In his recent book "In Defense of Food" the author Michael Pollan provides a solution to the incredibly complicated question of what we humans should eat. The advise is very short and simple: "Eat Food, Not too Much, Mostly Plants", and as it turns out, this is more or less the answer to healthy eating.
For the longest part of our evolution humans have been forced to adapt to a local natural environment and as a result developed diets that let them exploit available food sources. "The Masai subsist on cattle blood and meat and milk and little else. Native Americans subsist on beans and maize. And the Inuit in Greenland subsist on whale blubber and a little bit of lichen," Pollan said. "The irony is, the one diet we have invented for ourselves -- the Western diet -- is the one that makes us sick."
So what should we do?
Eat Food – Food means real food like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, seafood and meat, but not "food like substances". To recognize "food like substances" here are some tips from Pollan: Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Look at food labels. If you see 10 ingredients you cannot pronounce it is not food. Real food rots whereas something that never spoils is not food. Hint: stay out of the middle of the supermarket, real fresh food tends to be on the perimeter.
Not too Much - If you eat food you will be more satisfied with your meal, and chances are you will not crave more. "Always leave the table a little hungry," Pollan says. "Many cultures have rules that you stop eating before you are full. In Japan, they say eat until you are four-fifths full. Islamic culture has a similar rule, and in German culture they say, 'Tie off the sack before it's full’." You should also enjoy meals with your family in a social setting that enhances your family relationships. Avoid eating dinner in front of the TV, or in the car – these settings detract from enjoyment of food and each other’s company. In the U.S., 20% of food eaten is consumed in the car… avoid buying food where you buy gasoline!
Mostly Plants - Our biological dependence on plants goes way back and runs deep so it is not surprising that plants are good for you, especially the leaves. Leaves also have a lower energy density compared to seeds and consequently fewer calories. Many of the world’s healthiest diets consist of a majority of plants and small amounts of meat, fish and seafood. Eating 200 pounds of meat annually, as we do in the U.S. on average, is probably not a good idea, particularly when the meat comes from highly industrialized supply chains.
Shopping at the Harlingen Farmers Market is an ideal way to begin reintroducing fruits and vegetables into your diet so you can start eating food again.
