The basic definition of the word ‘philosophy’ refers to the study of knowledge. The information gained through such a study is conveyed to others through words, which must be clearly defined and used correctly. It is, however, increasingly common for those with vested interests to distort the meanings of words and use them incorrectly in order to convey a particular message; one that suits their purposes rather than one that conveys true knowledge.

This is certainly the case with the word ‘food’, which, by definition, should be a substance that is ‘nutritious’. But, as Ryan makes clear at the very beginning of his book, most of the substances that people consume in the 21st century should not be described as ‘food’ for the simple reason that they are not nutritious, despite labels that claim otherwise. Most of the ‘foods’ consumed by most people are ‘processed food products’ that do not contain the essential materials the human body requires to function optimally; this is one of the reasons that increasing numbers of people experience poor health.

Not only does Ryan expose the problems with the products marketed as ‘food’, but he also provides invaluable information about ‘healthy alternatives’ and shows that, contrary to popular belief, healthy foods are not more expensive than cheap ‘junk’ foods. As an example, he explains that, “Real “Fast Food” is a banana, orange or a carrot…” and that nutritious foods satisfy hunger for longer. This means that the consumption of foods can not only benefit your bodily health but can also have a significant benefit for your financial health, as it will not only help you save money on your shopping bill, but will almost certainly help to prevent the need for expensive healthcare, a matter of serious concern to everyone, everywhere.

Ryan provides us with a powerful message, which is to “choose a lifestyle not a diet”. For most people, diets are temporary measures to achieve a short-term goal. It is clear that ‘healthy eating’ must become a lifestyle choice, because health should be a permanent, rather than a temporary aim in life.  Food Philosophy stimulates us to think differently about all of the substances we consume as food and drink. But this book is not solely about the importance of food, it’s also about our approach to food and the way we think about what we eat, because far too many people do not give sufficient thought to what they eat. One of the reasons for this is due to the fact that much of the information we receive about food is promulgated by the food industry and through the mainstream media; information that suits the purposes of the industry and supports the continuation of bad eating habits, but these habits can be broken when people are in possession of correct information.

This is a wide-ranging book which shows that people are seriously misinformed about many different issues, although his main focus is on matters that relate to food and health. The main tactics used to keep the public in a state of ignorance involve advertising and marketing ploys, which Ryan describes with reference to the “ignorance of consumers and the exploitation of that ignorance through deceptive marketing”.

Food is essential for life; but this should be real food; in other words, living food, as Ryan summarises,

“If we are consciously living, we should be eating living foods…”