EE2- Tea Drinker's Manifesto

A Tea Drinker’s Manifesto

Tea drinking has always been part of my daily routine because it is a beverage whose taste and calming effects I enjoy. Instead of coffee in the morning, tea is my go to drink because it get me up in the morning and make me feel prepared for what I have to do throughout the day. The reason for this is because, “Tea is a pleasant, popular, socially accepted, economical, and safe drink that is enjoyed every day by hundreds of millions of people across all continents (Trevisanato and Kim, 1).” For the last ten or so years that I have been drinking tea, the routing of drinking has not changed, but the reasons for which I have been drinking it have. It has only been in recent years that I have heard about he health benefits of tea drinking as well as its stress relief effects. My relationship with tea is one of respect an admiration because it has been a food/drink that has been prevalent through out most of my life. Part of the reason I have continued to drink tea is because it has always been something I have drank during times of illness and stress. My value for taste, relief, and health are all satisfied by one drink, and it is for this reason that I cherish it so much.

            Since I could remember, my mother has always been brewing me tea, especially during periods of sickness. From the chills of a scorching fever to the smallest of stomachaches, tea has provided a warm comfort and ease that few foods rarely provide. In particular, nothing is more soothing than drinking some freshly brewed green tea and honey while having a soar throat. The sweet scent of honey as well as the aromatic flavor of the tea travel up the nose and provide almost a euphoric sensation, for which it’s only natural to close one’s eyes and smile. It is the teas warmth and specific taste that make any ache or sourness melt away. As the warmth of the tea settles in the stomach, it generates pulses of warmth that travel throughout the body. It is for this reason that tea not only provides me with a comforting sensation, but also with feeling of betterment. Thus, from a young age, my mother instilled in me the idea of tea being beneficial for one’s health.

            One of the great things about tea specifically is the world’s second most consumed beverage in the world, just after water. The reason for this is because, “It is easily ingested, palatable, inexpensive, widely available, and tasty (Trevisanato and Kim, 8).” But beyond that, studies have also shown that tea provides numerous health benefits. For instance, in Trevisanato and Kim’s research, they concluded that:

The beneficial effects of tea on human health can be grouped into major and minor. In the subsequent sections, the major effects, namely those affecting cardiovascular disease and cancer, are extensively discussed. The minor effects, namely those affecting dental cavities, kidney stones, diarrhea, and immune function, are briefly discussed. (Trevisanato and Kim, 2)

These findings are also supported by other research saying that,  “Tea also provides a dietary source of biologically active compounds that help prevent a wide variety of diseases (Khan and Mukhtar, 10).” Personally, I thought that drinking tea provided small health benefits such as immediate comfort to small things such as stomachaches or headaches, but learning about such an extensive set of health benefits provided by tea really made me appreciate that fact that it has been something I have been drinking for a long time.

            To add to the extensive list f health benefits of tea, it has also been shown that tea can help inhibit neurodegeneration (Wang et al., 1302). Not only does tee provide health benefits in regards to something as big as cancer, but also for me the fact that it provides health benefits with regards to heart disease is very important. The reason that is such an important point for me is because heart disease is very prevalent through out both sides of my family. A link has been made between tea and cardiovascular health, which states, “ In a case-control study, the relation between tea and coffee consumption and myocardial infarction was studied. There was 44% reduction in cardiovascular risk in the individuals drinking more than a cup of tea per day (Khan and Mukhtar, 10).” By just having one cup of tea a day, a person can then reduce the risk of heart disease by almost half. That is an amazing statistic because in our country obesity and cardiovascular problems are very high. Being able to do anything to reduce those risks are important because it allows us to live a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.

            As the years have gone by, my daily drinking of tea has not changed, but instead the reasons for which I drink tea have. The reason for this is because I have not gotten as sick as I used to. Now, as I have aged and become more mature, the accumulation and presence of stress has come to have a bigger influence in my life. As a child there weren’t many things that I had to worry about because my parents would be the one in charge of handling almost every aspect of my life. However, now that I am on my own, independence has caused me to come face to face with stress from time to time. As a result, tea drinking has become a way for me to relax. “We find a freshly brewed cup to be a great way to deal with a stressful day or the perfect compliment to a moment of rest when we arrive home in the evening (Patel, 1).” During time when I think the world is out to get me, nothing sooths the mind and the nerves more than a hot cup of green tea.

