Consumed: Why Americans Hate, Love, and Fear Food - Paperback

by Michelle Stacey (Author)

In this look at the uniquely American obsession with food, Michelle Stacey chronicles the psychological and cultural forces that have transformed oat bran and broccoli into magical totems, and steak, butter, and eggs into killers.

Back Jacket

Something has happened to food in America. It is no longer simply food-- filling, good-tasting, life-sustaining. Rather, it is "fat free" or "high in fiber" or "loaded with calories"-- it is an enemy that will steal life away, or a savior that will prolong it. In this provocative and entertaining look at the uniquely American obsession with food, Michelle Stacey chronicles the psychological and cultural forces that have transformed oat bran and broccoli into magical totems, and steak, butter, and eggs into killers. Stacey takes us on a revealing journey through the landscape of American food paranoia-- from supermarkets, to restaurant kitchens, to research labs-- and ultimately suggests a new answer to our fears, one that takes into account our ancient and abiding love for eating. Perceptive and original, "Consumed" will change the way you think about food.

Author Biography

Michelle Stacey is an award-winning journalist, author, and editor who has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Elle, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Prevention, Martha Stewart Living, and many more. Much of her work focuses on food and culture, diet and nutrition, health and wellness, and science. As a magazine editor, Stacey has worked on the staffs of Women's Health, Shape, Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, Savvy, and Outside. She is the author of four books: Consumed: Why Americans Love, Hate, and Fear Food (Simon & Schuster), The Fasting Girl: A True Victorian Medical Mystery (Tarcher/Putnam), as well as The Complete Guide to Keto (Centennial Books), Holiday Keto (Centennial Books), and Intermittent Fasting for Hungry People (Centennial Books).