are less fortunate have much more trouble with eating healthily. The processed foods are cheaper and quicker to eat and are therefore more popular. Eating at the table, having a family meal is rare, and not always possible with some families. Being told to eat traditional and wild foods is good advice. Stopping eating when you are full is another valuable piece of advice that everyone needs to hear. I think Michael Pollan said it best in his interview when he stated, “Nutrition science is where surgery was in about 1650, you know, really interesting and promising, but would you want to have them operate on you yet? I don’t think so. I don’t think we want to change our eating decisions based on nutritional science.”

Brianna I. P.4 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 2:50 pm

This article was very interesting. I think that all of the “commandments” are good ideas, however I am not sure that they are realistic. For example, the article mentions “pay more, eat less”, in my opinion this is not a realistic suggestion. In our day and age, money is tight and it is not reasonable to suggest that someone eat less while paying more. Eating healthy and paying a lot of money should not go hand in hand. Another unrealistic idea was “eat meals.” This may sound like a simple idea, but with our tough economy people are working more to make a living and time leftover to make a nice meal is generally sparce. It is an unreasonable assumption to think that eating healthy requires time and money.
This article was also full of reasonable ideas. Doing all of your eating at a table is a very good idea and should be practiced no matter where you are. It helps bring families together and it also practices good manners. The idea that you should “consult your gut” is also a good idea because if you are not hungry, it does not make sense to eat. Another good idea is to not eat things that will not rot. If a food is processed so much that it will never go bad, that is not something that you should eat. Most of these ideas are just common sense and should be practiced anyway.

Michelle R. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Micheal Pollan’s 12 commandments for eating sound pretty reasonable. They all make sense and I think everyone should consider them to change their eating habbits. If they do that, they could become more healthier and live longer.

My two favorite commandments are the first one and the second one. The first commandment is basically saying if something you are eating is so new that your grandmother doesn’t know what it is, it’s probably not good for you. This means to me that just because something is new and is claimed to be the modern way, doesn’t mean its good. It also says that the way people used to eat before worked well, so why end that?

And the second commandment says that if you can’t prenounce it, if you have never heard of it before or if it has high fructose corn syrup in it, don’t eat it. I am very confused about high fructose corn syrup these days. I always thought it was bad for you, but now that those commercials are out and saying there is nothing wrong, I don’t know what to think or where to get answers.

The commandment that I don’t understand is number ten. This one says to not substitute a desk or a counch as a table, but why? I suppose it simply reinforces the pre-modern way of eating is better then what some people of this era are forced to do when considering their work schedules and social calenders.

Alex R. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 3:21 pm

I think that Michael Pollan’s 12 commandments for eating is an interesting article. Most of the ways to eat healthy in his point of view and mine also is to eat together as a family, not separate microwavable dinners, and thinking about what you are eating. They are key points to a healthy diet. Pollan says that you are better off living a healthy life if you eat traditional foods instead of healthy processed food. Processed foods have artificial ingredients as of traditional homemade food where you decide what goes in and what doesn’t. When eating a meal, you should only eat slow and take smaller bites instead of eating a large portion very fast. Taking smaller bites and eating slow will show you when you become full.
I agree with what this article said about eating. Most people eat everything on their plate and they eat very fast so their body doesn’t realize that they are full. Doing this reduces calories. This causes obesity and an unhealthy life style. Also, most people eat healthy processed food but even though they say they are healthy, the food has many artificial ingredients which can cause heart disease. Having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces health risks and they are high in antioxidants and fibers which are very good for your body. Having a healthy life style will help you maintain a healthy life.

Eleanor H wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 3:43 pm

I thought the article was very interesting and opinionated. He spoke a lot about eating fresh foods, and not eating food that you didn’t recognize, or make health claims, but he never really explained why you shouldn’t be eating these foods. I do agree with him when he says that eating has become a way of thinking. Food is a huge part of our lives, and consumes us almost as much as we consume it, but I do not think we need to obsess over it, which is what Michael Pollan seems to do. He thinks too much about his food, and I think if you do this you can’t enjoy it as much.
I wonder why eating at the table rather than a desk or couch makes a difference. It may help your family, but I do not see how this can help your health. I wish he gave a little more evidence as to why we should be following these rules. I do agree with him though when he says to eat wild foods. Eating your fruits and vegetables can never be bad for you. The article was not extraordinary, and I think it should have been more informative.