            Tea drinking is a very peaceful activity for me because it allows me to sit down and enjoy the present. It allows me to calm my mind and truly immerse myself in my actions relating to my drinking. But tea drinking does not have to be done alone, for “tea drinking is a pleasurable experience that is enjoyed either alone or shared at social gatherings (Trevisanato and Kim, 1).” The enjoyment of tea is not only confined to the experience of one person, for it can also be experience by other. Being able to relax and enjoy tea with my friends is also another way that I am able to ease my stress, for I am able to spend more time with those I care about.

            The psychology of drinking tea by oneself or in a social atmosphere also plays an important part in stress relief. It was noted that, “In their study, Williams et al (2008) found that those who held a warm cup of tea perceived those around them more positively, that is, as possessing a warmer personality, being more generous and caring (Cross and Michaels, 2).” This is a similar feeling that I get when drinking tea with others. The warmth of the tea in my hand and in my stomach sends waves of warmth throughout my body, which relaxes me. From this relaxation, I feel calmer around others and feel that I am enjoying an intimate moment with them. The bulk of the psychological aspects of drinking tea are summarized in a study saying:

In summary, the present study shows that during periods of stress tea’s reputation for inducing calm extends beyond the effects of its physical properties on our bodies and brains. The symbolic dimensions of tea (the values and meanings of making and consuming it) simultaneously perform a complex sociopsychological function. This function can be experienced both privately (as subjective moment of relaxation, reflection, closure etc) and/or socially (as an act of empathy, bonding or solidarity). (Cross and Michaels, 4)

So not only does tea have physical benefits, but psychological ones as well. These psychological effects can be felt whether one is alone or in a social setting, which goes to show just how versatile and useful tea drinking can be.

            My choice for drinking tea has had a long-standing tradition, which originated from its use as a medicinal beverage. From my own experiences of drinking tea I was able to see just how effective it was. To some extent, I usually drank tea because I thought of it as a placebo. I had always heard many people talk about the health benefits of tea, but I never really looked into the specifics of their claims. Now that I have looked into the research of tea with regards to both the physical and psychological effects of tea drinking, I must say that my relationship with tea has become a lot stronger.

            For me, tea has always been part of my life and that is the main reason that I value it. To hear about all of the benefits of tea drinking only make me appreciate it even more. I am a person that values health very dearly because it is something that I am always mindful when dealing with food because I want to be able to life my life to the fullest, and I believe that being healthy is at the core of living life. The fact that tea is able to benefit both my mind and my body makes me feel good about my food choices. Now that I have learned so much about tea, I feel that a Chinese proverb regarding tea, illustrates my current mentality, and that is it’s, “Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one (Sinija and Mishra, 233).”

Works Cited

Cross, Malcolm, and Rita Michaels. "The Social Psychological Effects of Tea Consumption on Stress." (2009): 1-6.

Khan, Naghma, and Hasan Mukhtar. "Tea Polyphenols for Health Promotion." Life Sciences 81.7 (2007): 519-33.

Patel, Mayoor. "Enjoying a Cup of Hot Green Tea." FoodEditorials Beverages Guide, n.d.

Sinija, V. R., and H. N. Mishra. "Green Tea: Health Benefits." Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine 17.4 (2008): 232-42.

Trevisanato, Siro, and Young-In Kim. "Tea and Health." Nutrition Reviews 58.1 (2000): 1-10.

Wang, Yanyan, Maoquan Li, Xueqing Xu, Min Song, Huansheng Tao, and Yun Bai. "Green Tea Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) Promotes Neural Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Sonic Hedgehog Pathway Activation during Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis." Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 56 (2012): 1292-303.

EE1 - Dining Out

Eating Out: America’s Food Culture

On the news we always here about how obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are plaguing the American population as a result of out eating habits. Michael Pollan talks about the American Paradox of eating about how Americans are obsessed with health, yet we are among the most unhealthy people in the world. How can it be that, people that care greatly about health and nutrition be so unhealthy? For me that answer was a matter of what we were eating and why we were making choices that dictated what we ate. In our modern way of life, we live are lives very actively and quickly. Everyone is always in a hurry to do or go somewhere, whether that is to work, school, or a meeting. People are taking less time to prepare a meal for themselves and are instead choosing to eat out more often. In particular, taste, cost, and convenience have come to play more of a role in what we eat than the actual nutritional value of the food and meals we eat.

