- Even though the French diet is rich, it is a much healthier option than the American diet, with much less heart disease and fewer other medical problems.
- Most Americans eat fast food on the go, while most French eat a relaxed and leisurely meal consisting of several courses.
- While the American diet is rich in processed foods and snacks, the French diet contains few of these.
When it comes to the diet of the population of certain countries, France holds a record for great tasting and indulgent food. This is the complete opposite of the fast food takeout and highly processed and sugary snacks that the American diet consists of. The food in France may seem high fat, and it actually is which is what gives the food such a rich and creamy flavor, but the fats used are healthy fats which are from dairy products and vegetables. The French diet does not include large amounts of meat fats, and it does involve fish three or four times a week. Almost all Americans who visit this country and eat the foods experience the so called French Paradox, and lose weight without dieting and while eating plenty of rich French dishes.
The French population have much lower risks of heart disease and certain other medical conditions than the population of Americans do, even though the diet contains a lot of cream and cheeses. There are a few reasons for this. To the people who live in France, eating is something enjoyable that is not rushed. Meals consist of many small courses, along with wine and plenty of talk, and it is a relaxing time. Instead of using low fat or no fat foods which have more sugar, the French diet instead uses real full fat products and smaller portions. This allows them to eat less and enjoy their meal more. Dairy fats do not clog the arteries and cause heart attacks as much as trans fats do, so they are a much healthier alternative without having to give up taste.
The American diet is full of saturated or bad fats, and contains mostly highly processed foods. Almost ninety percent of Americans eat fast food at least two or three times a week, and the diet is lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables. The diet of most Americans also includes a lot of empty calories, such as soda, foods which are deep fried in bad fats, highly processed foods, and foods with large amounts of sugars. It would seem like the famous French pastries would be high in sugar but this is not true, because these are made with real butter and cream, and small amounts of sugar so that they are not overly sweet.
Most Americans do not consume wine frequently either, and this beverage may play a part in the heart health the French are famous for. Red wine contains a number of heart healthy compounds, and in France red wine is taken at most of the afternoon meals. This factor may also contribute to eating less during the meals. Because the French divide their meals into small courses, and they drink wine and enjoy talk and companionship while relaxing over a meal, the amount of food consumed is significantly less than in the American diet. The brain has time to receive the signal that the stomach is full, so that overeating is much less of a problem as well.
The American diet is sadly lacking in fish, fruits, and vegetables, and French fries do not count. Deep fried potato wedges are an American diet staple, not French, and they are extremely unhealthy. The French are famous for eating very rich food, drinking wine frequently, and smoking a lot. Yet the population of France suffers from far less obesity, heart disease and heart attacks, and other medical conditions that would normally be seen as a result of this diet. In an unusual twist, this same lifestyle and diet is what is believed to keep the French much healthier, and with far fewer diseases, than their American counterparts who eat the typical American diet. Americans are malnourished while being obese at the same time.
