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harmonictempest's review
5.0
Delightful reference I’ll read over and over. Not every single rule is a gem but many are simple reminders I want to post on my fridge - practical, usable, understandable, and not overbearing.
forgottensecret's review against another edition
4.0
'But for all the scientific and pseudoscientific baggage we've taken on in recent years, we still don't know what we should be eating. Should we worry more about the fats or the carbohydrates? Then what about the "good" fats? Or the "bad" carbohydrates, like high-fructose corn syrup?... I learned that in fact science knows a lot less about nutrition than you would expect - that in fact nutrition science is, to put it charitably, a very young science.'
'Food Rules' is a distillation of the bulkier 'In Defense of Food', both by Michael Pollan. His whole food philosophy can be summed up in seven words:
'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.'
The two books expand on these three sentences. His motivation to simplicity is by the comparison that the field of nutrition science is similar to the state of surgery in 1650. Promising, but hold off on any operations for a few centuries. I have shared his confusion at nutritionist's swaying recommendations of specific micronutrients and macronutrients. From reading both books, my philosophy is now to focus on eating nutrient dense foods. Fruit and plants supply that. From the 64 rules, my favourite are:
Rule 2: Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognise as food.
Rule 13: Eat foods that will eventually rot
Rule 14: Eat foods made from ingredients that you can picture in their raw state or growing in nature.
Rule 16: Buy your snacks at the farmers' market.
Rule 21: It's not food if it's called by the same name in every language.
Rule 22: Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
Rule 25: Eat your colors.
Rule 36: Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.
Rule 37: "The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."
Rule 40: Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements.
Rule 41: Eat more like the French. Or the Japanese. Or the Italians. Or the Greeks.
Rule 45: ... Eat less.
Rule 46: Stop eating before you're full.
Rule 47: Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.
Rule 49: Eat slowly.
Rule 53: Serve a proper portion and don't go back for seconds.
Rule 56: Limit your snacks to unprocessed plant foods.
Rule 57: Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does.
Rule 61: Leave something on your plate.
Rule 64: Break the rules once in a while.
I would recommend the two books of Pollan to anyone who is sceptical of nutritional science. He offers advice that undercuts this nascent field. Read the books in order to gain the most out of them.
'Food Rules' is a distillation of the bulkier 'In Defense of Food', both by Michael Pollan. His whole food philosophy can be summed up in seven words:
'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.'
The two books expand on these three sentences. His motivation to simplicity is by the comparison that the field of nutrition science is similar to the state of surgery in 1650. Promising, but hold off on any operations for a few centuries. I have shared his confusion at nutritionist's swaying recommendations of specific micronutrients and macronutrients. From reading both books, my philosophy is now to focus on eating nutrient dense foods. Fruit and plants supply that. From the 64 rules, my favourite are:
Rule 2: Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognise as food.
Rule 13: Eat foods that will eventually rot
Rule 14: Eat foods made from ingredients that you can picture in their raw state or growing in nature.
Rule 16: Buy your snacks at the farmers' market.
Rule 21: It's not food if it's called by the same name in every language.
Rule 22: Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
Rule 25: Eat your colors.
Rule 36: Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.
Rule 37: "The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."
Rule 40: Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements.
Rule 41: Eat more like the French. Or the Japanese. Or the Italians. Or the Greeks.
Rule 45: ... Eat less.
Rule 46: Stop eating before you're full.
Rule 47: Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.
Rule 49: Eat slowly.
Rule 53: Serve a proper portion and don't go back for seconds.
Rule 56: Limit your snacks to unprocessed plant foods.
Rule 57: Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does.
Rule 61: Leave something on your plate.
Rule 64: Break the rules once in a while.
I would recommend the two books of Pollan to anyone who is sceptical of nutritional science. He offers advice that undercuts this nascent field. Read the books in order to gain the most out of them.
leasummer's review against another edition
3.0
Basically his other books into a short, pocket version.
zellreads's review against another edition
3.0
Common sense and easy to read, I don't really like Maira's art style in the revised edition so it took some away from the book for me.
justaprilann's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Pollan distills all kinds of nutrition information into a frustratingly simple and helpful guide.
piabo's review against another edition
2.0
Only the last rule made sense. The rest tried hard to be interesting or funny, but were contradicting, not science-based, and just factually wrong. I didn't enjoy it.
Such a big load of crap. How can you demonize food that much?
Food that arrives through the window of your car isn't food? Aha, what is it, then? It's edible, and it can keep your body fueled.
And other claims, too, just sound stupid. Why, please?
This guy is contradicting himself in a few claims. One rule says we should not make any exceptions, and the other clearly says that obviously, not everything is affected by this rule, and we should be open-minded.
I just don't like the whole premise of the book. And I am clearly emotionally invested and felt attacked. I just wish people would stop hating on food and people in larger bodies so much. This approach has not solved anything.
Such a big load of crap. How can you demonize food that much?
Food that arrives through the window of your car isn't food? Aha, what is it, then? It's edible, and it can keep your body fueled.
And other claims, too, just sound stupid. Why, please?
This guy is contradicting himself in a few claims. One rule says we should not make any exceptions, and the other clearly says that obviously, not everything is affected by this rule, and we should be open-minded.
I just don't like the whole premise of the book. And I am clearly emotionally invested and felt attacked. I just wish people would stop hating on food and people in larger bodies so much. This approach has not solved anything.
klosterphobia's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
Michael Pollan's "Food Rules" is designed as a concise guide, distilling his extensive research into simple, digestible advice. The core message—eat whole foods to avoid Western diseases like diabetes—is clear and valuable. However, the book could benefit from more nuance.
Some of the rules are presented with an intensity that might be impractical or unnecessarily restrictive. For instance, the admonition to avoid ingredients like xanthan gum lacks context. Xanthan gum is commonly used in gluten-free baking to improve texture and is generally considered safe. By condemning such ingredients without explanation, the book risks promoting food fear, potentially edging towards orthorexia.
While the straightforward tips are helpful, a first rule advocating balance and self-compassion would have been a welcome addition. Something along the lines of, "Give yourself grace; one Big Mac won't kill you," would emphasize a healthy relationship with food. Yes, I know rule 64 says you can break the rules for special occasions but I don’t think that’s good enough to address the negative effects of creating rules around food.
Some of the rules are presented with an intensity that might be impractical or unnecessarily restrictive. For instance, the admonition to avoid ingredients like xanthan gum lacks context. Xanthan gum is commonly used in gluten-free baking to improve texture and is generally considered safe. By condemning such ingredients without explanation, the book risks promoting food fear, potentially edging towards orthorexia.
While the straightforward tips are helpful, a first rule advocating balance and self-compassion would have been a welcome addition. Something along the lines of, "Give yourself grace; one Big Mac won't kill you," would emphasize a healthy relationship with food. Yes, I know rule 64 says you can break the rules for special occasions but I don’t think that’s good enough to address the negative effects of creating rules around food.