World's Healthiest Cuisines
Understanding the French diet and lifestyleSo what is their secret?
Unlike many cultures in the world — specifically weight-obsessed Americans — the French have a healthy relationship with food. Foods are not classified into "good" and "bad" categories, but are rather viewed as pleasures of life.
The French would rather enjoy a few bites of a rich chocolate mousse than load up on an oversized, "fat-free" (but sugar-filled) chocolate frozen yogurt.
French meals are often several hours long and consist of multiple courses. The French view meals as social events, and in between bites of snails, buttery duck breast and foie gras, they take time to talk to one another and catch up on the latest world events. The French — unlike the Americans — would never think to eat a meal in front of the television.
The French diet also includes a variety of heart-healthy ingredients. Fruits and vegetables are used liberally in meals, and most French people will only cook free-range poultry and pork. Unlike the "quick" American way of eating, the French rarely eat anything freeze-dried, dehydrated or hydrogenated. There is no such thing as "just add water" meals in France.
Size definitely matters to the French! Although their meals may be longer and more fattening, their portions are smaller; an American croissant is double the size of a French one! Therefore, although they consume richer foods, they take in fewer calories.
Additionally, the French rarely, if ever, snack throughout the day. They would rather enjoy a long, decadent meal than waste their time snacking on tasteless, empty-calorie treats, such as pretzels, potato chips or candy bars.
Although it's difficult to locate a gym in France (and even more challenging to find a French person who goes to one), people manage to stay slim by incorporating physical activity into their everyday lives, usually via walking or bicycling.
eating like europeansTo improve your overall health based on the Mediterranean and French diets, try the following:
- Go meatless for a week
- Add nuts to your morning cereal
- Incorporate fish into your diet at least twice a week
- Replace margarine and butter with olive oil
- Eat fresh fruit for dessert
- Omit processed foods
- Purchase free-range poultry and pork
- Be aware of portion sizes; in most cases, you could probably cut the amount of food you eat in half