Book Review: The Gospel of Food

The Gospel of Food: Everything You Think You Know About Food Is Wrong
By Barry Glassner

While I enjoyed parts of this book, I found the flow of the material to lack continuity. The transitions between chapters (sections within the chapters, even) were disjointed, almost as though the author turned off one switch and turned on another triggering unrelated thoughts. If you can get past the lack of organization, the substance is quite intriguing.

Glassner tackles many subjects ranging from healthy foods, organic food, genetically modified food to food as a source of enjoyment (not just nutrition), obesity and the role of human genetics in the current obesity epidemic. I particularly liked how Glassner dissected several studies. He clearly demonstrated how scientific findings can be influenced by funding bodies (no surprise there). He also presented a clear view of how the media contributes to the North American food culture.

Glassner presents reams of research (and keeps it interesting) and if nothing else, the book is worth picking up just to pore over the bibliography and use it as a springboard for further reading.