Food

    Food scientists study the nutrients in food to figure out what effect they have on health. It is very difficult to determine whether a particular nutrient is good or bad. They are not isolated from other nutrients in the foods, the other foods in the diet or how the food is processed. Food manufacturers, needing results that support purchasing their product, fund studies by scientists willing to focus on the nutrients in their product. This has led to reductionist science supporting industry instead of consumers. 

    The first food scientists focused on macronutrients- protein, carbohydrate and fat. Soon they realized that micronutrients- minerals and vitamins- were important too. Then they began the process of demonizing some individual nutrients and idolizing others. Whether it was Kellogg's cereal or margarine, real food was transfigured into an imitation that scientists claimed would make us healthier.

    Since many food scientists still believe that food can be reduced to its components,they continue to search for the magic nutrient. Today we take vitamins, fiber pills and antioxidants hoping to live longer. People may be living longer but they are not healthier.  Studying mortality obscures the fact that measures of health have been declining. Lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension cost hundreds of billions of dollars a year in treatment.  Improvements in medicine cover for the abysmal state of food. 

    One of the earliest failures of food science was baby formula. Scientists wanted to invent a replacement for human milk. They have not succeeded. While formulas have improved, infants are still healthier when fed human milk.  The formula may include 29 nutrients, but it has no antibodies from the mother.  Formula maybe nutrition but it is not food.

    Margarine was another food science failure. In an effort to create a healthier substitute for butter, they made trans fats. Both of my parents grew up with margarine instead of butter. Their moms were protecting their health by listening to the experts. Unfortunately the experts were wrong. Trans fats are  now banned in New York City.

    What is causing food scientists' repeated failures?If we set aside  the politicians, lobbyists and industry funding, the research is tainted anyway. It is impossible to do a randomized, double blind study on the effects of particular foods on health. There is no way to randomly choose people who eat broccoli. Instead food science is reduced to what we can study, without making note of methodology flaws.

     Food is more than the sum of its nutrients. It is a mother's antibodies, a grandma's recipe, Bareburger's ambiance and Sunday dinner. Scientists who hope to make us healthier must acknowledge their limits. The rest of us should  " eat food, not too much, mostly plants. " 1

1 Pollan, Michael. In Defence of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. Penguin Books, 2009. Print.