The French Paradox

Because of its new found popularity, I picked up a copy of 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' (Julia Child) about a month ago. I also snagged a copy of 'How to Cook Everything' (Mark Bittman) AND the popular 'Julie & Julie' (Julie Powell).

I'm about halfway through Julie and Julia and it's been inspiring me to actually READ MtAoFC in its entirety when I'm done with J&J. It's also made me think back to several articles I've read regarding the "French Paradox" - why the French suffer lower rates of heart disease and obesity despite their diets notoriously high in animal fat, wine..and possibly with a side of cigarettes. If you'll remember, the oldest woman in the world up until recent years was French. And she smoked and drank into her 90s. Take that cardiology!

Now I'm not saying we should go slug down a bottle of Cab and light up a pack of Pall Malls, but reading all of this is making me feel quite reassured that I'm not an absolute crazy for eating a diet higher in animal fat. It's also been making me dream of bouef bourguignon and a glass of wine, but that's beside the point. There is a lot of sense in eating whole, real food, some rich in fat, and not shaming yourself for it. Life is too short for tasteless reduced calorie cheese product and margarine.

But, that in mind, it's one thing to eat real food, but it's quite another to eat real food in the "American Way" - large portions, prepared with sugar, what have you. If you wondered why the French (or many Europeans in general) are notorious for being thinner than their American counterparts, this is generally why (found in my reading around the internet and some personal observations in Europe):

1. Smaller portions / understanding relative portion size - this is especially true with sweets. As you know, chocolate is quite popular in Europe as they consume much more than the US. However, a true serving of chocolate is the size of a dental floss container.

2. More real food, less additives (with one caveat - Britain is somewhat notorious for junk food, crisps, and candy. There is a surge in popularity of American fast food and treats in Europe, also, which has brought some negative effects).

3. Lesser incidence of corn and soy based products.

4. Much, much lower sugar intake (in SOME countries)

5. Much smaller servings of bread / Bread is more commonly artisan-made (i.e. no sugar added, no preservatives, slow rise or fermented (sour) dough which is easier to digest) In France, a serving is a 1/2 portion of a baguette usually served with a soft, thick cheese (brie, for one). Compare a French baguette with an American loaf of bread. Mmm hmm.

6. Walking and biking are forms of commute and transport. - Many claim they lose weight while in Europe simply due to walking more. Exercise for many is playing a team sport such as football (soccer) and not concentrated "going to the gym" like Americans, though this is growing in popularity. I don't believe it's only the walking that helps your waistline. Eating that "fat-filled" meals produce the opposite effect of expanding your waistline...Now if you were eating a sugar-filled diet while in Europe, you best have been walking a lot to counterbalance it

7. Eating more fresh or local foods.

8. Along with #6, eating a diet higher in dietary fat. It's not that Europeans eat scads of fat in comparison with the average American, it's really the source that matters. Our fat sources are often fast or fried food, which is the opposite of good for the body.