Everyone knows what eating healthy means. So, why don't they? Are food documentaries wasting their time educating folks on the health and climate impact of food because we know people make food choices with their taste buds, not their brains?
I find such simplistic arguments to be fundamentally flawed. Food is one of the most complex subjects. So much is wrapped into what we eat. Food is nutrition, enjoyment, culture, relationships, and status. Food is not a paint-by-number exercise.
We change what we eat all the time. We listen to influencers and doctors and follow trends. Diets go in and out of fashion (Atkins vs Low Fat). Individual nutrients get villainized (fat/sugar) or put on a pedestal (protein). Our understanding of nutrition evolves (are eggs good for you?). Food policies and government subsidies create megatrends. Food scientists continue to throw irresistible foods in front of us (Lays, “I bet you can’t eat just one”).
Human behavior is highly complex and dynamic, and so are our food choices. These choices are frequent, varied and context-dependent.
Some of them are influenced by INFORMATION – whether it’s a documentary on the horrors of commercial fishing, the health benefits of a plant-based diet, the number on a scale, or your latest bloodwork.
Some of them are influenced by CONTEXT – are you at home making a morning smoothie, or are you at a pub at the end of a stressful day staring at pizza?
Some of them are influenced by TASTE – millions of years of evolution drive us to like fat, salt and sugar, and feast on high-calorie foods, because our brains have not evolved with the age of abundance. I’m sorry, but the tastiest bean bowl does not stand a chance against chocolate cake. It’s not a fair fight.
Some of them are influenced by CULTURE and STATUS – what you eat says a lot about who you are. Our food telegraphs our culture, beliefs and our social standing. This is why dietary change is the third rail of politics. This is why celebrities, chefs and cooking shows help shape our food culture.
If we want any hope of shifting our food towards healthy, sustainable and socially conscious choices, we must embrace this complexity. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and. We need documentaries, delicious recipes, foods that “hit the spot”, chefs who inspire, healthy foods that taste good, options that are available and affordable, etc.
#food #health #nutrition #sustainability #innovation
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