24: What Your Food Ate with David Montgomery and Anne Biklé

Outside The System

In this episode, I spoke with David Montgomery and Anne Biklé, the authors of What Your Food Ate: How to Heal the Land and Reclaim our Health. I don't mean this lightly - What Your Food Ate is the most impactful book I've read in a long time.

The central premise is that the quality of your food is determined by what your food is eating. Plants get their nutrients from the sun, water, and soil. Animals get their nutrients primarily from the plants they're eating. Simple enough. But understanding this simple concept has completely changed how I think about things like organic produce, high quality meat, and so much more.

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Timestamps

(2:35) David Montgomery and Ann Biklé, discuss their book "What Your Food Ate" and explore how soil quality and the diet of our food sources impact the nutritional value of our meals.

(4:30) Discover how different farming practices and the quality of soil directly influence the taste and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.

(12:03) Delve into the concept of nutrient density and how a lack of information can mislead consumers about the true nutritional value of their food.

(18:30) Learn about the critical role soil health plays in providing more nutrients, vitamins, and phytochemicals in our food.

(24:14) - We explore the concept of legibility and its implications for food and agriculture, highlighting the need for a balance between nutritional information and simplifying food choices.

(30:00) - Understand the difference between nutrient deprivation and consuming fewer calories while maintaining essential nutrient intake, using the example of the English diet during wartime.

(37:02) - Dive into the topic of diet, biodiversity, health, and farming, exploring the findings of a Japanese study about the benefits of eating green and yellow vegetables.

(41:52) - Learn about the increasing popularity of regenerative agriculture and the potential for it to become the standard of conventional farming.

(47:00) - Discover the environmental and economic benefits of regenerative agriculture, as well as the role of consumer demand in driving its adoption.

(49:58) - Understand the importance of knowing the source of your food and the potential pitfalls of the food industry cutting corners.

(54:30) - Learn about the biological wisdom of herbivorous animals and how modern farming practices impair their ability to self-medicate and balance their nutrition.

(58:30) - We wrap up the episode by highlighting the importance of soil fertility and agricultural reform in influencing the quality and nutrition of our food.

Links & Resources

What Your Food Ate book

Dig 2 Grow (David and Anne's website)

Gabe Brown on Outside The System

Calley Means on Outside The System

Kettle & Fire

Justin Mares