Derek C Period 4 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 3:49 pm

I agree with Micheal Pollan’s commandments and I think that they it is a good system to base your food income on. I believe that if everyone based there diet on his principals then obesity rates would drop enormously. If you think about it most of his ideas make a lot of sense. For example eating wild food will be better for you because humans haven’t chemically treated them or added preservatives. His commandments are very hard to follow for some people who are addicted to fast food. Many of these people would not like having to eat less tasteful foods such as salads rather than French fries.

I liked how Micheal compared eating new processed foods as eating foods your great-grandmother won’t know about. Another part of the reading I was interested in was the part about leaves. I didn’t know that leaves where so good for you and are filling at the same time. Lastly there was one thing I didn’t find so appealing to this article and that was the eight commandments. I feel this commandment didn’t help his point. Because I don’t think many people want to pay more money to get worse tasting foods and less of it. But I saw his point for putting it in there though. I think he wanted to show people that some sacrifices need to be made in order to better your life.

Jessie B. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 4:41 pm

Michael Pollan’s 12 commandments were very interesting. I had heard some of them before, such as number 2, do not eat anything with ingrediants that are unpronouncable. I never really thought about what goes into a lot of processed foods, but I am sure that most of the ingrediants are not very good for you. I know that some people will not pay attention to some of his commandments, such as the one about stopping eating when you are full, and not just cleaning your plate, because most Americans have bigger dinner plates and serving sizes for dinnner, and people are trained to eat everything on their plate. Many people are taught not to let anything go to waste.
Hopefully enough people will try to eat healthier by reducing the artifial, processed foods that are so common, to consume more greens and wild or organic food. It will probably be harder for Americans because many of us have extremely busy schedules and may not have time to sit down at the dinner table ever night for a homemade meal. Even though it would be hard to do so, it would probably be beneficial for us to follow these comandments. I think that it is a very good idea for people all over the world to eat healthier and follow Michael Pollan’s 12 commandments for eating because it would most likely lead to healthier people with longer life spans.

Michael S. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 4:56 pm

Michael Swain
11-23-08
Blog Reaction

Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments For Eating
This article is interesting and is helpful for eating healthy. He makes a good point when he says “Don’t eat anything that your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food”, this means added ingredients these days are pretty bad for you. They are good for expanding shelf life and save manufacturers money but do nothing to help our diets better.
Eating health foods do cost less but also like they said are better for you. not eating snacks and just eating one big meal helps people spread out their eating times.

ricky w per. 4 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 5:15 pm

I agree with Michael’s opinion about food. The problem is how we think of it. We have been taught the wrong way to eat. As he said, giving time back to meals will bring pleasure and help with one’s health.
Michael is right when he says that you should not eat food that could not be recognized as food. Also that you shouldn’t eat food with ingredients that are unfamiliar or unpronounceable, though high-fructose corn starch is fine in moderation but it is hard because there are no indication of how much of it is in the food. Eating wild food is better for you often because it contains natural minerals. Finally, we need to put less food on our plates because we tend to try to clear our plates even if we overstuff ourselves in the process.

Katie H wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 5:35 pm

I think this article by Michael Pollan is very interesting a lot of the things he talks about are very true. I think that all of them are very important and that they are the way to eating healthy. I also think that this applies to almost all ages except for number 7 cause that applies to only people over 21 obviously. I think Michael did a good job talking about the main thinks and keeping the rules simple and easy to understand. I also think that the rules are easy enough to remember which is good because you can apply it to ever day eating and shopping. To me I think that number 1 and 2 are one of the most important rules because they are easy to check for and to apply when I am eating. I also think that parents play an important role in eating healthy because they buy the food and the decided what food is brought in the house. So for kids it is important for them to show it to their parents and tell them what healthy foods they should get. I also think that 4 and 5 are easy rules for parents to follow while shopping. I really enjoyed Michael’s writing and would enjoy reading more by him.

Alan S P6 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 6:24 pm

same “essay”, but w/ my per. #

I don’t really agree with most of Pollan’s suggestions because they are not very convenient or even rational. Sure they may be healthier, but peopel know that this is the way they should be eating, but it doesn’t happen too often because of the stress put on us in our current day, economy-driven world. When possible, many people eat this way, but it just isn’t possible at most times, so eating this way rarely happens on a regular basis.