            The reason that we are not eating better or healthier is because we are always focused on other factors related to food instead of nutritional value. We may be worried about the nutritional value of food, but the current state we are in concerning obesity and health related issues do not show we care enough. Mueller goes on to ask himself

if Americans are in fact eating better, but comes to the conclusion that we only do if two requirements are met. He goes on to claim that we eat better, “Only if it’s easy and it tastes good (Mueller, 1).” Mueller’s claims then go on to be supported by research done by Glanz et. al. In their article Why Americans eat what they do, they came go on to say that, “Our results suggest that nutritional concerns per se, are of less relevance to most people than taste and cost (Glanz et. al. 1118).” Thus, the taste and economics greatly influence how Americans decide what to eat.

After reading an article on American eating habits, by William Mueller, I came to realize that we as a society say that we are focused on eating healthy, yet our actions do not reflect those feelings. Mueller hits the nail on the head when he says, “When it comes to eating, American often say one thing but do another… (Mueller, 32).” As Americans we are always trying to decide what to eat, our minds or always occupied with thoughts of the next meal. Our preoccupation plays a huge role in our food decisions. Mueller continues on the topic of American food choices by saying:

Americans claim to be concerned about nutrition, but demanding lifestyles and hunger pains are more likely to determine the foods they eat. This fact has brought continued profits to the fast-food industry, and it has spawned enormous number of new junk foods. Now a new niche is beginning to be exploited by manufacturers: Food that gives Americans what they want and what they need. (Mueller, 1)

Thus, Americans say we want to eat healthy, yet the way we our lives greatly affects the food choices we are going to make. In particular, it has been the fast food and restaurant industry that has come to profit from relationship that Americans have with food.

            Convenience and cost is truly at the core of how Americans choose their food because it is the easy thing to do. It is for this reason that on average, Americans will eat out four or five time per week (Bogue, 1). This number just goes to show how prevalent eating out is in out culture. As a teenager, I would always eat at home because my mother had dinner prepared by the time I arrived from school. My meals would consist of chicken enchiladas, corn on the cob, grilled steak and onions, or on special occasions even homemade lobster dinner. My mom was a stay-home mom, so she always had time to prepare meals for my father, brother, and I. However, once I made my transition to college, I become a lot more independent because I wan in charge of obtaining my own meals as well as deciding when and what to eat. Now that I live off campus in a home with a kitchen I have even more responsibility. I have to buy my own groceries. A lot of thought has to go into this process because I have to be mindful of how much the food costs, what meals I will want to make, as well as how long those meals will take to cook. On top that, I also want to buy food that I will find tasty and enjoyable to eat. All of this information is very mentally draining and consumes a lot of time.

            It is this relationship between cost, convenience and taste that most, if not all, Americans must be mindful of. We have so many food choices, yet at the same time to many worries, “No wonder we have become, in the midst of our astounding abundance, the world's most anxious eaters (Pollan, 4).” It is through this anxiety that we often opt out for the easy solution, eating out. This is because, “For many of us, grabbing a burger or pizza is part of our everyday routine. Fast Food can be inexpensive, easy, and good tasting (Bogue, 1).” Eating out covers all of our worries about having to decide what to eat. Cost, taste, and convenience are but a call or a short drive away. It is for this reason that more Americans are choosing to eat out, but it is also for this reason that more Americans are facing health issues.

            Being able to eat out at restaurant is a very easy thing to do, but only provides a very short-term solution to a very large issue. Going to a restaurant can be nice every now and then, but going to often can result in negative health consequence. This is because, “The average restaurant meal contains almost an entire day’s worth of calories and fat (Bogue, 1).” Most of us usually do not think about the nutritional value of the foods we eat at restaurant, or other eateries, because it is not the purpose for which we are there. For instance, when one makes the decision to “upgrade” from a small regular soda to a large soda, one can expect to consume over 450 calories as well as 35 teaspoons of sugar. The “upgrade” may have only been 50 cents more, but the health issue associated with obtaining that many calories from just a drink is astounding. Thus, eating out is a matter of give and take. Even though we may not know it, we are putting our health to certain health risks in order to have access to cheap and quick meals.

