Reviews - Food Rules: An Eater's Manual

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782 reviews for:

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual

Michael Pollan

3.9 AVERAGE

klosterphobia's review against another edition

3.0

informative inspiring fast-paced

Michael Pollan's "Food Rules" is designed as a concise guide, distilling his extensive research into simple, digestible advice. The core message—eat whole foods to avoid Western diseases like diabetes—is clear and valuable. However, the book could benefit from more nuance.

Some of the rules are presented with an intensity that might be impractical or unnecessarily restrictive. For instance, the admonition to avoid ingredients like xanthan gum lacks context. Xanthan gum is commonly used in gluten-free baking to improve texture and is generally considered safe. By condemning such ingredients without explanation, the book risks promoting food fear, potentially edging towards orthorexia.

While the straightforward tips are helpful, a first rule advocating balance and self-compassion would have been a welcome addition. Something along the lines of, "Give yourself grace; one Big Mac won't kill you," would emphasize a healthy relationship with food. Yes, I know rule 64 says you can break the rules for special occasions but I don’t think that’s good enough to address the negative effects of creating rules around food.

isabellesbooks's review against another edition

5.0

informative fast-paced

I really enjoyed Food Rules and how it was short, simple, and to the point. A lot of “healthy living” books contain important information and genuine wisdom, but it might be hidden between hundreds of pages of what is suddenly a memoir and lots of philosophical speculation, making you think, “what am I even doing here?!”
Meanwhile, this book is so precise that all advice is listed by number. While some of the “rules” may seem obvious if you’re trying to eat healthy (i.e. rule 36 - don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk), they are smart, and I still felt compelled to take notes. Some favorites are:

13. Eat only foods that will eventually rot.
19. If it comes from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.
24. The Chinese proverb “Eating what stands on one leg [mushrooms and plant foods] is better than eating what stands on two legs [fowl], which is better than eating what stands on four legs [cows, pigs, and other mammals].”
37. “The whiter the bread, the sooner you’ll be dead.”