Nowadays in America, we are encountering problems with our food system. The way it’s being processed is affecting everyone. From youngest to oldest, farmers to lawyers and smallest to biggest animal. Consumers are made to believe that they are buying and eating healthy foods , but the labels that led them to believe that are not completely honest. The essay “Escape from the Western Diet” written by Michael Pollan is an explanation of the theories of the western diet. Then, David Zinczenko’s essay “Don’t Blame the Eater” focuses on showing the truth behind labels. Both Pollan and Zinczenko, are writers of essays about food and eating. They support the idea that people need to inform themselves regarding what they consume. If people were to inform …show more content…
The labels we see in our foods at grocery stores are not honest. The big companies put information that will make customers buy their product. In the essay “Don’t Blame the Eater”, written by David Zinczenko focuses on how bad customers are being informed about the food they consume. Zinczenko states “They would do well to protect themselves, and their customers, by providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products. Without such warnings we’ll see more sick, obese children and more angry, litigious parents,” (464). In other words, Zinczenko shows the problems and effects the lack of information can cause. I agree with the writer because since they are not providing enough details about their food, people are getting sick and are dying. Our obesity rate has gone up in recent years because the nutrition facts in our foods are not adding up correctly. The companies are separately showing the calories of small serving sizes, and when it’s all added up you realize you are eating more than the government’s recommended daily intake. Not only that, there is also unnecessary debate going on about our food labels. If the companies were honest with us customers, this wouldn’t be an issue. Thus, if labels were honest we would not have personal and health
In Michael Pollan’s essay “Escape from the Western Diet,” he directly to Americans about the western diet and why he believes they need to escape from it. The reason Americans should escape the western diet is to avoid the harmful effects associated with it such as “western diseases” (Pollan, 420). To support his view on the issue, Pollan describes factors of the western diet that dictate what Americans believe they should eat. These factors include scientists with their theories of nutritionist, the food industry supporting the theories by making products, and the health industry making medication to support those same theories. Overall, Pollan feels that in order to escape this diet, people need to get the idea of it out of their heads.
A Rhetorical Analysis of “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko Sara, a single mother of two kids, is driving home from a grueling day of work. She’s worked overtime all week and has some tightness in her back. Upon looking at the clock on the dashboard of her 1996 Volkswagen, she realizes that it is way too late to go home and cook a nice dinner for her two children. She turns into the nearest McDonalds, orders some chicken nuggets, and brings dinner home. Can you blame a mother who just wanted her kids to eat?
"When the FDA analyzed the Obamacare menu labeling rule, it acknowledged the competitiveness of the restaurant industry, consumer demand for nutrition information, and the fact that nutrition information is provided to restaurant patrons." (The Heritage Foundation). This quote clearly shows that the market is working as intended; in other words, when the consumers asked for nutritional information, they did not get it. Instead, they got employees who knew about the information. In Fahrenheit 451, they keep information away from their citizens as well.
“I 've eaten this food all my life not knowing what was in it and how powerful the food industry was." (Kenner, Food Inc.) “The industry doesn 't want you to know what you 're eating because if you did, then you might not want to eat it" (Kenner, Food Inc.) Ethos components in the film strengthen the documentary claim about the food
The three essays assigned this week had several common threads running through them. The strongest core theme is the rapid change in the food cycle in America and the vast changes that have taken place in the way by which we grow, produce, and process the food that average Americans eat. The food we eat now is drastically different from what our grandparents grew up eating and the three essays each examine that in a different way. Another theme is the loss of knowledge by the average consumer about where their food comes from, what it is composed of, and what, if any, danger it might pose to them. “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele is a harsh look at the realities of food production in a country where large corporations, like Monsanto, have been allowed to exploit laws and loopholes to bend farmers and consumers to their
He provides tips on how to shop for and prepare healthy foods, and he encourages readers to start cooking from scratch using whole, natural ingredients. Despite the strengths of Pollan's argument, there are some limitations to his approach. For one, he tends to oversimplify the causes of the Western diet and the reasons why people continue to rely on processed foods. He also does not take into account the social and economic factors that make it difficult for many individuals and communities to access healthy foods.
By quoting food experts, each notion of food appears credible, logical and well researched, whilst proceeding in a consistent
Michael Pollan’s Escape from the Western Diet connects well with what Mary Maxfield says in her article. Both Pollan and Maxfield talk about the ways that dieting is taking over American people’s healths and causing them to become even unhealthier. In Mary Maxfield’s argument she talks about how people believe everything that diet industries say, even though they know that the information they give you is false. This connects really well with what Michael Pollan talks about in his article, which is that people know that these theories that are used for the Western diet are not accurate, but yet they still decide to use the Western diet to help them become healthier.
The title from Zinczenko’s article, “Don’t Blame the Eater,” can be considered an eye catcher for any reader (Zinczenko
Food, INC., is a documentary that examines the industrial production of meat, grains, and vegetables and how the production of food in modern industries have changed over time. The film exposes the secrets that have been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the government’s agencies, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. Food, INC. reveals corporations putting profit ahead of the consumer’s health, the American farmer, the safety of workers and of the environment. Sick animals, environmental degradation, contaminated and unhealthy food, diabetes and other health issues are only a few of the problems that are a result from the low cost and high profits food production. For many Americans, the ideal meal to eat while living a fast paced life is inexpensive, fast and appetizing.
In the article "Don 't Blame the Eater," by David Zinczenko demonstrates the argument of blame towards Fast-food restaurants due to teenage obesity in the country. As Zinczenko 's essay progressed, he included his personal experience to be used as a credible source. Along with his experience he includes imaginary and sets a particular tone to achieve an effect to persuade his audience. In disagreement to his standing point, he ignores all perspectives to create a one choice response. Zinczenko had a good method to capture the audience 's attention.
According to a report made last fall by Nielsen, 39 percent of consumers would switch from the brands they currently buy to others that provide clearer, more accurate product information.(Ref #3) If the consumers are asking for clearer, concise information, why are we not delivering? Consumers need to read between the lines to really see what the labels on products are hiding, because it is up to them to find out which foods are healthy, and which are harming them. An example of this is Whole Grains: it is possible that a food might be labeled “Made with Whole Grains”, when actually they might contain 99.99% of refined grains, and only one percent of whole grains. Consumers need to be doing their research so that they understand what they are putting into their bodies, because occasionally they are not getting what they paid
Should Fast foods have warning labels? From the skyrocketing obesity crisis to convenience, it's time to put warning labels on fast food. In May 1988, Canada passed the Tobacco Sales to Young Persons Act; this act required tobacco companies to put warnings labels such as; “smoking increases the risk of lung cancer” or “smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby” on their packaging. The same should happen to all fast-foods, fast-foods should have warning labels on them warning potential customers about their dangerous hazards.
Dumanovsky’s etc al., findings show that having blatant calorie postings resulted in an increase in customers reporting that they had seen the information with an increase of from 34% (pre-enforcement) to 73% (post enforcement). Despite this increase in calorie awareness, generally only 27% of people reported using that
Edibility Construct Have humans ever thought about where their food comes from? Nowadays, no one really questions how food ends up on our plates, let alone if it’s healthy. Health is, without a doubt, the most important factor in one’s life. These four articles about food systematics will help demonstrate how the following ideas would benefit our societies food supply and health. Wendell Berry’s article on “The Pleasures of Eating” accurately describes the issues on consumers of food industries and the politics.