Non-American Carbs...what's up with them?
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Tanukiko
Posts: 186 Member
Here's something that still boggles my mind...how come people in other countries eat a lot of carbs and dont have the crazy morbid obesity and metabolic diseases we have in the US? Is it quantity? I dunno...Chinese and Japanese sure do eat a lot of rice. As do the Turks (and they eat a hefty amount of bread too). The spanish eat a lot of potatoes and bread.
What is going on people? Am I going to have to move to Europe to ever have a baquette with my butter drenched escargot?
What is going on people? Am I going to have to move to Europe to ever have a baquette with my butter drenched escargot?
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I think in general the US likes big portions of food served as quick as possible. So there's a lot more processed food that's quick to prepare bulked with carby fillers.0
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I think in general the US likes big portions of food served as quick as possible. So there's a lot more processed food that's quick to prepare bulked with carby fillers.
Yep, overly processed, sneaky carb fillers in EVERYTHING, and supersized portions that bear no relation to real life (even compared to US portions 30 yrs ago).
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Well, the thing about SAD is that it's both high carb and high fat, so that is the double-whammy for fast weight gain.0
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Don't worry, the rest of the world is fast catching up with the US in obesity and other measures, sadly. It's the move away from real food primarily I think.0
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I wonder about that here in Northern Italy with pasta and pizza. I think Italians are much more active and take in very little added sugar. Their sauces use ripe sweet tomatoes so they don't add sugar to sauces and I have heard the gelato has less sugar but more fat compared to our ice-cream. I watch the women and they usually order the 1/4 cup size of gelato. So there is portion control too. The pasta dishes are not huge. What we would consider a side dish. They order pasta first course, then meat dish second course and then salad. The farmer's markets are amazing with the fresh produce. It is actually easier for me on most days to do low carb if I skip the pasta dish than in the States.0
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The rest of the world is catching up very fast. At the bottom of this article is a chart showing obesity rates around the world.
http://gu.com/p/3ptgf0 -
The chinese traditional eat lots of carbs but not alot of dairy! The Mediterraneans diet while including bread and pasta has alot of veg and fish in it...and healthy oils! US Brits and Irish seem to have a diet nearer to ( similar obsesity problems -especespecially in kids
) as you guys! Maybe its the type of rubbish processed carbs we consume...and the beer (in my part)
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I think the amount of processed junk makes the difference, but the U.S. isn't alone in the obesity/diabetes epidemic! Convenient is not healthy! We must return to eating real food!0
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We are also PC in the US, people are careful to use only certain words -Because of the removal of the concept of " you're greedy" or the concept of "you're fat" , ppl can gain excessive weight and still labor under the delusion that they only need to "lose a few pounds" , self-control isn't expected here.
Overall, however I think the larger problem is advertising and the huge advertising budgets. If you ask someone , you'll get "oh Ads have no impact on me" .... Very wrong, ads pushing unhealthy foods are having a huge impact on the obesity problem.
I'm not sure if the advertising budget is so generously pushing processed foods in other countries.0 -
I wonder about that here in Northern Italy with pasta and pizza. I think Italians are much more active and take in very little added sugar. Their sauces use ripe sweet tomatoes so they don't add sugar to sauces and I have heard the gelato has less sugar but more fat compared to our ice-cream. I watch the women and they usually order the 1/4 cup size of gelato. So there is portion control too. The pasta dishes are not huge. What we would consider a side dish. They order pasta first course, then meat dish second course and then salad. The farmer's markets are amazing with the fresh produce. It is actually easier for me on most days to do low carb if I skip the pasta dish than in the States.
What a great opportunity!
Your brief comments made my mouth water more than any any ad I saw today (even Coke and Cialis). Grazie!
Do you keep a food journal/blog?
Not surprisingly, estimated rates in Italy for diabetes are much lower than in the US (but climbing) . (Est 6% vs. 10%)0 -
PaleoInScotland wrote: »The rest of the world is catching up very fast. At the bottom of this article is a chart showing obesity rates around the world.
http://gu.com/p/3ptgf
Thanks for the reference.
Likewise, diabetes rates worldwide are growing. They appear to be correlated with processed food, added sugar, obesity, and physical activity.
Poorer African nations have the lowest rates, while some Middle Eastern nations have among the highest.
(Diabetesatlas.org has estimates for 2015. You can use the interactive map or download the tables.)0 -
People in other countries are still eating fewer calories, than Americans typically do, and generally getting more physical activity.0
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"American carbs" are highly refined, ultra processed carbage and chemical concoctions disguised as edible products. Factories have scientists devoted to create the most addictive foods possible at the least possible cost. The result is empty calories that leave you hungry and make you increase portions while still being underfed. Not to mention that crops have a fraction of the nutritional value they had 50 years ago.
France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey have very strong culinary traditions of which they're very proud and they drench everything in either olive oil or butter and still use lard and duck fat. Most people know how to cook real food the way their parents did, even when they don't have the time to do it as often.
The problems start when they keep their fat rich traditional dishes and also start eating American "convenience" cheap "food". And, of course there's also the new agey crowd eating their brown rice until obese and T2D but that's just a small fringe of idiots like me.