            Having studied abroad in France and traveling across Europe I was able to see the cultural differences between the United States and Europe. In accordance with Pollan’s article on “America’s eating disorder”, I saw that people in Europe to do tend to eat out very often. Eating out is only reserved for very special occasions, and being able to prepare food for oneself and family done daily. However many Europeans do not worry much about what they consume, unlike their American counterparts. Pollan continues his explanation of the differences in food culture between the French (and other European countries) with Americans:

The French eat all sorts of ''unhealthy'' foods, but they do it according to a strict and stable set of rules: they eat small portions and don't go back for seconds; they don't snack; they seldom eat alone, and communal meals are long, leisurely affairs. A well-developed culture of eating, such as you find in France or Italy, mediates the eater's relationship to food, moderating consumption even as it prolongs and deepens the pleasure of eating. (Pollan, 4)

Our relationship with food is one of caution and distance, while other countries seem to have a more intimate relationship with food. One of the main differences between American and the rest of the world is the ability of self-control. As Americans we care about cost, taste and convenience, but we are also very impulsive with eat. It is through these impulses that we tend to eat out more because we may feel to lazy to cook for ourselves.           

            For me, it was particularly clear that part of the issue related to many of our current health problems in the United States was associated to how much we eat out. As a society, we tend to eat out because it is an easier option than cooking. Cooking takes time and effort, thus it is something that not all people can afford to do. Our busy lives, make it seem like we don’t have enough time to cook or make ourselves a decently healthy meal. It is for this reason that we tend to opt for a quick fix to our hunger by choosing to eat at restaurant and fast-food establishments, and as a result, we tend to get food that is not the best option for out health.

Works Cited

Glanz, Karen, Michael Basil, Edward Maibach, Jeanne Goldberg, and Dan Snyder. "Why Americans Eat What They Do: Taste, Nutrition, Cost Convenience, and Weight Control Concerns as Influence of Food Consumption." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 98.10 (1998): 1118-126.

Horwitz, Jamie. "Eating at the Edge." Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture 9.3 (2009): 42-47.

Mueller, William. "Are Americans Eating Better." American Demographics 11.2 (1989): 30-33.

Pollan, Michael. "Our Eating Disorder." The New York Times, 4 Oct. 2004.  

SE4 - Yogurt

SE4: Think of a recent meal that you’ve eaten. Identify one ingredient from that meal that defined the meal or otherwise interests you. Using at least two sources, and at least one of them academic, describe the history and / or production of that ingredient. What did you learn through your research? How might that knowledge affect your relationship with that food?

             

Not to long ago I was having breakfast with some of my friends at a local breakfast restaurant. Having eaten many eggs, toast, and other more mundane breakfast foods, I decided to switch up my meal choice for something that I don’t usually eat, yogurt. As I placed my order, one of my friends made a feeble attempt to crack a joke and blurted, “ Oh look here, Joel is trying to eat healthy now, he sure does need it!” My friend’s joke was not very amusing, but it did get me thinking about the reason that people associated a healthy meal with yogurt. I had a little knowledge about probiotics and how they were supposedly healthy, but I didn’t know much about how yogurt was actually made and what it was about the bacteria in yogurt that promoted certain health benefits.

After contemplating my thoughts for a few minutes I received my yogurt and oatmeal, which was topped off with bits of strawberry and whole blueberries. The entire meal looked very nice and simple, which gave it a kind of eloquence I couldn’t quite put my finger one. The oatmeal and fruits brought color and life into the meal, but the solid, white color of the yogurt helped balance the whole scheme of the meal. I took my first bite and notices that the flavor of the yogurt was slightly bitter and acidic, making my taste buds tingle and sending a jolt through my mouth. The yogurt was definitely at the heart of the flavor in the bite because it incorporated the flavor of the fruit yet maintained a dominant taste as I continued to eat the meal.

