Is Our Food Killing Us?

The Big Idea

by Joy Manning

This thought-provoking volume from noted food writer Joy Manning dissects how the production and consumption of food have become harmful to our personal, societal, and environmental health―and assesses the possible remedies. In the developed world, small-scale family farms have largely been replaced by factory farms, shared meals have given way to eating on the go, and our favorite mass-produced foods can be purchased around the globe. These might seem like indicators of progress in a globalized world that supports a population of 7.7 billion; however, with chronic obesity on the rise, our food laced with additives and chemicals, and the environment devastated by industrial farming, pesticides, fertilizers, and monoculture, it is time to reevaluate what we eat and how we eat it. In Is Our Food Killing Us? , food writer Joy Manning explores the ways in which our food systems have failed us and how we can build a better, more sustainable future. Manning investigates how human bodies and brains respond to different flavors and food groups, and the ways in which corporations have exploited this to create hyperpalatable food products without nutritional value. She then critically addresses how companies market their products to maximize profit at the expense of public health, explaining how fast food came to rule. Zooming out and looking at the large-scale effects of diet, Manning examines the disastrous impact of modern agribusiness on climate change and biodiversity loss. Finally, Manning carefully considers solutions and how we can regain a healthier relationship with food, from eating organic produce to reintroducing family meals, and from changing how we buy food to adopting a plant-based diet.
150 illustrations

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2021

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can be considered an entry point and covers the topic of (ultra processed food), the environment in which it's produced, and its effects on our health, both positive and negative. It's a good starting point for anyone interested in nutrition and its effects on health and the environment. Rather than a global perspective, it mainly focuses on the United States. The book is beautifully designed, making it a pleasant and easy read.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep dive into how we got to the food desert we live in, how bad it really is, and how it affects each of us. Avoid processed foods and sugar, and go for the Mediterranean diet.

[flaams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives an accessible look at how our modern food systems are harming our health, society, and planet, and what we can do about it. Manning covers everything from factory farming’s environmental toll to the way corporations engineer hyperpalatable, nutritionally empty products and market them for maximum profit. She balances the big-picture issues: climate change, biodiversity loss, with practical solutions like eating more plant-based meals, buying organic, and reclaiming shared mealtimes.

Manning’s writing is straightforward and engaging, enhanced by impactful visuals that speak as loudly as her words. It’s not an exhaustive deep dive, but as an entry point, it’s more than enough to spark awareness and change. Reading it was both eye-opening and motivating, I finished feeling not just informed, but empowered. This is the kind of book that should be taught in schools, not hidden away on a shelf.

[circe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivendo in Europa non si realizza quanto questo stile alimentare ci stia uccidendo e stia invadendo anche i posti in cui normalmente non si mangerebbe mai così, è mostruoso realizzare cosa stia succedendo, queste cose dovrebbero essere insegnate a scuola non in un libro anche difficile da trovare in Italia.
Il libro è veramente scritto bene e in modo chiaro, le immagini sono importanti e parlano tanto quanto le parole, non è troppo approfondito ma da un libro di base questo è anche più che abbastanza.

[Mellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really this is a 3.5 star book for me. Provocative, straightforward, succeeds in providing a high level, accessible overview on western food systems and their origins/impacts. Not a deep dive, doesn’t provide much source/data information in the text, leaving some points feeling like extrapolation, though I think it’s intended to be an introduction, so I suppose that’s fine. There is some added nuance introduced towards the end of the book, though I’d love to read something on these topics that has more nuance.

[Mya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good beginners book to the global food system and the major changes in our food in the past 40/50 years and good introduction to long term health implications.

Felt some of the stats were inaccurate or underdeveloped but would be easily just taken as 100% truth if you had no nutritional education background.

Overall interesting and informative book🍔

(First non-fiction of 75 hard) 🏋🏽‍♀️⭐️💓💪🏽🎀🪩

[Anon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The answer is... YES! What was so great about this book is it didn't leave me despairing, but rather hopeful that I can make the much needed change both personally and publicly needed to create a healthier diet for me and environment for everyone! This was a great and productive read, everyone should go grab this book! :D

[Eden Leeuwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A informative read.

[Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molto interessante, ovviamente deprimente, motivante

[Denis Vasilev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Разумная, но все же агитка. Скорее для детей или тех кто совсем уж ничего не изучал про еду

[Tom Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a high school essay