Food Politics - How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

Marion Nestle

Publisher: University of California Press

Summary

We all witness, in advertising and on supermarket shelves, the fierce competition for our food dollars. In this engrossing exposé, Marion Nestle goes behind the scenes to reveal how the competition really works and how it affects our health. The abundance of food in the United States--enough calories to meet the needs of every man, woman, and child twice over--has a downside. Our over-efficient food industry must do everything possible to persuade people to eat more--more food, more often, and in larger portions--no matter what it does to waistlines or well-being. Like manufacturing cigarettes or building weapons, making food is big business. Food companies in 2000 generated nearly $900 billion in sales. They have stakeholders to please, shareholders to satisfy, and government regulations to deal with. It is nevertheless shocking to learn precisely how food companies lobby officials, co-opt experts, and expand sales by marketing to children, members of minority groups, and people in developing countries. We learn that the food industry plays politics as well as or better than other industries, not least because so much of its activity takes place outside the public view. Editor of the 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, Nestle is uniquely qualified to lead us through the maze of food industry interests and influences. She vividly illustrates food politics in action: watered-down government dietary advice, schools pushing soft drinks, diet supplements promoted as if they were First Amendment rights. When it comes to the mass production and consumption of food, strategic decisions are driven by economics--not science, not common sense, and certainly not health. No wonder most of us are thoroughly confused about what to eat to stay healthy.An accessible and balanced account, Food Politics will forever change the way we respond to food industry marketing practices. By explaining how much the food industry influences government nutrition policies and how cleverly it links its interests to those of nutrition experts, this path-breaking book helps us understand more clearly than ever before what we eat and why.

Available since: 05/14/2013.

Other books that might interest you

Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking

Kimberly Mayone, Kitty Broihier

Make over 140 delicious gluten-free dishes with your slow cooker—and little effort. 
 
A slow cooker makes it so easy to prepare delicious meals—and now, for the first time, here are 140 simple, scrumptious, and safe recipes developed and tested for anyone who embraces the gluten-free life, or who simply feels it's more healthful to avoid gluten. These dishes offer dozens of satisfying and effortless mealtime solutions for busy families, where celiac disease or gluten intolerance is a concern. Delicious recipes such as Louisiana Crab and Pecan Dip, Apple & Thyme Roasted Chicken, and Vanilla Poached Pears make it easy to eat healthy, and are guaranteed to please even the most finicky palate. 
 
Praise for Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking 
 
“This cookbook is a real winner! Fans of slow cooking and gluten-free eaters alike will appreciate these simple and delicious recipes.” —Shelley Case, RD, author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide

Show book

Milk Allergy - Causes Symptoms...

Joseph Barrel

In a world brimming with culinary delights and gastronomic wonders, few things rival the comforting embrace of a creamy milkshake, the tantalizing allure of a cheese-laden pizza, or the soothing warmth of a steaming cup of cocoa. Milk, with its myriad forms and versatile applications, has been a culinary cornerstone for centuries, enriching our diets and comforting our palates.
Yet, for an increasing number of individuals, this seemingly innocuous elixir of nourishment has become a source of discomfort, anxiety, and even danger. The rise of milk allergy and lactose intolerance has fundamentally altered the relationship between people and the dairy products they once adored.
This book delves deep into the complex world of milk-related sensitivities, offering a comprehensive exploration of the science, the symptoms, the social implications, and, most importantly, the solutions. In these pages, we aim to empower you with knowledge, unravel the mysteries behind these conditions, and provide guidance for those seeking to navigate a world that can be fraught with dietary obstacles.
For millions around the globe, milk allergy and lactose intolerance aren't just dietary restrictions; they're life-altering conditions that demand a fundamental shift in how one approaches food, social gatherings, and daily life.
The journey through diagnosis, management, and coping can be both bewildering and isolating. Our goal is to be your trusted companion on this journey, offering insights, strategies, and stories that resonate with your experiences.
By the time you turn the final page of this book, we hope to have provided you with a newfound understanding, a sense of empowerment, and a community of support. Whether you're personally grappling with these conditions or seeking knowledge to help a friend or family member, this is your roadmap to embracing a life that's both satisfying and dairy-conscious.

