1 Food Rules by Michael Pollan Adapted to our goal of creating a healthier community What should I eat? (Eat food) What food should I eat? (Mostly plants) How should I eat? (Not too much)

2 Eat Food Most products in super-markets are not food but are “edible food -like substances.” They are processed concoctions designed by food scientists, derived from corn and soy. Eat only what our grandmothers would recognize as food.

3 Eat Food Avoid high fructose corn syrup, a marker for highly processed food. It is added to sweeten breads and snack foods. Avoid foods with sugar among the top three ingredients. Ingredients are listed by weight. Avoid food with ingredients that a third-grader can’t pronounce.

4 Eat Food Avoid foods advertised on TV. Don’t buy heavily-promoted foods. Ads are for processed foods. Few are for whole foods, such as nuts. Shop the outside of the market produce, fish, meat, dairy. Stay out of the middle. Shop at farmer’s markets for fresh, local food.

5 Eat Food Eat food that will rot or be eaten by fungi and bacteria. Food is processed to kill fungi & bacteria and extend shelf life. Real food is alive and should die. If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t. It’s not food if you get it through the window of a car.

6 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants What kind of food should I eat? Mostly plants, especially leaves. A diet rich in veggies and fruits reduces the risk of dying from all Western diseases. People who eat a pound of fruit and veggies daily have one-half the cancer rate. Vegetarians are healthier than carnivores and live longer.

7 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants Eating what stands on one leg [mushrooms & plants] is better than eating what stands on two legs [fowl], which is better than eating what stands on four legs [cows, pigs and other mammals]. - Chinese proverb (exception: fish)

8 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants Water for cooking vegetables is rich in vitamins and minerals. Save it for soups and sauces. Try new kinds of plants and fungi, not just new foods. Eat different species. Supermarkets are dominated by corn and soy, which are seeds, not leaves.

9 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants Eat well-grown food from soils full of organic matter, not chemical fertilizers. Eat locally-grown food. Food brought thousands of miles is preserved in harmful chemicals. When possible, eat wild foods, which are protected against disease and pests. Choose oily fish - mackerel, sardines, herring, anchovies – which are not endangered.

10 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants Eat foods pre-digested by bacteria or fungi - yogurt, sauerkraut, soy sauce, kimchi, sourdough bread - good sources of vitamin B12. Sweeten and salt food yourself – you will use a lot less. Don’t drink your sweets, eat them (oranges). More fiber, fewer calories. Don’t eat cereals that change the color of the milk. “The whiter the bread, the sooner you’ll be dead.” Eat whole grains.

11 Eat Mostly Plants Eat Mostly Plants Eat junk food that you cook your self, like French fries. Eat more like Asians or Italians or Greeks. French eat communal meals, no seconds or snacks, small portions. Central America: corn with beans and lime is a balanced diet. Favor traditional foods over new foods.

12 How Should I Eat?: Not Too Much Seldom snack Eat smaller portions. From smaller plates & cups. No second helpings. Eat at longer, leisurely meals. Share meals with others.

13 How Should I Eat?: Not Too Much The food industry increases quantity while lowering quality. Choose quality over quantity – better to pay grocer than doctor. Eating less slows aging and is the strongest link between diet and cancer prevention. Government subsidies and factory farms keep prices low.

14 How Should I Eat?: Not Too Much Stop eating before you are full. Indians say stop when 75% full. Asians say stop when 70% full. Muhammad: A full belly is 1/3 food, 1/3 liquid, 1/3 air (empty). Our grandparents said: Leave the table a little hungry. It takes food 25 minutes to reach the stomach to say “enough.”