American Meals: From a Rhetorical Perspective

"Unhappy Meals," written by Michael Pollan, who's credibilty can be questioned since he never mentions his own dietary practices in this article. Although, in looking further into his past and other books he has written such as the chapter entitled "Two Gardens'" in the book Second Nature, Pollan reveals his memories of his first garden as a child. Also, he has written many articles and other books on food related topics. Is it even fathomable to see the American population totally change their diet from meats to beets? Pollan was writing about these issues in 2007, and it is now 2014. Yet diets, as a whole, have not improved which contributes to the nation’s health decline. It is time to take back our food from the money driven corporations, and begin producing healthier choices to improve our health and the health of our future generations. Pollan's claim is, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." This statement, which seems direct and to the point, encases a copious amount of supporting revelations that need to be digested to its entirety in order to intake all its elements. Now, he does use ethos since he does give a counterclaim for each of his reasons, so I believe he is being fair.

"Eat food." Eat real food. Food that has not been overly processed or injected with some type of additive to make it last longer. Also, if you are going to take supplements, be aware that they may not be as beneficial as the "real" deal. Take fresh thyme for instance. Fresh thyme contains so many natural ingredients that work all together in your body as a beneficial herb, but when laboratories try to "extract" the "working" ingredients the capsules simply do not provide all the benefits that the fresh thyme provides.

“Not too much.” – the jaw-clenching words in which Americans have been hearing over the years about many different food products. Not too much meat. Not too much carbs. Not too much _____. Our portion sizes have become so huge. We are simply eating too much, whether they are healthy or unhealthy foods. Portion control is a must in this large nation.

Now, as for “Mostly plants.” When ordering virtually any regular plate from a restaurant, the main portion will consist of a nice, juicy piece of meat (one at least expects). The sides then usually consist of starches, some vegetables, soup, and even a salad. Pollan argues that any meal should embrace the diet that relates closer to that of a vegetarian, meaning the biggest portion of a meal should consist of fresh produce such as carrots, spinach, and tomatoes; and the hunk of meat should be the smallest side choice. How hard would that be for an unapologetic carnivore? Imagine being in the same vicinity of someone that is refused their simple pleasure. But, just how simple is that cut of sirloin?

He can surely make a mother feel bad since we are usually the parent that feeds the children when it comes to the Hispanic culture. this is what lead me, in a round about way, to picking my claim.