Show book

For the Love of Pie - Sweet and...

Felipa Lopez, Cheryl Perry, Lynn...

Join the owners of Brooklyn’s Pie Corps to create the finest-quality, handmade, soul-satisfying, savory and sweet pies. Cheryl Perry and Felipa Lopez, owners of Brooklyn’s Pie Corps, share their pie-making expertise and delicious recipes in their first cookbook. For the Love of Pie boasts sophisticated and contemporary flavors in pies made using traditional techniques. Perry and Lopez explain the science and art behind baking a perfect piecrust while offering a variety of crust recipes, from all butter to chocolate crumb. Paired with the crusts are recipes for dessert pies, pot pies, hand pies, meat pies, and tarts. Several of the Pie Corps’ signature recipes, such as Apple Crumb Pie with Rosemary-Caramel Sauce and Buttermilk-Fried Chicken Pie with Buttermilk Gravy and Sautéed Greens, are in the cookbook along with other mouth-watering options like Lemon Thyme Blackberry Mini Tartlets, Picadillo Hand Pies, and Honey-Lavender Custard Pie. Why pie? It’s the essence of handmade. Once you learn the basics of making crusts and fillings, you’re there—anything locally available to you is potentially pie. What could be better than that?

Show book

Home Made Christmas

Yvette van Boven

Make ahead and make merry with over 100 holiday recipes for family and guests! 
 
Author of the Home Made series of cookbooks Yvette van Boven loves the holidays—and she’s never short of ideas for celebrations. In Home Made Christmas, she shows you how to make the season less stressful with her “make ahead” recipes, giving you time to enjoy your company when they arrive.  
 
Home Made Christmas includes more than 100 recipes (organized by Prepare Ahead and To Finish It Off) that are all easy to make and delicious. With her step-by-step directions, you’ll know exactly what to do and when—she even provides menu ideas to make all your planning easier. Whether you’re celebrating your first Christmas with the love of your life or cooking for your entire family, this cookbook makes sure you’re fully prepared to entertain your holiday guests with a delicious, satisfying meal.

Show book

The Farmer's Wife Baking Cookbook

Lela Nargi

A collection of classic baking recipes from an early twentieth-century magazine serving American farm kitchens, updated for the contemporary home cook. 
 
Long before the Internet and high-speed travel connected us all, The Farmers Wife magazine gave hard-working rural women a place to find and share advice about everything from raising chickens to running a farm kitchen. One of the magazines most popular offerings was advice on baking, providing farm family recipes for making everything from basic bread to much-loved holiday desserts. The elaborate cakes and company pies, the dainties and muffins for club luncheons, the rich breads for a warming breakfast or a lunch-bucket sandwich, the profusion of pies for threshing parties, the specialties like Cornish Pasties and Danish Kranse—all are here, inviting readers everywhere to recreate the fragrant kitchens and delectable tastes of farm days gone by. Adapted for the needs of the modern kitchen, these classic recipes preserve the flavor of a life dedicated to feeding not just the family, but the nation. They offer readers nostalgia and the chance to bake in a tradition unmatched since the 1930s.

Show book

Cath Kidston Jam Jar Booklet -...

Cath Kidston

Spread the love with this collection of delicious jam and preserve recipes to enjoy at home or give as gifts to friends and family. In Cath Kidston Ltd. Jam Jar Booklet, you will find an assortment of recipes that will help you create special spreads for sharing:  ·      Strawberry Freezer Jam  ·      Raspberry-Fig Jam with Port  ·      Quick Blackberry Jam  ·      Apricot or Plum Jam  ·      Moroccan Preserved Lemons  ·      Apple Butter  Aside from tasty jams and preserves, there are also guides to how to process jams using the full canning method, what equipment is needed for processing, and how to keep your food safe from spoilage. This book has all you need to keep your pantry stocked with amazing fruit spreads.

Show book