Yogurt as a whole is rather a simple food, being the natural result of fermented dairy. Some of the earliest records of the use of yogurt date back to Mesopotamian times (~5000 BCE), when cattle were being domesticated (What is Yogurt, 1). Part of the reason that yogurt was actually a very accommodating food was because it would last longer than regular dairy. The reason for this is because of fermentation, in which, “Certain types of bacteria act on the lactose (milk sugar) that is in milk, and produce lactic acid. The lactic acid lowers the pH of the milk, and causes the milk protein to coagulate and make a firm mass (What is Yogurt, 2). The byproduct, lactic acid, would help lower the pH of the dairy thus creating an acidic environment in that is inhospitable to destructive bacteria. Nowadays, yogurt manufacturing has become a lot more streamlined, but the same basic process of fermentation is still at the core of its production. The only difference n in today’s yogurt production is that milk is pasteurized and homogenized with machine in order to create an even consistency so that the end product is smoother and creamier. And instead of letting the milk ferment at a natural pace, commercial producers will add a specific fermentation culture to aid the fermentation process (Watson, 1-2).

Yogurt’s fermentation process may help create is flavor and consistency, but the end result would be nothing without the bacterial cultures that help start this process.

A lot of the stated health benefits of yogurt actually are a result of human ingestion of said bacterial cultures. “In the United States, these lactic acid–producing bacteria

(LAB) include Lactobacillus and Streptococcus species (Adolfsson et al. 1).” Part of the nutritional value of yogurt already comes from the milk, which contains sources of B vitamins, proteins, and other minerals, but the consumption of these probiotic organisms is where most of the health benefits are obtained. Based on research by Parvez et al (2006), they were able to report results stating that:

Some of the beneficial effects of lactic acid bacteria consumption include: (i) improving intestinal tract health; (ii) enhancing the immune system, synthesizing and enhancing the bioavailability of nutrients; (iii) reducing symptoms of lactose intolerance, decreasing the prevalence of allergy in susceptible individuals; and (iv) reducing risk of certain cancers.

Not only does yogurt have the nutritional benefits of dairy, but it also contains “healthy” bacteria that actually promote health benefits to the person that consumes them. This symbiotic relations ship is really at the core of why yogurt consumption can lead to a healthier lifestyle.

            Having learned a little about the history, making, and health benefits of yogurt, I have come to see just how impressive it is as a food. It was really interesting to learn more about the health benefits of probiotics specifically because it was just something that I had always heard about but never really looked into. However, as much as I will continue to eat yogurt, I will want to be mindful of how much I eat since consuming a lot of dairy also does have is negative side. These health risks include arthritis problems, heart problems, high calcium, and high cholesterol. All in all, I do believe that my relationship with yogurt has gotten a little stronger because I know more about its effects on my body as well as the negative and positive benefits of its consumption.

Works Cited

Adolfsson, Oskar, Simin N. Meydani, and Robert M. Russell. "Yogurt and Gut Function." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80.2 (2004): 245-56.

No Author. "What Is Yogurt?" Cultures for Health: Yogurt Starter, Sourdough Starter, Kombucha, Kefir Grains, Cheese Making and More. N.p., 2010. Web.

Parvez, S., K. A. Malik, S. A. Kang, and H. Y. Kim. "Probiotics and Their Fermented Food Products Are Beneficial for Health." Journal of Applied Microbiology 100.6 (2006): 1171-1185. Print.

Watson, John. "Yoghurt: Manufatoring - Making - Production." Watson Dairy Consulting, 2013. Web.

SE3 - Field Notes & Culture

SE3: Visit a location where people are eating or otherwise connected to food. Take observational field notes for one hour. Your notes should include who you see, what those people are doing, what they are eating, how they are eating, details of the setting, etc. Then, with the help of at least one outside source, write a short essay in which you consider and interpret your notes to make an observation about food values and culture in connection to a specific community.

           

            The popularity of coffee is something tat can be seen on a daily basis. It is one of the world’s most consumed beverages only behind water, tea, and beer. It is for this very reason that over fifty-four percent of American’s over the age of eighteen consume coffee on a daily basis. As a result, Americans spend more than eighteen billion dollars on specialty coffee each year (Statistic Brain, 1). For some people, coffee is what gets them in the morning while for others it is what keeps them going. Coffee is what keep our modern, fast paced lives running smoothly, and in a sense, coffee is the lifeblood of our society. In order to provide American’s with enough coffee to satisfy their demand, coffeehouses around the nation are always working to create new and interesting blends and concoctions that keep the American audience wanting more. No other company does this like, Starbucks.

