Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I recently finished Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us.

I was very hesitant to read this book. The author is well respected (at least in some quarters) and the content interested me, but reviews I read all talked a lot about how companies were doing everything in their power to hook you. And my general thought was what are they supposed to do, make bad tasting food? I too make my food taste as good and appealing as possible.

With a bit of that negative attitude I read the book. It is very well written and very engaging. It seems extremely thoroughly researched. He does cherry pick things a little here and there: particularly he emphasizes studies which don't have a lot of support on occasion. He very thoroughly lets you know it doesn't have a lot of support, but goes on to talk about it anyway. In a few cases he uses recommended limits for people at risk (high blood pressure particularly) which helps pump up how bad the food is as it is then a higher percentage of the daily value. That is a little disingenuous. However I felt the book was very honest on the whole, and I generally had to nitpick to find serious fault with his statements. I enjoyed it.

As to my misgivings, well, he kind of relieved them, he kind of didn't. In the end of the book, he talks a little about how yes, the companies are just doing what we paid them to do and that the book is to inform you to be able to fight back (with your dollars). I think that was too late, and should have been at the front. He doesn't spend any time in the book really addressing the underlying factors: the very poor ability of humans to account for long term consequences (there is very solid research on this area) and the nature of capitalism to capitalize on that and sell us stuff which is wonderful today but bad for us in the long run. He skims the role of government in this kind of thing, but very lightly. I understand that it is a very loaded topic, but it really is the heart of the matter. He acknowledges that if one company doesn't make your salty sugary fat food, they will lose market share to someone who does. But he barely touches the remedies to that, or address the social issues. He waves his hand at the end and says good luck, don't trust 'em. I suspect that most people who picked up this book didn't trust em in the first place; that is largely preaching to the choir.

Still, that sounds very negative: I'd still recommend this book. It is a great read. Just don't expect solutions, or a study of the underlying social issues.

Paul,

Well, you've confirmed that my first impression of the book was accurate.

I just finished a novel that has the most detailed, loving descriptions of food and food prep I've ever read. It was unexpected, even after I read the reviews. It was straight fiction (IE, not billed as culinary), with some "romance" but the setting in China and the descriptions of the food was just incredible. It made me want to get on a plane to China, pronto.

I am not sure it would be everyone's cup of tea with the romance angle, but I really, really enjoyed it, and I am not a romance novel reader, generally speaking.

The Last Chinese Chef, by Nicole Mones.

--Lisa

So just like the food manufacturers, he's just responding to a market, then?

I previously suspected most of what I read in the NY Times article to be the case, so if I were to read the book it would be for reinforcement of my objective to eat less of that sort of stuff.

Aye. Mind you, I don't typically reward pandering It will definitely reinforce you objective. I was pretty cynical about the purveyors of junk, but am even more so now.

Lisa,

That sounds pretty good actually. You might try Micaela Roessler's The Stars Dispose, which is a medieval fantasy centering around Renessaince Florentine cooks.

My hesitation about reading food fiction is that it tends to make me really hungry, particularly late at night when I'm supposed to be going to sleep.

I liked that too, Lisa. I am not big into romance either but this was no Harliquin.

Mary

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll give it a shot. It sounds like something I would like!

And I agree that food fiction can cause my stomach to growl.

--Lisa

Lisa,

You'll have to look for it used, at this point. As a warning, *don't* get the sequel, The Stars Compel.

Yes, I checked to see if I could get it at my library or for my Nook yesterday and no dice. I will have to keep an eye out during my infrequent forays into used book stores.

I miss used book stores. I love my Nook, but digital literature has absolutely killed off all of the good used book stores in my area. The only ones left are small and not worth going out of my way for.

--Lisa