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Eat Like The French -
08-18-2007
Eat Like The French  By James Raiswell The French diet consists of much smaller portions and unprocessed foods It’s been called the French Paradox: The problem of how a nation of butter-lovers, cheese-eaters, Gallic-cigarette-smokers, croissant-munchers, and red-wine drinkers have lower rates of obesity and a lower incidence of heart problems than most health-conscious North Americans. The stats don’t lie, I’m afraid. Only 8% of French citizens are overweight, compared to 50% of Americans; while only 7% of the French are obese, compared with a whopping 22% of Americans. The French eat four times as much butter, 60% more cheese and nearly three times as much pork as we do, and they consume more total fat and much more saturated fat. But -- and here’s the punch line -- according to the British Heart Foundation, in 1999 the French averaged a mere 83 deaths from heart disease per 100,000 males aged 35 to 74 years, compared to a staggering 230 in the U.S. The French Paradox was first theorized in 1819 by an Irish doctor, Samuel Black, but was popularized in North America in 1991 when 60 Minutes aired an article expounding the virtues of a diet that included red wine -- so much so that wine manufacturers even briefly lobbied to have their products labeled as health food! Believe it or not, the French Paradox is mostly true -- on the surface it would seem that the French have a much worse diet than we do -- but there is, of course, more to the story than just eating sticks of butter and drinking gallons of booze. Read on as we reveal some of the weight-loss secrets of the French. french diet, american lifestyle Dr. Will Clower researched the French Paradox and revealed some of its secrets, while debunking some of the myths we commonly hold about diets. “The French break every rule our experts swear will make us fat. Wonderful creams, butters and full-fat cheeses (so much for the fat-free theory) are spread daily onto fresh baguettes (so much for the carbohydrate free theory)… Despite our brilliant science and dreadful predictions, their diet leaves them thinner and healthier than us, without even trying." eating a la francaise Change is easy -- in this case -- and there are a handful of simple steps you can take to make the French Paradox work for you. Remember, it’s quality not quantity that counts. The French might eat rich, fatty foods for every meal and follow up lunch and dinner with dessert, but they eat less per meal than we do. A study of portion sizes across Paris restaurants showed a mean size of 9.8 oz, compared with an average in Philadelphia of 12.2 oz -- about 25% more. What’s more, Philadelphia's Chinese restaurants served 72% more food than the Parisian ones. A supermarket soft drink in the U.S. was 52% larger, a hot dog 63% larger and a carton of yogurt 82% larger. In other words, we eat lots -- too much, actually. If you want to stay slim, eat smaller portions and don’t keep eating until you think you may burst. Nutritionists say a serving of meat, for example, should be no larger than a deck of cards. Take smaller bites and finish each completely before taking the next. Taking smaller bites and allowing more time for them to digest enables the body to better process what you’re feeding it and gives it more time to process what’s there. Moreover, it will take less time for your body to realize it’s full. Dairy fat and olive oil There are good fats and bad fats and the simple fact of the matter is that our diets tend to focus more on the bad and less on the good. French people get most of their fat intake from dairy and vegetable sources, including whole milk, cheeses and whole-milk yogurt and take in very little animal fat. Dairy fats have been shown to be healthier than other forms of fats, and they make you feel full earlier, so you tend to eat less. Avoid processed foods Think about the way food is managed in North America: We place a good deal of emphasis on getting a meal into the oven and onto the plate as quickly as possible. On a weekday evening, for example, so very few people take the time to prepare a real meal. We seek out the into-the-microwave, over-processed, high-salt, fast-food options to save time. Exactly the opposite is true in Europe, where people will take the time to cook a real meal from scratch, regardless of the time and effort it takes to do so. Their dinners are often pushed to 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. and the benefit is not only better-tasting food, but food that is better prepared and healthier. Wine and desserts If you’ve suddenly got the idea to buy a vineyard based on projected sales growth, don’t. There is some truth to the idea that wine can improve the circulatory system, but this has yet to be conclusively established. Moreover, the French people who don’t drink wine are still much healthier than the average American. The lesson here is to relax and enjoy a glass of wine or any other alcohol with a meal, but do so knowing that the health benefit could come more from the act of relaxing than of any medicinal benefit derived from the grape or grain you are consuming. Eat dessert, but save room for it by having smaller portions of other courses. Dessert is OK to eat -- some of the time -- but stay away from those loaded with the refined sugars that are the heart of many North American desserts. French desserts tend to be more of the rich fatty variety than they are of the sticky sweet sort. Eat fish more often Not enough attention is paid in North America to the health benefits of fish. They’re loaded with good-for-you fatty acids and all sorts of nutrients you won’t find in a slab of steak. What’s more, they’re lower in animal fat than red meat. One fish to be wary of, however, is salmon. Salmon has a much higher fat content then other fish. Just remember to keep your portions small (deck of cards). Go for a walk Parts of France are blessed with a beautiful climate and people there generally spend more time than we do outdoors and relaxing along the Mediterranean coast, skiing in the Alps or cruising the streets of its major cities on foot. We, on the other hand, tend to drive everywhere we can and spend our leisure time in front of the TV. How do you expect to burn many calories if you don’t exercise? So, make it a daily routine to take a walk after dinner or on your lunch break at work. Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator, if you can, and if you don't live far from the corner store and you need milk, walk there. ooh la la c'est magnifique The French paradox is real alright and if you’re going to make a difference in your life, it’s going to involve a major lifestyle change. One place to start is by following these simple tips for healthier eating. Another is to visit France and see firsthand what all the fuss is about. Some people report that just a visit to France alone caused them to lose weight. Bonne chance et a votre santé! source: askmen.com 
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