Mary Maxfield Food As Thought Analysis

According to Mary Maxfield in “Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating”, French people tend to be more healthy than most Americans, due to the confusion over how properly they choose what to put in their bodies. Moreover, it is widely shown in this chapter that over the years and the tripling amount of overeaters, that here in America we’ve become so openly accepting of those who choose to make unhealthy choices. Maxfield explains, “the problem is that our understanding of health is as based in culture as it is in fact” ( 444 ). Though the big question that everyone for sure is wondering is exactly why have Americans become more obese? For one thing, as a culture, we no longer discuss healthy eating without discussing unhealthy weights and eating. It’s informed by, Pollan himself that “overeating constitutes the greatest threat to our survival.” Though the main issue is that our understanding of health is as based in culture as it is a fact. The argument then goes …show more content…
In addition to this, it is mentioned from Allison that “in essence, we can eat as we always have – which includes eating for emotional and social reasons – and still be able to survive or thrive.” Uniquely, America has built itself on freedom and nonetheless food (most of which consist of unhealthy foods). Interestingly enough, we are allowed to eat whatever and as much as we want. What people actually hear is: “Go out and stuff your face with Twinkies!” In conclusion, Mary Maxfield accurately ends off with a good note stating that, “food is ethnically neutral; notions of good and bad, healthy and unhealthy are projected onto it by culture. Staying mindful of that culture (and critical of the hidden interests that help guide it) can free us each to follow a formula we have long known but recently forgotten: Trust yourself. Trust your body. Meet your