Food Fix

February 15, 2020
The food industry, like corporate agriculture, is big business, and Hyman (Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?, 2018) takes aim at the structures responsible for selling cheap, high-calorie, manufactured food that's not only low in nutrients, but also responsible for diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and other health problems. Such problems are epidemic in low-income communities, where access to fresher, better quality food can be nearly impossible to secure, much less afford. Beyond simply decrying such ills, Hyman offers "food fixes" like outlining policy changes for SNAP benefits and calling on the FDA to make policies that will benefit people, not corporations. A chapter on "Why Agriculture Matters," which includes the history of farming, is especially strong. This book is wide-ranging and far-reaching in scope, and key points are often reiterated throughout a chapter. This is a must-read for anyone interested in learning how "disjointed food policies are driving a disease-creating economy," and what can be done about it. Fans of Michael Pollan and Vani Hari will want to check it out, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)