Today I’d like to talk about just one thing, and that is the difference between healthy and nourishing. In 2017, Michael Ruhlman, the noted chef and writer, published a book called Grocery*, in which he reflected on a great many aspects of supermarkets and grocery stores. As part of his endeavor, he asked me to meet with him and share my perspective. He wanted to know what I saw when I was in the grocery store. So I spent some time touring a local supermarket with him. Basically, he conducted an interview as we walked the aisles, collecting my thoughts on interests we share — on food itself, of course, but also on the words that are used throughout Western society to describe those foods.
He quoted me in Grocery as saying that “Healthy is a bankrupt word. Our food isn’t healthy. We are healthy. Our food is nutritious…Words are the key to giving people the tools they need to figure out what to eat…” While my understanding of mechanisms of metabolism and digestion has evolved since Ruhlman’s book was published, my thoughts have not changed on one particular aspect: clarity of communication. The more precisely I am able to share what I see, the more empowered you become to make consequent and beneficial choices on your own behalf. The soup is not healthy; the soup is nourishing. The ingredients are not healthy; you are.
*Ruhlman, M. Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America. 2017. Abrams Books. NY, NY.
Thank you. Where might I read your thoughts regarding metabolism and digestion specifically. Is there a particular article or post I can reference?
I am going to suggest two resources: the first is Michael Ruhlman’s book, Grocery. He does a nice job paraphrasing my approach. But before you do that, google my Tedx talk “Our Health is on Your Plate” to hear my metaphor-driven description of the body’s use of insulin in response to various rates of glucose absorption.
Thank you. Much appreciated