My family eats much better than many families I know. We sit down for every dinner meal we can, and lucky for us it is probably about 50%. Unfortunately, just to put any food on the table, many parents don’t have the luxury of being home at 6:00 every night. And with the many commitments me and my sister, and all kids nowadays, have during weeknight evenings for school and sports, eating healthily consistently just isn’t rational. On weekends there are always things to do at night, and I am rarely at home, and where ever I eat, it’s normally pizza or fast food. The truth is, not many people can eat the way Pollan suggests, and once we start to not do it all the time, we keep declining and for some people, it has unfortunately become never.

chris lepke wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 7:17 pm

This is a very interesting article on healthy eating. I thought it was odd that he said to stay away from foods that make health claims. i thought that he would say to go for foods that say they are healthy. I also thought it was funny that he said don’t eat anything that your grandmother wouldn’t think was food.
I don’t know if would be able to abide by these rules because i need more than just meals. I normally snack all throughout the day. If i don’t snack then i feel extremely hungry and grumpy.

Nicole C. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 7:28 pm

After reading Pollan’s 12 commandments, I was surprised to find that the key to staying healthy is stuff we already kind of knew from common sense. His ideas about modern food products make a lot of sense if you think about it. Obesity really hasn’t been an issue until recently. Back before all of the chemical altering, food processing, genetic mutation and use of unnatural substances (like high fructose corn syrup), there were not as many people desperate for diet plans and easy ways to get healthy. I was particularly intrigued by his insistence on leafy vegetables. Everyone thinks that’s just mother-psychobabble. It was interesting to see how it actually contributes to a healthy life style.

I liked this article more than the usual science journal excerpt or boring write up about the environment because it was about something I could relate to and was presented in a format in which I can easily understand it. Eating healthy is something we are all instructed differently about by T.V., internet, our parents, health class, whatever. It is interesting to see what one guy did with all of those opinions and all of those places, putting them together to form one straight forward guide to being a healthy and happy person. I especially enjoyed the simplicity of it all. It’s basically saying that you don’t need to go to extreme lengths to be healthy, just follow those simple rules that everyone knows. However, the reason that people do that kind of extreme thing is because it is easier than sticking to the basic do what’s good for you stuff.

Stephen C. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 7:33 pm

I concur with everything in the article except for the first commandment. It says that you shouldn’t eat anything that your great-grandmother wouldn’t eat. It mainly states to not eat anything that is “incapable of rotting”. Cereals, such as special K, are healthy but it doesn’t rot. Some yogurts are also healthy and it doesn’t rot. One commandment that I can’t relate to is number 7 because I’m not allowed to drink. Everything else I concur with.
One of the ones that a 100% agree with is number 4, which claims to eat leaves. Everyday at school lunch, I bring a sandwich with letus in it. I enjoy is because it makes me feel energized and I know that I’m eating something good. My mom also makes broccoli with spaghetti for dinner once a week. For some reason, many people I know don’t like broccoli. I’m the complete opposite. When it’s cooked, I can eat as much you can give me. Another one I agree on is commandment 8, which states that more expensive foods are better for the human body. My mom rarely buys raspberries because of the cost. All berries are expensive. When my mom actually buys these, I gobble them down, and it makes me healthier.
Lastly, I found the second one a little humorus. It states “Ethoxylated monoglycerides?” Even when I try sounding those words out, it doesn’t make any sence.

Chris La. wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 7:42 pm

Michael Pollan talks about many true things. As an American, we do eat a lot and don’t stop until it is gone even if we are full. We eat different tv dinners and these are made of different things we do not know of.
The way we eat is also affecting us. We eat at couches and do not want to leave where we are eating. With this we just keep eating. Also, we eat things that are advertised even thought the advertisements aren’t true.

Steven J. Period 4 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 8:11 pm

Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments for Eating give 12 useful tips to nutritious and smart eating. I thought that these 12 tips were very good although some were very obvious. Tip 1 “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” I thought this tip was quite obvious. Basically any type of food that has not been around for many years is artificially produced, therefore not good for you. I did not understand tip 3 where it said “Avoid food products that make health claims.” I couldn’t understand what a health claim was but I thought it meant something good about the food. It then explains that awards were given to food companies such as “Safeway Caramel Swirl Dairy Dessert and Stouffer’s Skillet Sensations Shrimp Alfredo.” These foods do not sound nutritious and I do not understand why they received an award.
I was surprised to read that they suggested having a glass of wine with dinner. They said that “Moderate drinkers appear to live longer and suffer less heart disease than teetotallers do.” I found this hard to believe and I also don’t know what teetotallers are. Tip 8 “Pay more, eat less” explains that since healthy food usually cost more you will “eat more discerningly.” I didn’t understand how this was good because if healthy food cost more I would think that it would make you more reluctant to buying this food. Tip 10 states “Do all your eating at a table.” I did not understand the importance of this tip because it did not explain this and I wondered how this relates to the topic. Overall I thought this was a moderately well article but I think some points were irrelevant and for some of the tips I wish he had gone into more detail.

