Fear of Food: A History of Why We Worry about What We Eat

摘要

In Fear of Food Harvey Levenstein tackles the"omnivore's dilemma" from a fresh angle. While our ancestors once pondered which plants and meats were safe to eat, First World consumers today worry about behind-the-scenes industrial processing that occurs between harvest and supermarket. Levenstein reassures readers that many modern concerns are simply the latest entries in a long list of health fads. He begins with the later part of the 19th century and the establishment of germ theory, ground zero for the idea of food as vehicle for bacterial and other diseases. Since then, common substances like milk, yogurt, and beef have vacillated between being nutritious and being dangerous, according to public-health professionals of the day. Levenstein also tracks the rise of vitamania and lipophobia, both with lasting (and conflicting) impacts on how we interpret preventive health and nutrition.