Came across Michael Pollan through Cooked on Netflix, three years after his book of the same title came out. Watched Cowspiracy last week and I realized that there’s so much about food and sustainability that I have no idea of. The film bothered me so much about the amount of water one hamburger needs to produce, apparently more water than two months’ worth of showering.  So I went to the bookstore to get Pollan’s book, and I started with the shortest of them all, Food Rules.

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Divided into three parts connects it to a central idea which is, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. Part 1 will help you know what you should eat. Part 2 is focused on what kind of food you should eat and Part 3 is about how you should eat.

The rules are really simple and basic, but we often forget them because of how fast-paced our lives are. So the rules are excellent reminders to slow down and think about what we’re consuming.

Here are some more of my favourite highlights from Food Rules:

Hara hachi bu (Hara hachi bun me), eat until you are 80 percent full.

Michael Pollan
  • The more processed a food is, the longer the shelf life, and the less nutritious it typically is. Real food is alive—and therefore it should eventually die. (There are a few exceptions…)
  • Try to be aware of why you’re eating, and ask yourself if you’re really hungry—before you eat and then again along the way. (One old wives’ test: If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re not hungry.) Food is a costly antidepressant.
  • Buy smaller plates and glasses.
  • Treat treats as treats. Some people follow a so-called S policy: “no snacks, no seconds, no sweets—except on days that begin with the letter S.

It’s an easy read. Also, please watch Cowspiracy, it’s available on Netflix or check out these facts if you can’t.