The Omnivore's Dilemma Part One: Corn

Michael Pollan adresses the many ways corn is used in this first section. Here in the US, we have a surplus of corn. The government subsidizes farmers to grow corn and only corn. (although, growing corn year after year, causes a break down of the soil so soybeans are used as a rotational crop). Pollan follows (as best as possible) the life of the industrial corn. A good majority of our corn goes to feed cows and other farm animals. Cows are by nature grass eaters. Corn is not a healthy diet for cows. Cows are ruminants. They chew their cud. If you were to take a trip to Iowa, you wouldn't see very many cows just grazing. Most of them are locked up so tightly together, they become disease prone. They literally live their lives in their own feces. They are fed a mixture of corn and some non-natural ingredients soon after they are six months old. They are fed until they're obese. Then their normal long life span is cut drastically short and they are slaughtered for beef that's send to McDonald's. Pollan and his wife and young son at a McDonald's meal. One thing that stood out to me was the taste of the burger as a whole with all its toppings and bun tasted ok. But the burger itself was hard to describe. It didn't have much flavor at all. But if you think the only corn you are eating at McDonald's is in the beef, then you would be mistaken. The soda is 100% corn (corn syrup). The milk shake is 78% corn. The salad dressing is 65% corn. The chicken nuggets are 56% corn. The cheeseburger is 52% corn. The French fries are 23% corn.
In application, Matt and I were doing our monthly finances last month, and in looking back over the past month's spendings, we realized we hadn't eaten out in a month or more! And beyond that, the last time we ate at a fast food place was maybe 9 months ago. We don't intend to ever again. We have been purchasing grass fed beef from New Seasons. We can't believe how we feel better both physically and feel better because we are two less people supporting our government's solution to excess corn.
This journey of eating whole foods the way they were meant to be has changed us more than we ever imagined.