Consumed: Why Americans Hate, Love, and Fear Food

by Michelle Stacey

Overview

In this look at the uniquely American obsession with food, Michelle Stacey chronicles the psychological and cultural forces that have transformed oat bran and broccoli into magical totems, and steak, butter, and eggs into killers.

Stacey takes us on a revealing journey through the landscape of American food paranoia and suggests a new answer to our fears, one that takes into account our ancient and abiding love for eating.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780671501013
Publisher:	Touchstone
Publication date:	04/27/1995
Edition description:	First Touchstone Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.59(d)

About the Author

Michelle Stacey is an award-winning journalist, author, and editor who has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Elle, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Prevention, Martha Stewart Living, and many more. Much of her work focuses on food and culture, diet and nutrition, health and wellness, and science. As a magazine editor, Stacey has worked on the staffs of Women's Health, Shape, Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, Savvy, and Outside. She is the author of four books: Consumed: Why Americans Love, Hate, and Fear Food (Simon & Schuster), The Fasting Girl: A True Victorian Medical Mystery (Tarcher/Putnam), as well as The Complete Guide to Keto (Centennial Books), Holiday Keto (Centennial Books), and Intermittent Fasting for Hungry People (Centennial Books).

Editorial Reviews

Elle columnist Stacey interviews chefs, scientists, high-fat lovers, health gurus and others to examine America's obsession with food. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A contributor to such magazines as The New Yorker and a former editor at Mademoiselle , Savvy , and Outside magazines, Stacey here attempts a look at America's neurotic love-hate relationship with food. Cataloging the long history of food hype and hysteria from the Puritans through the 19th century's health-food revival down to our current low-fat, low-cholesterol present, she examines the paradoxical view of food as both fat-laden killer and sensuous sustainer of life. In conclusion, Stacey calls for a return to ``normal'' eating, asking Americans to rediscover the social and ritual joys of food. Unfortunately, by providing a one-sided polemic, Stacey is guilty of the same sin of which she accuses health-food advocates. She dismisses mainstream concerns for food safety and ignores global environmental and other nonnutritional factors for changing one's diet. By lumping together genuine health concerns such as pesticide residues and chemical additives with zero-calorie fat and designer food, Stacey does a great disservice to the serious issues of food safety and healthier eating habits. It's a shame that a much-needed call for moderation is subsumed by facile arguments and shallow reportage. Not recommended except for some interesting historical trivia.-- Jeffery Ingram, Newport P.L., Ore.

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