In the developed world, small-scale family farms have largely been
replaced by factory farms, shared meals have given way to eating on the
go, and our favorite mass-produced foods can be purchased around the
globe. These might seem like indicators of progress in a globalized
world that supports a population of 7.7 billion; however, with chronic
obesity on the rise, our food laced with additives and chemicals, and
the environment devastated by industrial farming, pesticides,
fertilizers, and monoculture, it is time to reevaluate what we eat and
how we eat it.
In Is Our Food Killing Us?, food writer Joy Manning explores the ways
in which our food systems have failed us and how we can build a better,
more sustainable future. Manning investigates how human bodies and
brains respond to different flavors and food groups, and the ways in
which corporations have exploited this to create hyperpalatable food
products without nutritional value. She then critically addresses how
companies market their products to maximize profit at the expense of
public health, explaining how fast food came to rule. Zooming out and
looking at the large-scale effects of diet, Manning examines the
disastrous impact of modern agribusiness on climate change and
biodiversity loss. Finally, Manning carefully considers solutions and
how we can regain a healthier relationship with food, from eating
organic produce to reintroducing family meals, and from changing how we
buy food to adopting a plant-based diet.
