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Michael Pollan: Home Cooking Is Crucial To Good Health

rredick December 14, 2021
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family cooking in kitchen
people chopping vegetables

To cook or not to cook? That might not seem like a question that could determine the health of nations. But in this short talk in London, Michael Pollan makes it plain just how vital cooking is. In study after study, he relates, “What predicted a healthy diet more than anything else was the fact that it was being cooked by a human being.”  

How can that be? Pollan’s answers are fascinating and very straightforward, ranging from the transformation of food preparation for troops in World War II to marketing campaigns that relentlessly tell us, “You’re too important to cook. You’re a loser if you have time to cook.” 

If you’ve felt that something wholesome and health-sustaining was missing in your life, it might well be the art and practice of cooking food. Spend a few minutes with Pollan. And imagine the delicious, healthy possibilities for dinner tonight. 

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