Eating right

Recently I have had a number of discussions on what one should and shouldn't eat. The discussions revolved around the "nutrient-by-nutrient" approach - an approach imbibed by the "nutritionism" and food industry where they target one nutrient at a time. There is a problem with this approach - given the complex nature of food (at least traditional food), it is almost impossible to isolate the impact of any one nutrient.

Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food" elaborates on the fallacy of this approach. His basic theory is - Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much.

Some takeaways (posted on my fridge).

Eat Food
- don't eat anything that your grandmother wouldn't buy
- avoid food with ingredients a) > 5, b) unpronounceable, c) unfamiliar, d) high fructose content
- avoid products that make health claims
- shop in the peripheries of supermarkets, stay out of the middle aisles
- get out of the supermarkets (hit farmer's markets when possible)

Mostly Plants
- eat mostly plants, especially leaves
- you are what you eat eats too
- buy a freezer
- eat wild foods when you can
- be kind of person who takes supplements (but don't take them)
- eat traditional/ethnic foods
- don't get fuel from same place your car does

Not Too Much
- eat meals
- do all eating at dinner table
- try not to eat alone
- consult your gut
- eat slowly

Additions by us
- eat everything, in moderation
- have a glass of red wine with dinner (guess who added this one)
- don't look for magic bullet ingredients
- avoid "low-fat" or "non-fat" products
- avoid "Diet" drinks. Sugar is better than chemicals

Others you would like to add?