Justin S wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 8:13 pm

This article written by Michael Pollans is extraordinary. I have never read about eating healthy in such a way. Though this way is unusual it is very convincing. He has facts that are not like any other article like it. For example one of his 12 commandments is Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. If you think about it this is a very good point because food nowadays is sometimes unrecognizable because of modern technology. Though some of his commandments are silly they are very clever.
I think that Michael Pollan is a genius. He combined scientific evidence and common sense together. In my own opinion I think that obeying these rules will be very good for you in the end. I myself will think of these commandments next time I enjoy a meal. This article is very logical because if you think logically you will find that a lot of these rules are very true. Especially the the third commandment, Avoid food products that make health claims. Most food companies now false advertise to make more money. Living an active lifestyle, eating right, and following these commandments will make you live a long and healthy life. I found this article to be very appealing and I enjoyed it throughly.

Henry A P.6 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 9:01 pm

I think that Michael Pollan is great because he published a guide of how to eat healthy which is what many americans need to follow. His 12 commandments for eating are easy tips that any can follow. However, its easy to see how some people don’t eat healthy.
Healthy foods are very expensive, tip #8 notes this. Many people eat non-healthy foods because they are cheaper then healthy whole foods. Also, even more people don’t follow tip #10 and eat foods on their couches that are mostly junk foods. If people are willing to pay a little extra and take the extra time to make quality foods, then they will be living a much healthier live style.

brian h p6 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 9:13 pm

In this artical I learned many things about food that made me more consurned about what I consume. The first thing i did after reading the artica was i looked at the ingrediant lables for my favorite foods to see if i could pronouce all the ingrediance. I coutd peonuce most of the ingrdiance but the foods i could not i told my mom not to buy.
I agreed with the contents of the artical and the 11 commandments. I thought that the rules were good to go by and I will now try to follow some of the commandments. It is a problem to look at the ingrediants at restaurantes so i will now try to eat out less and eat meals at home.

Stephanie M Period 6 wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 9:33 pm

Michael Pollan’s commandments on eating explained practical, healthy eating habits that Americans today should pay more attention to. If Americans were to follow these commandments, I believe obesity levels would decrease, and the food industry would start to cater towards a more healthy and nutritious life style. Michael Pollan suggests that Americans should start making their meals at home. I think this a good suggestion because when you cook at home you know the nutritional content and ingredients that are being put into your food. In families, if the parents teach their kids a a young age what foods are good and bad could help contribute to improving obesity and overall health problems in America.
I believe all the commandments Michael Pollan presents are easy to follow if you are willing to put in the extra effort to look at the food you are buying. By looking at ingredients and avoiding ones that are unpronounceable, unfamiliar, or filled with high fructose corn syrup can improve eating habits and overall health over time. I also found the commandment pay more, eat less. By buying healthier foods, the price you will spend will increase so this will physiologically convince you not to buy as much food as you usually do. Cutting down on portions is important here in the US, because a high percentage of the time we exceed our recommended portions greatly. Another tip that I found interesting was to do all eating at the table. I like this commandment because it constrains you to eating only when necessary.
After reading Michael Pollan’s commandments on eating it opened my eyes to show me how simple it can be to become healthier. I believe Americans have developed a culture centered on the wrong foods and over-sized portions. But, not everyone has to submit to this fad of our century. With controlled eating habits and just being aware of ingredients and nutrition facts, this can help anyone stay healthy and in a controlled weight area.

Stephen B wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 10:47 pm

Michael Pollan has 12 major commandents for what you eat. If foods contain corn starche you shouldn’t eat it. You shouldn’t eat food that doesn’t go bad. If you can’t pronouce the ingrediants or if you don’t know what it is, it’s probably bad for. You should try to eat wild fruits and vegetables since they are higher in phytochemicals and omega-3 fatty acids. A glass of wine helps people live longer. You shouldn’t over eat or eat fast. If you eat a lot of fruit and vegatables it’ll help reduce health risk.

