Michael Pollan

The Omnivore's Dilemma

1. IDEA 1

   Humans face a choice of foods

   Pollan describes the omnivore's dilemma: because humans can eat almost anything, we must constantly decide what to eat. Modern food systems, he argues, have made that choice more confusing than ever.

2. IDEA 2

   Corn is everywhere

   Pollan traces how corn, grown on huge industrial farms in America, ends up in a vast range of foods, from soft drinks to meat. Cheap corn shapes the modern diet.

3. IDEA 3

   Feedlots raise cattle on corn

   Pollan describes industrial feedlots where cattle are fattened on corn rather than grass. He raises concerns about animal welfare and pollution. In his account, this practice shapes the animal's life, the land around it and the food that comes from it.

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