Read "Our National Eating Disorder"

Pollan discusses an interesting situation that Americans change using figure and eyes to determine what to eat from using taste. He says Americans don’t have their own cuisines.  The food they cook and eat usually changes from one generation to another. For this generation, the most representative thing for food is more and more people trying to following the nutritionists’ suggestions. Many people, especially the girls, try to eat fewer calories, sweetness, and more vegetables. Eating is not an action that related to one’s taste and pleasure any more. More and more people feel guilt to eat ice-cream. “People have learned to choose our foods by the numbers (calories, carbs, fats, R.D.A.'s, price, whatever), relying more heavily on our reading. There are a lot and computational skills than upon our senses.” The food markets sale process food because it can ensure the nutrient component, and have beautiful package with clear introduction of the materials. But the writer shows his worries about this situation. He suspects whether the way the Americans choose is useful. Compared with French, who eat more sweetness and calories, Americans are more troubled by the obesity and other unhealthy problems. He argues that the way we eat--fast and casual, the amounts we eat-- much greater than others, and the snakes—have high energy, are the real reasons. It is not useful for us to avoid all the food which is oily or full of energy. Actually, we can eat everything because we want or it can make us pleasure. What we need to change are some other things. 

            I really agree the writer. As a foreigner, I have the same feeling with him. I feel the Americans stress the healthy part of food. Much food in the supermarket is labeled with organic and zero calories. But at the same time, the amount of a meal in a restaurant is really big. It is as twice big as the Chinese restaurant. In Chinese super market, we prefer to sale some fresh vegetables and meat, but here, in American, there are a lot of frozen food, which we always think is not good for health.

            The way I choose food is trying to find a balance between the nutrition and taste. I would like to find a food that tastes good, and has less calories and comprehensive nutrition.