Salt Sugar Fat

How the Food Giants Hooked Us

By: Michael Moss

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The Atlantic • The Huffington Post • Men’s Journal • MSN (U.K.) • Kirkus Reviews • Publishers Weekly

NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD FOR WRITING AND LITERATURE

From a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at The New York Times comes the explosive story of the rise of the processed food industry and its link to the emerging obesity epidemic. Michael Moss reveals how companies use salt, sugar, and fat to addict us and, more important, how we can fight back.

In the spring of 1999, the heads of the world’s largest processed food companies gathered at Pillsbury headquarters in Minneapolis for a secret meeting. On the agenda: the emerging epidemic of obesity, and what to do about it.

Increasingly, the salt-, sugar-, and fat-laden foods these companies produced were being linked to obesity, and a concerned Kraft executive took the stage to issue a warning: There would be a day of reckoning unless changes were made. When he was done, the most powerful person in the room - the CEO of General Mills - stood up to speak, clearly annoyed. And by the time he sat down, the meeting was over.

In Salt Sugar Fat, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Michael Moss shows how we got here. Featuring examples from some of the most recognizable (and profitable) companies and brands of the last half century - including Kraft, Coca-Cola, Lunchables, Kellogg, Nestlé, Oreos, Cargill, Capri Sun, and many more - Moss’ explosive, empowering narrative is grounded in meticulous, often eye-opening research.

Includes a bonus PDF with endnotes from the book

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2013 Michael Moss (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"What happens when one of the country’s great investigative reporters infiltrates the most disastrous cartel of modern times: a processed food industry that’s making a fortune by slowly poisoning an unwitting population? You get this terrific, powerfully written book, jammed with startling disclosures, jaw-dropping confessions and, importantly, the charting of a path to a better, healthier future. This book should be read by anyone who tears a shiny wrapper and opens wide. That’s all of us." (Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President)

"In this meticulously researched book, Michael Moss tells the chilling story of how the food giants have seduced everyone in this country. He understands a vital and terrifying truth: that we are not just eating fast food when we succumb to the siren song of sugar, fat, and salt. We are fundamentally changing our lives - and the world around us.” (Alice Waters)

Worthwhile listen, but hardly ground breaking

Salt, Sugar, and Fat (hope you read those on the cover because they will be mentioned time and again in this book) is hardly an original concept. Having read many books on the subjects of nutrition and obesity, I was unimpressed on the information provided in this book on the subject as a whole. This book is a repackaging of "The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler, where he goes into great detail on how food companies layer fat, sugar, and salt on top of each other to entice people to unconsciously overeat.

Outside of the main thesis of this book, why I ended up giving it 4/5 stars, the history of the food companies from the 40's & 50's to today is fascinating and well presented. The one story of the invention of Jello instant pudding in particular showed where the food companies started and how far down the slope they have gone. As a kid of the 90's, many of the commercial campaigns that Moss depicts hit home for me because I remember begging my parents for the products he describes.

Finally, the salt section of the book, while the least approachable of the three, does provide some of the best information on how ingredients affect the taste of processed food. Of all the information that Moss pulled together for this book, the firsthand accounts at Campbell's and Kellogg were eye opening and less regurgitative than other points in the book.

Overall, this is a great listen if you haven't read other books on the subject and are thinking of becoming more educated on the matter of processed foods. If you have read other books on this matter, then this won’t provide any groundbreaking new information that hasn't been presented elsewhere.

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On a side note, the narrator of this was poorly chosen. Akin to an Atlas Shrugged veneer, which was sometimes commentary to the corporate aspects of this book, but mostly fell flat for me.

Very informative and truthful

great book with loads of facts!! I think this should be read in schools so that we have an informed public in the future about what they are eating

Pretty riveting

What was one of the most memorable moments of Salt Sugar Fat?

Very interesting discusssions of what happens inside the board rooms of the major companies and how they use focus groups to develop products.

A must read for everyone

Great knowledge base for healthier eating. Made me rethink some of my grocery purchasing habits.

Good info

Yes I liked this book. Was aware of some of the philosophy in the newer formulations but felt I learned a lot more. Interesting.

should be standard reading material for med school

greatly enjoyed it. Plan to purchase the paper version as well. offered excellent insight to American food production, evolution, marketing, and consumption psychology.

profit and greed win over natural and safe

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

recommending this one, especially to those that have childern, or thinking of having childern.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Salt Sugar Fat?

when having lunch with a food favoring expert....the expert would not eat his own creations.

If you could give Salt Sugar Fat a new subtitle, what would it be?

Whats gone wrong with food.

Insightful

Amazed at the tactics used to get people to become addicted to processed food. I wish I had this information years ago.

Another good reminder of our poison food supply.

There is nothing "shocking" about the information presented in this book. If the fact that "food" corporations... I mean the "substances that we shovel into our gluttonous pie holes" corporations are not acting in our best interest is surprising to you, then you are naive.

However, it is an interesting listen. One should listen to as many books of this nature as one can, and as often as one can, so as to be reminded to stay on the right path. The "substances that we shovel into our gluttonous pie holes" corporations are frighteningly powerful and are unfortunately winning the war against good health.

Must Read

What made the experience of listening to Salt Sugar Fat the most enjoyable?

This book tells the history of how the food industry has abused our trust. It shows how our health is of no concern to the food industry--it is all about making money!! This book will provoke anger and provide insight!!! This book changed my life and views of food forever.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Salt Sugar Fat?

Calling a friend and saying, "see I told you Lunchables were trash and I was right!! Here is the proof :-)

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Fantastic as usual. I have bought things just because he was the reader! His voice is like no other. He could read nursery rhymes and I would buy them!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Learning that most breakfast cereals are 50% or more SUGAR and how marketing is designed to entice children despite the consequences to their health!

Any additional comments?

Everyone should listen to this book especially if you have children!!!