"What should we have for dinner?" Pollan attempts to answer this question in his book The Omnivore's Dilemma. So what is the Omnivores Dilemma and why is it so hard for us to choose what we should eat. Omnivore's Dilemma basically means us human having trouble figuring out which food to choose from. We are trying to figure out a solution to know exactly what is healthy and what is not because the fact is there is no such thing as natural ingredient in processed food. Its like we are trying to choose between a rock and a hard place. I mean their are healthier choices we could choose from. For example instead of eating chips and cookies as snack, you can snack on a fruit. But even a fruit these days are not considered healthy. Matter of fact, it may hurt us based on the numerous studies of the effects of pesticides and herbicides. The food industry is a money making business and they have to make fruit look nice which means they have to put chemicals in them. So I wonder could all these chemical's be healthy for us? If you cook vegetables too long, microwave them or let them sit around, even more nutrients are lost. You can buy organic but some suggest that it may be only slightly safer. In any case, what we are really talking about is our life style.
It is a fact that a high majority of the population does not get the right amount of nutrition from our foods on a daily basis, necessary for good health due to our poor diets. The rates of cancer and disease have skyrocket. "Three of every five Americans are overweight; one of every five is obese" (Pollan P 102). This is when the dilemma part comes in. So what should we do? Since we live in a fast food, pharmaceutical drug culture and people don’t want to make the time to take care of the root of the problem in America. Majority of the American nation is asking themselves the same question and now are in a dilemma. It will all be easier if we actually knew where our food came from. Pollan asks this question at the very end of the book."Imagine for a moment if we once again knew, strictly as a matter of course, these few unremarkable things: What it is we're eating. Where it came from. How it found its way to our table. And what, in a true accounting, it really cost," (Pollan P. 411)
I dont think I have ever experienced a dilemma with food. Most likely because I dont choose my food wisely. Im probably the total opposite of a health freak. If something taste good i'll eat it even though it might not be the best thing in the world. But maybe in the near future some where along the line that problem will occur.
