So it is Organic...

After reading through this section there was one thing weighing heavy on my mind; the entire premise of "organic" foods seems to be nothing more than a facade used by industrial food chains to sell products. Now, my viewpoint may be a bit swayed because of my strong interest in public relations, but when reading through this section all I could think of was propaganda. More or less, techniques that are being used to increase sales and to find more consumers to essentially fool into buying a product. Based upon this reading I would say that only a small portion of the general population truly understands what would be considered "organic," even though there are many who would have a skewed view of the term. Consumers have been led to believe that if the label says organic, the product has to be; no questions asked. However, that is not the case. In class we have discussed the importance of knowing where our food came from and that is especially significant when looking at organic foods. What these consumers are missing is the drive that is necessary for truly being aware of the purchase that is being made. Furthermore, a good portion of this section discusses the legitimacy of industrial organic foods. Pollan goes on a person quest to determine whether or not the food being produced by these chains can truly be considered organic. He concludes that it does indeed seem to be a contradiction in terms, which I strongly agree with. I have a hard time accepting food as organic if it was grown in one place, packaged in another, and then shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles to my location. That just seems a bit shady to me. Not to mention all of the chemicals that end up on the foods during these times of transit and the lengths that have to be taken just to try and simulate a natural growth process for the products. However, this is where the problem lies. So many people are trapped in the mind set of "what the package says goes," and they think nothing else of it. Food that is grown less than a mile down the street from where it is sold at a farmers market is more than likely organic, not something that has been shipped across the country in and out of holding units. The general public is depriving itself of the wholesome foods that are truly organic.

"'I believe I developed that niche twenty years ago. It's called 'organic.' And now you sir, are sitting on it.'"

The above is a quote from a small farmer who was being questioned by a corporate organic grower that told him he needed to find a way to distinguish himself in the market. I found his response to be excellent. The local farmer was witty and genius when he slammed the corporate with his remark. He knew that he was the legitimate organic farmer but industry has taken over and it has taken the minds of the general public as well.

The Many Faces of Corn

The first section of The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan revolves around corn and its man facets. To put it simply, Pollan explains that corn is everywhere and used in almost everything. When he first introduces the topic in the book, I felt like he was being a bit dramatic. However, once I read through how it is used on the far, in grocery stores, by the consumer and in fast food I realized just how right he was. From high-fructose corn syrup to corn starch, this crop is truly found in everything. I was initially fascinated by the numerous ways in which corn was being used. Then Pollan began to point out some of the more negative aspects of the crop. Farmers are suffering because of the low prices and consumers are suffering from many health conditions. Like all foods, we are never meant to consume corn in excess. That seems impossible considering all of the products that contain corn. It is also a crop that is not good for the soil. As we have mentioned in class, it rapes the soil of its nutrients and makes it difficult to plant any other crops. There are also hybrids that have been formed and everything simply begins to sound ugly to me. After reading through this section I have developed a negative view of corn and its many faces. It is masked ad placed into several different locations and it is modified to meet specific needs. My question is, why would you mess with a good thing? Do you think that all of the alternative uses for corn are necessary or beneficial?

Red Bridges BBQ

Last nights class was by far one of my favorite learning experiences. The atmosphere was just right. The smell of pork filled the air before we could even enter the restaurant and my mouth instantly began to water. My taste buds were not let down. The pork was great and the vinegar sauce was the icing on the cake. With that in mind, the sweet tea and hushpuppies stole the show for me. They were the perfect complement to the pork. The trip to the back of the restaurant was a real eye opener. Over seven hours of cooking time, through the night, along with the prep time after that seemed excessive to me. Max, the pit master, seemed indifferent about his work and the long hours. Everything seemed second nature to him, whereas we all watch in amazement as he sent "fireworks" out of the chimney and showed us all of the meat. It just goes to show how out of touch we can be with pork, which is crazy considering it is one of the most popular foods in the south. How can we be so removed from what we eat?

Fire Fuels the Soul

This entire first section of the book focuses on fire. As a guy I find this quite appealing. While reading I noticed that fire must be something that appeals to all men due to the fact the many of the chefs that were discussed were men. The section opens by talking about nothing other than good ole pork barbecue. I have grown up in North Carolina and this was right up my alley. Pollan ends the section with a discussion of the importance of cooking over a wood fire to create the perfect flavors. The two commonalities that I found in the section were men and meat bound together by fire. Men are always ragged on for being so-called pyromaniacs but in this case I don't consider that a bad thing at all. Men are also associated with loving meat. Again, not an issue with me. With this combination, I also wondered about the other things that people commonly associate with fire. Destruction is the one thing that continued to swim around in my mind. However, I enjoyed that in the section we were able to see a completely unexpected view point of fire. Fire was seen as pleasing to all, both the earthly and the divine, and as a means of creation. Fire is used to create delicious meat filled meals and along with wood it can create amazing flavor. It is fascinating to see that fire can be used to create, which is the exact opposite of destruction. Fire truly fuels the soul, well at least the souls of several men. The manliness that emanates from cooking meat over a fire is a powerful feeling. Men have always been the front runners when it comes to cooking meat, especially pork barbecue. Men and fire make a killer combination that Pollan clearly defines in this section.