::flowerforyou::
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I think many Americans don't have the proper education on nutrition. Even the most basic things. Also sadly many don't have access to proper food sources and without the necessary education or budget to find other sources many are likely to get stuck in a viscous cycle. Then pass that on generation to generation and it continues to get worse.
I saw a commercial the other day extolling the virtues of corn oil over olive oil. Drs telling they're patients to lose weight by eating low fat and heart healthy whole grains. And when that doesn't work they give then pills.
I'd venture to say a majority of those who are over weight think that there is nothing they can do about it. Either they starve themselves to lose or they stay fat and think they have an incurable disorder.
It's very sad and makes me rather angry when I really think about it. Especially for those of low income who rely on food banks and public assistance for food. All I see at the foods banks are boxed packaged foods, I know more are expanding to have more fresh options but they are limited.0 -
I agree that in places where more American style food/restaurants are penetrating the market...obesity is skyrocketing along with all the metabolic diseases. I lived in Japan in early 2000 and saw first hand young obese kids! This was unheard of even 5 years earlier when McDonalds were few and far between.0
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Sodas, pop, soft drinks .... whatever you want to call them. And juices. My mom served us water or milk. Freshie was served once a day in the summer as a treat. And the choice was freshie/koolaid or a popcicle, not both. (and she bought a package with no sugar/sweetener and added only half the recommended sugar - not available now.) No pop. Cookies too were limited. And orange juice was daily but in a 2 -3 oz special orange juice glass. Sometimes I see these glasses in op shops. The only thing we helped outselves to, without asking, was water. Maybe budgetary but I think she was interested in our health.
Now I watch some family members who start the day with Coke instead of coffee (they protest that it is the same) and orange juice served to all in an 8oz (or bigger glass) Kids help themselves to sodas from the fridge in the basement or garage and don't have to ask.
I saw a diabetic map that showed higher rates where good potable water was scarce. Many act as if good water is scarce in North America.
And, oh to be in Italy where even the veggies and salt taste better!0 -
dasher602014 wrote: »Sodas, pop, soft drinks .... whatever you want to call them. And juices. My mom served us water or milk. Freshie was served once a day in the summer as a treat. And the choice was freshie/koolaid or a popcicle, not both. (and she bought a package with no sugar/sweetener and added only half the recommended sugar - not available now.) No pop. Cookies too were limited. And orange juice was daily but in a 2 -3 oz special orange juice glass. Sometimes I see these glasses in op shops. The only thing we helped outselves to, without asking, was water. Maybe budgetary but I think she was interested in our health.
Now I watch some family members who start the day with Coke instead of coffee (they protest that it is the same) and orange juice served to all in an 8oz (or bigger glass) Kids help themselves to sodas from the fridge in the basement or garage and don't have to ask.
I saw a diabetic map that showed higher rates where good potable water was scarce. Many act as if good water is scarce in North America.
And, oh to be in Italy where even the veggies and salt taste better!
My husband has had a big glass of OJ and some kind of "healthy" breakfast bar every day since I've known him (long time!) and he does it because he thinks it's healthy.
Somehow the subject of fruit juice came up recently with my son and I was telling him to get some water and put some of the lemon and lime I had sliced up in it instead. My husband interrupted and asked why he shouldn't have the juice because it's better for him.... I had to drop it as I could see that my husband is going to defend juice to his death!0 -
I think another big factor is eating out versus preparing home cooked meals. Because more women work in Western culture, there's less time for home cooked meals, and when people do eat at home, it's often a ready meal, not a meal prepared with fresh, raw ingredients. I know that's what contributed to my poor state of health.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »dasher602014 wrote: »Sodas, pop, soft drinks .... whatever you want to call them. And juices. My mom served us water or milk. Freshie was served once a day in the summer as a treat. And the choice was freshie/koolaid or a popcicle, not both. (and she bought a package with no sugar/sweetener and added only half the recommended sugar - not available now.) No pop. Cookies too were limited. And orange juice was daily but in a 2 -3 oz special orange juice glass. Sometimes I see these glasses in op shops. The only thing we helped outselves to, without asking, was water. Maybe budgetary but I think she was interested in our health.
Now I watch some family members who start the day with Coke instead of coffee (they protest that it is the same) and orange juice served to all in an 8oz (or bigger glass) Kids help themselves to sodas from the fridge in the basement or garage and don't have to ask.
I saw a diabetic map that showed higher rates where good potable water was scarce. Many act as if good water is scarce in North America.
And, oh to be in Italy where even the veggies and salt taste better!
My husband has had a big glass of OJ and some kind of "healthy" breakfast bar every day since I've known him (long time!) and he does it because he thinks it's healthy.
Somehow the subject of fruit juice came up recently with my son and I was telling him to get some water and put some of the lemon and lime I had sliced up in it instead. My husband interrupted and asked why he shouldn't have the juice because it's better for him.... I had to drop it as I could see that my husband is going to defend juice to his death!
I grew up on juic. My mom used to make a a "healthy" unsweetened pitcher of OJ or apple juice from frozen concentrate everyday. That and powdered skim milk.
She also baked "healthy" homemade oatmeal, coconut raisin cookies for us all the time. Sure they were healthier than oreos but they were still cookies.
... and the boxed cereal at breakfast...
We ate based on ignorance = what the government recommended.0