            I was able to go to Starbucks for an hour in order to observe the locale and take note of the interactions made by the people visiting one of the locations. From the outside, the Starbucks coffeehouse was a very modern construction with a steel foundation and plenty of glass windows to let light in and to let patrons view the outside. There was also a large patio on the front of the building with a few tables with a large umbrella to provide shade. The day was rather hot, but some parties were enjoying the day and spending their time outside. In total there were about ten people outside and they all appeared to be enjoying themselves, each with a iced coffee or cold beverage in hand. It was a very social atmosphere outside as people were talking, laughing, or somehow in the midst of a very lively conversation.

            As I moved inside I could feel a breeze of fresh cool air rush over me as I entered the lobby. The inside was a very busy as people were carrying out their conversations and people placing their order at the register. The whole space was full of energy, as everyone in the building (staff included) was active in one way or another. Everyone was occupied with what ever it is they were doing, but coffee was involved in one way or another. There was a college couple enjoying a conversation as they sipped on their frappuccinos, a business man on his cell phone pouring creamer in to his coffee, and to a professor grading papers as he drank a venti iced coffee and a poppy seed bagel. In the 1 hours I was there must have seen over 70 costumers go in and out.  The entire situation was put into perspective in Charlene Elliott’s words, “…as the preferred beverage of Americans and Canadians (second only to water), it has definite socio-cultural significance (Elliott, 370).” From the sheer amount of patrons that went into the location, it was made clear just how prominent coffee is on the lives of people. It also goes to show the economic power of coffee, as it is a product that is consumed on such a constant basis.

            For some coffee was a break from work, while for others it was a catalyst for some other business. In particular being near a college campus meant that a lot of students were able to come to Starbucks with a group of friends and enjoy a nice social setting or come to try and get some work done. I saw many students on their computers, as they appeared to be working on their projects or essay, for many of the students were deep in though and typing away on their keyboards. However, each student always had a large coffee, frap, or caffeinated beverage in their hand or by their side. “The beverage itself has become integral to working and professional culture: it is simultaneously a pick-me-up that provides greater productivity and a pause (in the form of the coffee break) (Elliott, 371).” Thus, coffee can be consumed for a variety of reason, but the major reason revolves around work related issues. Getting work done, meeting people over coffee, or enjoying a coffee break with friends means that coffee plays a significant role in a lot of social and professional situations.

            People come to coffeehouses because they play an important role as social and work related gathering points. Starbucks is a prime example of how a single product/food item can bring together so many different people. Whether to meet up with friends or spend time working, coffee is the perfect companion to either situation, and it was what I witnessed during my time examining a Starbuck’s location. The role that coffee plays in our society is one of influence and importance because of how prevalent is in the daily lives of Americans, for coffee is a very dynamic product that is not just enjoyed for its taste but for is social implications.

Works Cited

Elliott, Charlene. "Consuming Caffeine: The Discourse of Starbucks and Coffee."Consumption Markets & Culture 4.4 (2001): 369-82. Print.

NA. "Coffee Drinking Statistics." Statistic Brain. N.p., 2013. Web. <http://www.statisticbrain.com/coffee-drinking-statistics/>.

SE2 - Food Advertisements

SE2: Compare at least two food advertisements. Describe their design and rhetorical function. Who is their audience and what are their appeals? Based upon those appeals, what can you say about food cultures and values?

Food advertisements are created very carefully and worded in a specific manner in order to appeal to a specific target audience. How an advertisement is put together says both a lot about the values a certain type of audience favors as well as a lot about food culture as a whole. By comparing a set of advertisements one is able to see the differences in values for a specific demographic or target audience and learn about the role of food in society. I have decided to analyze an ad in Runner’s World magazine dealing with Panera Bread, as well as an ad in fine Cooking magazine dealing with Belgioioso cheese in order to see how the structure and layout of the ads give information about their target audience.

The first ad that I came to observe was as rather simplistic ad located in a running magazine called Runner’s World. The layout of the ad itself is very simplistic with only a picture of a large chicken salad in the center, a 2 sentence paragraph in the bottom left can corner, the Panera Bread Logo on the bottom right, and some text written in a circle around the salad plate. As I mentioned before, the ad appear very simple and is very neat and to the point. Having the large chicken salad in the center of the page and the text encircling it draws the eyes towards the center of the image and focuses in on the leafy-green color of the lettuce and the white, fresh texture of the chicken. Around the chicken salad plate, the text reads, “Antibiotic-free chicken in every bowl – Food you can trust in every bite.” The logo in the bottom right just has the regular Panera Bread symbol, but around it are the words, “ Live consciously – Eat deliciously.”