"Food"

The above is honey that was found in a middle aisle. What I loved about this product was that it was made and jarred in Lake Lure, NC. It is local and the only ingredient listed is honey. 

I would say that I am a bit more skeptical about the syrup but it is nothing more than Maple Syrup. There are no other ingredients listed and it avoids the "organic" labeling. 

This was my favorite find. Baby food! All of the foods shown in the image, along with several others, only contain two ingredients. The vegetable or fruit and water. Nothing more. I suppose baby food is a great option for everyone. 

Beans seemed like a good option across the board. However, each listed that they are rich in fiber. This is indeed a true statement but does it cause issues? Even still, they are in the middle of the store and the only ingredient is Lima Beans.

This was an interesting find. Its peanut butter made from only peanuts. It was the most interesting item on that particular shelf. You could see where the peanuts had been crushed, the oil, and whole nuts. Again, the only ingredient was peanuts. 

Do I Have a Best Defense?

Eat as much protein as you can. Don't eat any sweets unless you make them yourself. High fructose syrup is good for you. High fructose corn syrup is bad for you. Low-carb all the way, along with low-fat.

It is almost impossible to keep up with the new way to "be healthy." I particularly like what Pollan has to say in chapter six, "Eat Right, Get Fatter." In this chapter Pollan mentions the low-fat craze that occurred in 1970 that resulted in people gaining weight. Nutritionists are always discovering new options for putting off the pounds but it seems like they are never effective. This could have to do with the fact that everybody is different and their bodies have different reactions to foods. Or, there is the fact that several products find a way to slip through the cracks during these times. Such as the example about Frito-Lay and their chips being better for you because they are fried in polyunsaturated fats. Also, as people we believe that if we are supposed to eat low-fat foods, and low-fat foods are good for us, then we can eat as much of them as we would like. 

There are numerous things that still must be brought into consideration. For the most part, we are a population that is not overly educated in nutrition. We take nutritionists for their word and we change our diets in accordance to what is considered "in." Then there are those who have issues with plant protein and that it should never be consumed over meat protein. Or that all oils are in one way or another harmful for you. While, I personally love fried foods, I don't necessarily believe that there is a healthy fried food. My biggest concern is, what do we do? How do we know what our best option is and how can we execute our decision in a way that will truly allow us to eat better and lose weight? 

I feel that there truly is no best defense. 

Top 5 Food Rules

1. Not being able to find "food" doesn't mean you shouldn't eat.
2. Meat is mandatory at every meal. (Or eggs can sub in at breakfast)
3. If fruit is a candy, get a cavity.
4. Reward yourself with two meals outside of the caf each week.
5. Water is your friend. Drink continually throughout the day.

Being an Outsider

When reading through the many rules listed within the book, there was one that stood out to me . Rule number 13, "Shop the Peripheries of the Supermarket and Stay Out of the Middle," which explains how supermarkets are arranged in a way that makes consumers want to buy unhealthy products. The majority of the food items that are legitimately good for you are located on the outer ring of the store. Unfortunately, almost every supermarket has entrances that open up to a grand hall of unhealthy food waiting right in front of our faces. Furthermore, there are several shelves more of products that do not have any sort of nutritional value. It's hard for the outer ring to compete against the numerous middle aisles. This particular rule also stood out to me because of the way it addresses the behaviors of the general public. As a Public Relations major, I am interested in knowing what the public thinks about this concept. Many people confess to sticking to the middle aisles and hardly even going near edges of the store. With that in mind, of those who do visit the outer ring, a great deal of them only go to the dairy aisle to get milk. Pollack addresses milk later on in the book with rule 41. There he discusses that the calorie content of most liquids contain the same amount of calories that could be received from a solid, but liquids are less filling. So, that goes to show that even the people that skim through the edge of the store still aren't making the best choices. I would like for you to consider what you do when visiting the supermarket. Do you dive right into the processed goodness of the middle aisles, or do you take a victory lap around the store?

Don't be afraid to be an outsider. Give the outer ring a chance and see if you enjoy what you find.