Winona wrote @ November 23, 2008 at 11:30 pm

I am curious to the claims of Pollan’s “food commandments”. He makes a lot of generalizations that don’t really work.
First of all, I have the most problems with his second commandment. I’d like to remind him that people take medication orally and believe that it helps them, although I’m sure their medication has longer named chemicals than almost any of their food. Second off, he says to avoid food with ingredients that are unfamiliar. If we did that most of us would never eat anything. Do you know everything that’s in your bread? Unless you make it from a home made recipe and use basic and natural products it’s extremely unlikely.
The one other commandment that bothers me is the sixth one. He says to regard non-traditional foods with skepticism. Would people have learned that a tomato is healthy if someone hadn’t tried it? He’s telling us not to experiment with new food. Besides, you can eat processed or “unhealthy” food in moderation. If we just ate leaves as Pollan slightly hints at (commandment number four) we would have malnutrition because we didn’t have the protein we’d need to survive.
I believe that Pollan is opinioned and too bold in his dietary suggestions. He needs to look at the big picture and realize that things can be balanced out.

Alex P. wrote @ November 24, 2008 at 10:29 am

In Michael Pollan’s article he talks of many different ways to eat healthy and live longer. He suggests that if we follow his advice, we will not only live longer lives, but healthier ones, with less health risks. He not only gives us guidane on the things that we should be eating, but he also informs us how exactly we should be dijesting our food.
Through out the article Pollan give’s us readers many different suggestions for living a healthier and longer life. For example, he tells us that we should eat a lot of plants, saying that they reduce health risks. Pollan also says that we should buy more expensive foods. He says that food which is more expensive tends to be better quality food. One of the most shocking things that Pollan said was that it’s good for you to have a glass of wine wtih dinner. He claimed that Moderate drinkers appear to live longer and suffer less heart disease than teetotallers do.

Molly C. wrote @ November 24, 2008 at 1:31 pm

America is known for our obesity issues. Our diet is high in saturated fats. Americans are very lazy, they tend to buy the fastest and the cheapest food they can find. The article states many helpful hints that Americans need to learn. For example, Americans should be paying more for organic and well crafted foods rather than spending little money on junk food. Although junk food might seem to taste better to some people, you will feel much better after eating healthier foods like fruits and vegetables.

The article stated many other helpful facts that not many people would necessary think are true. For example, scientists believe that moderate drinkers have longer life spans and less of chance to get heart problems than people who do not drink at all. This does not mean that drinking four or five glasses of wine a day is good for you, because its not. Drinking one or two glasses of wine at dinner is completely healthy. Americans tend to eat all the food on their plate no matter how much or how little there is. The article says that you should consult your gut meaning you should in better proportions.

Alex D. Period 4 wrote @ November 24, 2008 at 6:03 pm

Throughout the article “12 Commandments for Eating” Michael Pollan makes some very good points about modern day nutrition, but most of his suggestions may not apply to everyone in the United States. Michael is very critical of modern day eating and health, however his commandments do not force unhealthy eaters to completely abandon their old ways. By suggesting that people listen to their gut, and do not continue to pig out on food despite being full, uneccessary snacking is eliminated. Snacks usually consist of various junk foods that have no nutritional benefit whatsoever, and many extra fats, calories, sugars, and other substances which cause obesity when consumed in excess. Another beneficial suggestion is going with a “green diet” consisting of fruits and veggies which people do not often get enough of. By having people search for healthier, green foods to eat, they may end up finding healthier alternatives to unhealthy foods they are currently eating. This would result in another of his commandments, the exclusion of artificial foods, almost all of which have absolutely no nutritional value, and could lead to a new, revamped and very healthy diet.

Although Michael makes very good suggestions throughout his commandments, many of them require a stable backround and financial situation, which is not the case for everybody. Unhealthy foods are often the cheapest, and a family making barely enough money to pay rent is certainly not going to spend its excess cash on more expensive food. Vegetables are key to a healthy diet, but they are also not the cheapest food items out there, showing Pollan to be very unthoughtful about financial situations other than those in the middle and upper class. Children who have a single mother working multiple jobs would probably never eat a meal as a family, and the way Pollan puts it, it seems as though those children will be destined to be unhealthy just because of their situation at home. Michael Pollan’s article is helpful, however it only works for a certain percentage of today’s population, and I feel that some of his comments are almost mocking of those who cannot afford healthier food.

christ4 wrote @ November 24, 2008 at 7:56 pm

i was very interested in this article. i agreed with almost every thing that it said. reading this article made me realize that i could be eating a lot healthier.
i disagreed on the commandment of buying more expensive foods to eat less. there are more affordable and still other healthy ways to eat. one example that i do is instead of buying fattening foods for lunch everyday, i save alot of money and eat healthy by making myself sandwiches everyday.