Being placed in a runner’s magazine, it is made clear that the target audience are athletic men and women that are interested in running and other physical activities associated with exercising. It is for this very reason that the Panera Bread ad contains health conscious vernacular such as “consciously” and “antibiotic-free”. Along with appealing to the health aspects of their chicken, Panera Bread also includes descriptions talking about how delicious their food is. This goes on that people don’t just want to eat healthy food, but also great tasting food. The best of both worlds is something that these people want to have and it is for this reason that Panera Bread is stating that their chicken is both healthy and delicious. Based on this ad alone one get to see that people care about the health effects of food and thus want to buy products that state some kind of health benefit or are natural or without preservatives. It also goes to show that healthy eating is also associated with a bland taste, so advertisers have to go on and state that their product is also palpable and great tasting. People want to eat something that they will enjoy and make them healthier. It just goes to show just how important health and taste are form this audience.

The second ad is one advertizing Belgioioso cheese, and is a print ad in the Fine Cooking magazine. This advertisement is much smaller than the first, only being half a page vertically. The layout is a little more complex because it depicts a variety of cheeses (blue, provolone, asiago, and gorgonzola) atop a t-bone steak, chicken, and hamburger. The center of the ad has some large, white text that reads, “Artisan. Hand-Made. Superior Quality.” Underneath this large text is a small paragraph describing how the cheese making is a craft and how the cheese ads a unique depth of flavor to a steak or hamburger. It also describes its Italian influence and describes its cheese as a specialty.

The audience for this specific brand of cheese is probably chefs and people that enjoy cooking gourmet meals. Having a spot in Fine Cooking magazine, this ad caters to an audience that cares about gourmet ingredients and fine dining. Similar to the findings in Freedman and Jurafsky’s analysis of food, language, and culture, in this particular ad, vocabulary is very important because it is trying to appeal to a higher class of people, specifically people with higher socioeconomic standing. The use of words such as “artisan”, “hand-made”, and “superior quality” are specifically chosen to convince the reader that this cheese is authentic and worth buying. The ad appeals to people that care about where their food comes, how it is made, and its quality. These values go to show that some people care greatly not just about the taste of their food but also about the authenticity of the food they eat. Food history and craftsmanship are factors that are just as important as flavor. What this goes to show is that authenticity plays a big role in how a food product is perceived and may influence is a person will buy the product or not.

From these two advertisements, one can see that food ads play on the values of its audience and use them to have greater influence on the choices people make in regards to the food they decide to eat. However, these values that people care about don’t just give an indication of what food them might like, but also a look into cultural and societal issues. For instance we see that people care greatly about the taste and health implications of the food that they consume. We also learned how authenticity is also a value that people care about because it allows people to feel good about the food they buy or eat and deepens the bond that people have with food (not just eating food for survivial).

Post 7

P7: Read Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place,” the introduction to Estabrook’s Tomatoland, and the infographic by Cook. In what ways do these pieces trace the history and production of our food? How do they compare in their methodologies and findings?

        Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place”, Estrabrook’s Tomatoland, and Cook’s infographic all trace the history and production of food by looking at specific animals and how they are processed. In Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place”, he goes on to talk about the dilemma that he faced after reading Peter Singer's ''Animal Liberation'' while eating a steak. In his essay he focuses on the moral dilemma that is associated with eating meat, specifically chicken, beef, and pork. He explores the notion of animal’s rights and what past philosophers have said about the subject. He focuses on what equality means and how that relates to animals and how if we were to truly care about equality, animals should have equal consideration with respect to how they are treated. However, Pollan does see that eating meat has been part of human history for thousands of years, but in our new era there is a changing attitude about how animals should be treated. He feels that eating meat does not have to be a necessarily bad thing, but that it should be that should be done less and with respect for the animal that was killed in order to feed the human population. In Tomatoland, Estrabrook talks about how tomatoes are grown in our modern world. He talks about how tomatoes are not grown for taste, but instead grown for capitalistic reasons. He talks about how modern tomatoes are stripped of their nutritional value and instead grown in just look pretty and appetizing. He explores the logistical, political, and economic aspects of tomato growing in order to depict the current state of the tomato business. In Cook’s infographic, he mainly talked about the effects that chicken plants have on the health and welfare of the workers that man these plants. He focuses on the statistics related to injuries acquired by these workers as well as the terrible working conditions that people are forced to work under.

