The Crazy Makers

The most affluent nations are overfed and undernourished. Instead of the natural diet of yesteryear, today many people exist on poor, highly refined, processed foods, and consequently suffer a variety of seriously debilitating health problems.

In her new book, the clinical nutritionist Carol Simontacchi provides a meticulous explanation of the nutritional factors that lie behind today's health crises, particularly in respect of mental health. She presents her case in a carefully ordered, almost forensic account of the historical steps taken by the food industry to pander to humankind's preference for the sweetest, fattiest and most highly calorific foods available. This preference is entirely natural and accounted for by the fact that we evolved over millions of years when food was relatively scarce, so a liking of calorie-dense foods was a survival advantage. Most of us have inherited the genes that dictate these same preferences, and food manufacturers exploit this. Hence, what was once a favourable trait is now a disadvantage.