What are your favourite foods? Did you grow up liking Angel Delight, instant mash, prawn cocktail, chicken Kyiv, and Arctic rolls as the author did? The 1970s were once described as “the decade that good food forgot”, but with hindsight, maybe they were the era when the push for profit, price, taste and convenience kick started a real interest in the food industry and how food affects us.
This book explores our extraordinary food journey over the past 3 million years and details the subsequent physical and cultural evolution that has transpired because of it. Food has not only fuelled our evolution for millions of years but has also dictated how we live, from hunter-gatherers to agricultural societies to our current urban and industrialised societies. It also details how our favourite foods have developed over the past millennia since the Neolithic revolution. The 20th Century and the food production business saw the dawn of a new food era brought about by the Industrial Revolution. This was a world with an accelerated rate of change: population growth, industrialised agriculture, industrialised food production and environmental and sustainability concerns. The more recent development of the food industry has also coincided with a dramatic shift in consumer eating habits. What the world now eats and drinks has clashed with our biology to create significant changes in body composition. Whether these concerns are viewed from an economic, social, political or individual perspective, our present food model needs to change direction. The final chapters discuss our current situation regarding food systems and individual health. They examine how a deeper understanding of our DNA, microbiome, genotypes and phenotypes could be integrated with rapid technological advancements and human ingenuity– a combination that has the potential to establish a far more sustainable and environmentally friendly food system for both the present and the future.
"Indisputably, Food and its production matter for every single individual on the planet - It Always has!"
Food and Us masterfully demonstrates how our relationship with food is not merely biological but a complex, intertwined narrative of social, cultural, and technological evolution. It successfully provides a broad, accessible overview of human history through the lens of cuisine, appealing to both seasoned historians and food enthusiasts alike.
Strengths:
Insightful storytelling: The book’s engaging narrative uses compelling anecdotes to illustrate how seemingly simple foods —like salt or bread—have had monumental impacts on civilisation.
Interdisciplinary approach: It draws from multiple fields, including anthropology, archaeology, and sociology, creating a rich and comprehensive history.
Clarity and accessibility: The book distils complex historical concepts into digestible stories, making it an engaging read for a wide audience.
Food and Us is a highly recommended and thought-provoking read that will permanently change how you view your next meal. While its focus leans more heavily on the past than the immediate future, its central thesis—that our dietary choices are a reflection of who we are as a species—is powerfully and convincingly argued.
