I read the new book, " The End of Overeating" by David Kessler last month. I thought it was a pretty informative read. The book is really a behind-the-scenes look at the food industry.
What the author has uncovered is that food manufacturers are always searching for a magic combination of salt, fat, and sugar. They are constantly experimenting with ratios and techniques to make their food more addictive. As firms compete for revenue, they strive to outdo their competitors, and so over time all processed food becomes highly addictive.
This goes for both packaged food and restaurant food. What amazed me is the production process behind some restaurant food. Take for example, an entree of grilled chicken. This often seems like a safe bet, and it's something I often order at restaurants. So when your order this, all you're getting is just a plain chicken breast, right?
Apparently, no. Manufacturers even attempt to make this simple dish more addictive. In some cases, they actually use needles to inject ingredients into the chicken breast during pre-production. Crazy!
The last section of the book trails off. The author tries to present a solution to overeating. He seemed to focus on the psychological side, so I tuned out this section.
Overall, this was a good read, though it did not have a satisfying ending. I would have liked some discussion of the Paleo Diet as a solution, but I'm biased. Still, the book contains a powerful lesson: food manufacturers are trying to make you addicted to their products - not provide you with a healthy food. Consumers should be aware.
I read the new book, " The End of Overeating" by David Kessler last month. I thought it was a pretty informative read. The book is really a behind-the-scenes look at the food industry.
What the author has uncovered is that food manufacturers are always searching for a magic combination of salt, fat, and sugar. They are constantly experimenting with ratios and techniques to make their food more addictive. As firms compete for revenue, they strive to outdo their competitors, and so over time all processed food becomes highly addictive.
This goes for both packaged food and restaurant food. What amazed me is the production process behind some restaurant food. Take for example, an entree of grilled chicken. This often seems like a safe bet, and it's something I often order at restaurants. So when your order this, all you're getting is just a plain chicken breast, right?
Apparently, no. Manufacturers even attempt to make this simple dish more addictive. In some cases, they actually use needles to inject ingredients into the chicken breast during pre-production. Crazy!
The last section of the book trails off. The author tries to present a solution to overeating. He seemed to focus on the psychological side, so I tuned out this section.
Overall, this was a good read, though it did not have a satisfying ending. I would have liked some discussion of the Paleo Diet as a solution, but I'm biased. Still, the book contains a powerful lesson: food manufacturers are trying to make you addicted to their products - not provide you with a healthy food. Consumers should be aware.