The Western diet is a way of life for most Americans. The typical Western diet is full of chemicals and unfamiliar ingredients. Today it is not considered the most beneficial diet for humans. Those who live according to the Western diet explode with health problems. Some major health problems range from type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol to being overweight. These health concerns are increasing. Food today contains many unknown ingredients and is simply not food. Michael Pollan addresses these questions in his book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. Pollans' goal through this book is to inform people, primarily consumers of the Western diet, about what this diet is and what it contains. He deepens his argument about distrusting the food we eat in Part Three, Chapter Two “Eating Food: Food Defined.” Pollan, in this chapter, details the foods we buy and then eat, and how we should choose what to eat for better health and a better life. The problem is that everyone thinks they're eating real food. Pollan defines what foods actually are while also giving advice on what one should really digest. The Western diet doesn't do many people much good. Pollan explains that the Western diet focuses heavily on nutrition. It's good, right? However, this is false, especially when food companies are supposed to add modifiable chemicals to make foods healthier. These additives partly contribute to giving Western food its bad reputation. There are so many health problems with the Western diet, Pollan says. Throughout the book, Pollan divides it into sections and states what foods are made of and how they affect everyone. Food really isn't food; they're just chemicals that are given to everyone to eat middle of paper......the way we eat and prepare food isn't going to change anytime soon. While everyone continues to clamor for unhealthy foods, the food industry will just continue to make the same chemical-laden foods to fill everyone's stomachs. Everyone needs to remember that nutrients are good, but having the wrong types of nutrients doesn't help. There are other food products that would improve the diet and are organic. Even if people start switching to healthier foods, the problem won't go away. Chemicals will continue to be added to foods and people will continue to buy. People need to stop buying foods like they do at a candy store and read labels to know what's actually in the foods they're eating. Works Cited Pollan, Michael. “Eat food: food defined.” » In defense of food: an eater's manifesto. New York: Penguin, 2008. 147-61. Print.