Project One, Part One
When most of us think of food, our mouths begin watering as we imagine the glorious flavors of spices, savory richness of comfort foods, or explosions of sweetness as we bite into our favorite treat. If we take a step back and look deeper though, many people don’t have the luxuries of being able to afford tasty meals than offer them the vitamins and minerals they need. Still others don’t have the time to take a break and sit down for a meal during the week. This is where Rob Rhinehart steps in to introduce Soylent, an easy-to-grab-and-go slurry of all the essential vitamins and minerals a human would need to survive. While Rhinehart’s vision of a quick, cheap food alternative is ingenious for those who cannot afford the time and money spent on real food, Soylent may not be for everyone and I certainly wouldn’t recommend living solely on it.
Food is an integral part of our society and culture, a way for us to connect since the dawn of our species. In the beginning, our ancestors worked together to hunt animals which they then came together to cook and eat, thanking the Gods for their bounty. Since then, we have discovered hundreds of new ways to cook, season, and eat our favorite meals. Food has become more than just the nutrients it gives us; it has become a way to take a break and catch up with those around us. In a world where we are constantly thinking about what we are to do next, mealtime has become a way to step back and relax, something we need in order to maintain strong mental and emotional health. Yet I still understand the stress that this pause in momentum can cause those who are constantly on the move.
Rob Rhinehart is one of those people. As a young man trying to find his way in the entrepreneurial industry, he had neither the time nor the money to spend on healthy meals. Like many others in his position, he was living off frozen or fast food, admittedly not getting the proper nutrients he needed. Like the problem-solving engineer he is, Rhinehart broke down the idea of food into its chemical components, listing thirty-five nutrients that the human body needs to survive (Widdicombe, 2018). He began living on this mixture and once he published his findings, people began asking for the formula. Rhinehart realized that he wasn’t the only one with a problem finding time or nutritious food to eat so he began marketing his product.
Rhinehart became so engrossed in his own product that his diet is ninety percent Soylent. But is it realistic to expect others to commit this much of their diet to a tasteless slushie? “I think the best technology is the one that disappears,” he tells Lizzie Widdicombe. “Water doesn’t have a lot of taste or flavor, and it’s the world’s most popular beverage.” Yet food and water are two very different concepts. While we rely on water to keep our cells hydrated and our joints lubricated, food is an entirely different experience. We need nutrients from food that include more than just their chemical components. Walter Willett, the chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health agrees that while you can live without these phytochemicals, “…you may not live maximally, and you may not have optimal function. We’re concerned about much more than just surviving” (Widdicombe, 2018). Compounds found in foods such as Lycopene and flavonoid compounds have been associated with lower rates of prostate cancer and diabetes. These phytochemicals are found only in plants and while they’re not necessary for survival, provide health benefits that aren’t found in Soylent (Widdicombe, 2018). Sure, Soylent may give you the impression that you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals you need, (Widdicombe herself reported feeling satiated after only a few sips and the college students her and Rhinehart went to visit believe it gives you the energy needed for studying (Widdicombe, 2018)), but it doesn’t provide the important chemicals that maximize our health.
Our meals also connect us within and across cultures, allow us downtime in between stressful events, and give us the settings in which we use as outlets for socialization. As Widdicombe points out, “meals provide punctuation to our lives” (Widdicombe, 2018). Without stopping to take a break in between tasks, we can easily get overwhelmed. Overworked minds and bodies not only harm us, but they’re reflected in our work. We may become forgetful or begin neglecting tasks because we are so worn out. Food allows for us to put our work on hold for a little while as we revel in the comfort of a tasty meal and good company. In my own Favorite Meal essay, my mother mentioned that our favorite dish, linguine with clam sauce, evokes fond memories of my grandparents’ house. She even goes as far to acknowledge that “their house was like a second home to me.” Now, the only way she gets to feel that way again is by indulging in the rich flavors of this pasta with creamy sauce. If it weren’t for my grandmother’s amazing cooking, an entire aspect of my mother’s relationship with her would be gone, not to mention there would be no family meals to pass down to the next generations, reminding us of the love of filial ties.
