 |
The Great American Food Fight is the most recent piece of literature addressing the American food industry and its affects on society. Its purpose, as Baldasare states, is to move "us [Americans] closer to the critical mass—that place where change will come. Its primary goal is to separate the objective science from the corporate spin and to shine some light on the food battles that we absolutely must win." Covering pertinent topics that range from food packaging, nutrition claims, additives, GMOs, sweeteners, and the truth behind gluten, Baldasare provides plenty of information for readers to ruminate on and so much more.
Those well acquainted with Michael Pollan (Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food, Food Rules) and Eric Schlossser (Fast Food Nation) may conclude that the vast material contained in their literature covers the essentials in comprehending what's taking place in our grocery stores and how today's food affects our health. Thanks to their stellar work, they have raised public awareness on "an industrialized food system that is focused on profit, not human health." Unfortunately, because of the industry's continued lack of transparency, their literature only cracks open the door to the evils of the food industry—an industry that has created more confusion than ever for American consumers.
Chiropractor Dr. Brent Baldasare takes the next step in exposing the behind-the-scene machinations of the American food industry in his debut. The Great American Food Fight was birthed out of Baldasare's desire to create a pamphlet for his patients who "came seeking information about diet and nutrition," and for those who didn't. The latter consists of those who are "overweight, obese, or morbidly obese" and "who were sadly unaware that diet had anything at all to do with their aches, pains, or lack of mobility." His eye-opening three-year project covers every aspect of the present-day American diet, debunks myths on obesity, and explains why people are plagued with various diseases.
Over the course of twelve in-depth chapters, Baldasare's medical approach breaks down today's food pyramid, clarifying food items such as fats, sugars, meat, and dairy. Baldasare also shines a light on other food components, identifying ingredients one would never find in her/his spice rack. Among that list are fillers, additives, coloring, and preservatives, to name just a few. Critical to Baldasare's narrative, though, is updated information regarding front packaging labels, shelf tag labeling systems, prescriptive or functional foods (foods that can treat or eliminate health problems), in vitro meat, as well as concerns over ongoing issues such as school lunches, and the world wide ill-effects of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and pesticides.
Always balancing the bad and good news, Baldasare punctuates his data with proactive calls to action for his readers (i.e., writing letters to Congress and the FDA—Food and Drug Administration). Replete with statistics, studies, a full appendix of tips, guidelines, and pertinent source material, and over 150 sources to peruse for further study, The Great American Food Fight is a must read for all.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review