The Dorito Effect

The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor by Mark Schatzker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reading Fast Food Nation made me not want to eat fast food; reading The Dorito Effect almost made me want to stop eating food altogether. Although it also did make me almost drool while reading it.

The basic premise of the Dorito Effect is looking at why food tastes so bland and is lacking nutrition. Mark Schatzker goes on a deep-dive investigation, and it turns out that the problem is with the way we are raising animals and growing produce. He focuses on chicken and tomatoes, and it's scary to see what's going on.

The strong focus on yield over the last couple of decades has completely neglected everything else and we are now suffering from it. Instead of micronutrients, taste and flavor, we have large yields that consist basically of water, carbs and fat. Is it a wonder that we are not healthier than we used to be?

Luckily there is a way back, and there are steps being taken to improve the situation. There are growers that are slowing things down, and we as consumers should also look at not buying just the cheapest thing that's in the stores.

The book is really well written, with lots of small bits of humor here and there. The whole thing ends with a delicious dinner of all properly grown ingredients, and an appendix with recommendations on what to eat to feel better. Read this book, it will make you a more informed consumer.



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