            With respect to their methodologies, Pollan and Estrabrook both deal with a lot of statistics as well as personal anecdotes to deliver their subject matter to the reader. They both want to make the piece personal yet contain some sort of scholarly material to really drive their argument forward. Cook’s piece is a little different because his methodology was just using statistics to bring to light the current working conditions that workers have to deal with in chicken processing plants as well as the health risks/effects that they have to deal with. The use of statistics and other numerical values are used through out all the pieces because it is a great way to give concrete evidence to support what each author is trying to argue. However, each author is trying to accomplish a different thing by writing his or her articles. Pollan is trying to convince the reader to try and decrease their meat consumption because he want the reader to become aware of what animals have to go through in order to become food for people. He is trying to increase awareness for the Animal Rights movement as well as educate people animal treatment in the food industry. In Estabrook’s article, his findings are made to show how the tomatoes humble place as a food has been so commercialized that the product that is grown can hardly be called a tomato. He was people to see that the modern tomato is nothing but a farce of a fruit that contains minimal nutrition compared to homegrown or farmer’s market tomatoes. Finally, Cook’s findings of terrible working conditions in chicken plants are brought up in order to give these finding some attention. All of the authors have written their respective pieces in order to gather attention to what they believe is a pressing matter relating to the food industry.

Post 6

P6: Read Pollan’s “Our National Eating Disorder.” What does Pollan diagnose as the symptoms and / or causes of our national eating disorder? What do you find most interesting in his analysis? Connect Pollan’s piece to your own decisions on what to eat.

            What Pollan associates as the cause of our national eating disorder is that American worry too much about how healthy food is almost as much as they worry about what they are going to eat. Americans, from the start, treat food as a paradox. We always worry about what we are going to eat in terms of how many calories we are consuming or how much carbohydrates we are taking in instead of just worrying about how much we are actually eating through out the day. It seems that “scientific” thought and always thing about the macro and micronutrient in food is actually causing us to eat less healthy than countries that eat pretty much anything they want but do so according to a strict method of eating.

            One of the points that Pollan tries to argues is that Americans rely less on their tastes and sense and do so more based on convenience, price, and health claims. In contrast, countries such as France eat food based on their own likes and tastes but tend to eat very small meals and do so an very social settings. Pollan goes on to say that part of the cause to our health problems is associated by the way we categories food as being either “bad” or “good” for one’s health. In doing this, we are ever anxious about our food choices, and this is turn has both mental and physical repercussions. Food fads are also greatly affecting how we view food because with each new fad a culinary revolution ensues. The ever changing food climate only adds to the confusion that the everyday American experiences, and creates an environment in which the people are always worried about what it is they are eating and how new scientific studies relate to food.

            The thing that I found most interesting in Pollan’s piece was the issue with the American paradox and the differences seen in France. Being from the United States and having studied abroad in Paris, I can say first hand that much of what he says is correct. In France, meals incorporate very fatty food like foie gras, cheese, a lot of bread, wine, and various meats, yet the people are very healthy. As described in Pollan’s piece, the people of France eat anything that they want but do so very conservatively. While in the United State I always eat very processed food while eating out, usually because I am eating at fast food restaurants. The American mentality in regards to food is very much different than the French, and goes to show that how food is treated has to do a lot with culture.

            When I decide what I eat I usually go with what I think I will enjoy or because it was something a friends recommended. However, I do find myself thinking about caloric intake and other factors when I am deciding what to eat. I always feel that I need to watch how much I am eating because I don’t want to go over my 2000 daily calorie recommendation. It wasn’t until I read this article that I actually began to actually question why it is that 2000 calories is a good ballpark number for the amount of calories that can be consumed on an average day. It began to notice how anxious I get when I am deciding what I want to eat and the many things that go through my mind when making a decision. In the back if my mind I am always thinking about how a certain meal will affect my health or at the very least the health implications of the meal.