Brian wrote @ November 25, 2008 at 9:49 pm

I agree 90% with what Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments of Eating. I don’t quite understand the “Pay More, Eat Less” commandment though, because some people can barely pay rent for an apartment, so they wouldn’t want to pay more than the usual. I think that the first one was very clever, and creative, “If your Grandmother doesn’t recognize it, then you shouldn’t eat it”

Brian wrote @ November 25, 2008 at 9:56 pm

sorry I wasn’t able to finish that last post.
So I liked the idea of commandment #1. Commandment #2 isgood, becasue if you look at the nutrition label on a Monster drink, or Red Bull, half the ingredients I am unable to pronounce, besides energy drinks have too much sugar anyway. By the commandment about wild plants, does it count if they are home grown? i would think that, and along with local farm foods, becasue there aren’t any chemicals put on them to preserve them. Fresh homegrown tomatoes taste WAY better than tomatoes at market basket anyway. I understood this article well, and sorry for it being turnied in so late.

Doug R. period 6 wrote @ November 30, 2008 at 6:55 pm

In the article Pollan gives people many different suggestions for living a healthier and longer life, and also preventing obesity. I agree with his list especially the one where it says to not eat on the couch. This is good because if you are watching t.v. while you are eating you may not realize how many calories you are consuming or if you are full.
This list will help people because many people usually eat cheaper less expensive food, which is usually loaded with extra carbohydrates and sugars that you don’t need.

Martin C period 6 wrote @ November 30, 2008 at 10:28 pm

I liked the way that Pollan talked about nutritionism because most foods are trying to be more healthy these days and it’s less and less about the food itself. Eating food that your great grandma did seems to make sense as well. If you eat food from the earth it’s got to be healthier than food thats been made healthy. I also stand by not eating anything you can’t pronounce. When you have no idea what your eating then how can you Know if it really is good for you.
After reading the list Pollan almost seems to be telling us to eat like cavemen. He tells us to eat wild food and that the more leaves the better. Wild food is what our bodies are adapted to so it runs better meaning less heart or other organ problems.

EdwardB wrote @ December 3, 2008 at 9:02 pm

Michael pollen is right americans do not generally eat healthy enough. Part of the problem is we are raised on the idea that life is to busy for a family meal at the dinner table. So more and more families resort to ordering food in or making it in the microwave. There is a high demand for foods with an abnormal shelf life. Another problem I find is that with all the entertainment of today there is less motivation to do sports and outdoor activity.
The ten commandments are a very good idea because they are simple enough to remember, don’t eat foods your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize is one of the best health tips I have ever heard. These health tips are simple and easy to follow, and if more Americans where to listen the obesity epidemic might slow down.

Brielle wrote @ December 13, 2008 at 12:44 am

Cal S. wrote @ December 15, 2008 at 11:05 pm

In Michael Pollan’s 12 Commandments of eating, he advises all things that one should do in order to stay healthy. Half of these tips are easy to identify with, while others may be hard to agree on. Many vegetarians and healthy eaters would approve these amendments, while others may disagree.
At the beginning of the commandments, one would strongly agree with Pollan’s tips. He insists that Americans do not eat healthy enough and tells his readers to only eat foods that they know are healthy and foods that contain identifiable ingredients. He also His advice is realiable and resourceful until it later contradicts itself. Pollan only tells his readers to specifically eat from leaves and greens, which deprives the diet from other food groups. He also thinks it should be necessary to drink alcohol with every meal, which should never be advised. He also tells people to pay more for less food, which would not benefit someone if they did not have much money. Although the author writes commandments that technically oppose others, the commandments are believable and reliable and I would recommend one to go over the article.

Colby H. p6 wrote @ January 14, 2009 at 4:08 pm

I think this is a good way of thinking. Unfortunatley i doubt there will be many people who take this article to heart because it is so difficult to dodge unpronouncable ingredients and high-fructose corn syrups. It even came as a suprise when I found bread that didn’t have high-fructose corn syrup in it and it tasted odd. Things that i think might be more trouble is pouring money into meals. What if you are poor? I’ve heard that some families eat out to save money and that could be a source of obesity.
It can also be beneficial to follow those commanmdents. if you follow these directions then no doubt you will probably be feeling healthier and more energetic. I have some other commandments to help with a healthy life style also. like make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day. get plenty of excercise and go outside. These tips aren’t for eating and they are probably just as hard to follow but they will help just as much, maybe even more.

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