Better to Escape from Western Diet than Trusting Your Body

Research has shown that people who eat lots of foods in the Western category have a 35 percent higher heart attack risk than those who ate less meat, eggs, and fried and salty food. Michael Pollan explains that Americans need to escape from the western diet and also, talks about incurable diseases that come with the western diet. On the other hand, Mary Maxfield claims that food is not moral or immoral, and she strongly supports that you can eat whatever you crave. Mary Maxfield's argument makes people believe they can eat whatever they want that makes them healthy. I agree with Pollans’s argument about better eating habits and mostly eat greens. Pollan and Maxfield have a completely different argument in the one hand Maxfield talks about trusting our body, ourselves, and meeting our needs, whereas Pollan supports Americans' need to eat healthily, be active, and live without health risks.

Pollan convinces his point of view in the western diet and its effects that are hurting society. He strongly believes that processed food is causing an outrageous amount of diseases and harming people. He states “People eating a Western diet are prone to a complex of chronic diseases that seldom strike people eating more traditional diets” (421). Pollan’s reasons are to help the American people to be aware of all the things and to escape the unhealthy nutrition lifestyle. The western diet is all about processed which are full of hormones, modified grains, sugary foods, and foods that are high in saturated fats. Pollan focuses on getting rid of the Western diet in the United States and leading Americans to start eating healthier and having better eating habits. Mary Maxfield debates that according to her point of view people simply eat in the wrong quantity. She wants others to believe that trust yourself and trust your body and meet your needs. The unbalanced judgment of eating will cause you all kinds of health issues, while not eating at all and looking skinny will mean that you will remain healthy rather than underweight. She states, “We hear go out and Cram your face with Twinkies!”(446). Therefore, she supports her argument that people need to eat as much as they need. Maxfield’s argument is very much questionable because she wants people to consume western food as much as they want to be satisfied. Pollan’s knows the risk of western food and don’t want people to consume at all.

In Contrast, Pollan denies scientific theories, he talks about how all these theories benefit the food industry and the health industry. Pollan informs that the health industry wants to profit from the theories. Similarly, Pollan notes that “The food industry comes out with a new products to match with the new discover theories made for the western diet”(436).Also, “ He reminds the reader to escape the western diet even though it will be hard because these industries only seek to profit rather than change the way people eat for the better” (436). To address what distinguishes the food of a western diet, Pollan compares whole foods and processed foods. He quotes Gyorgy Scrinis and concludes to himself “instead of worrying about nutrients, we should simply avoid any food that has been process to such to an extent that it is more the product of industry than nature” (438). Pollan agrees with Scrinis in avoiding processed food, but he make it complex by mentioning that all whole foods are taken over by industrial process. A clear difference, Maxfield stated facts such as “culturally, we resist these scientific findings that people can be fat and healthy, in favor of a perspective that considers fatness fatal and thinness immortal” (445). She affirms a bright argument about how food is not moral or immoral. Therefore, you can eat whatever you desire and not suffer any opposite side effects.

Conversely, Pollan notice that talking about the old period may help, but it will not be easier to make people understand. One of his procedure for escaping the Western diet is to look back at the previous time period. He talks about old time where people used to eat together, and highly appreciated their food. Also, people used to take more time to prepare their meals which is how Pollan introduce his argument. When community as a whole looks back on the past and its practices, Pollan argues that the Western viewpoint on food will change, he suggests, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants” (426). Author wants every people to eat as natural as possible, avoid processed foods, and avoid eating excessively.

All things considered, Maxfield and Pollan have completely different argument where Maxfield talks about trusting our body, ourselves, and meeting our needs whereas Pollan supports Americans need to eat healthy, be active, and live healthy. Pollan’s argument is more valid and it gives reader the takeaways. Western diets are truly unhealthy for everyone and it can give us chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are very dangerous and it can harm the consumer for the long period of time. Eating healthy and mostly greens is the way of life because if we have good health then we can earn wealth. The wealthiest person in the planet is who eat healthy and take care of the body. People eat unhealthy just for a pleasure and that pleasure only last for few moments. The diseases that will occur after eating unhealthy food may last lifetime and it can be regretful.