Articles ¬ Eating In ¬ Culture of EatingMuch of life in North America is about choice, especially when it comes to food. Not too long ago people had no choice but to eat locally and only what was in season at the time. Now, with the easy access to foods from other cultures, we have a chance to get the best from any continent, all year round. Since we have become exposed to food not typical to our locale, dietitians and nutritionally-oriented doctors have been looking at the cultures that these foods originate from, wondering how has this diet served these people? What illnesses do they have or not have in comparison to us and may their diet have an influence on this outcome? The following are just a few examples of the traditional diets that have been and are being studied.
For years, doctors and nutritionists had spoken of the "French Paradox", as they were mystified by how the Parisian people whose diets are high in carbohydrates and saturated fats had a lower incidence of heart disease and better longevity than the typical North American. It is fairly recent that researchers have concluded that it is the daily consumption of red wine and garlic that play a large role in balancing out the not-so healthy aspects of a traditional Parisian diet. When this study first became public, many people were made happy by the idea of it being a healthy decision to increase their red wine intake. Since then, it has been found that a chemical called resveratrol, which is contained in red wine, but is also in the skin of fresh grapes and grape juice is thought to be one of the main reasons why red wine can help to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and increase life span.
The typical Mediterranean diet has also been studied for it has been noted for years that people eating this way have a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer. A very important aspect of the Mediterranean diet is the reliance on extra virgin olive oil, which is used in abundance and as the main source of fat. Olive oil is important for preventing arteriosclerosis and heart attacks, but also gall bladder disease, constipation and stomach ulcers.
As well as the Mediterranean people using olive oil as their principal fat, here is a brief outline of what makes up the rest of their dietary intake. Wine drinking is something that these people partake in, normally with meals; about one to two glasses for men and one glass for women per day. Fresh fruit is eaten as a typical daily dessert and sweets with a significant amount of sugar and saturated fats are limited. An abundance of food from plant sources are ingested, including fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt are eaten daily. Mediterranean people also consume low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry and limit eggs from zero to four weekly. Lastly, red meat is only eaten once to a few times per month
Soy products have become big news in the last year as studies are being completed regarding their health benefits when eaten frequently. Soy products are a great natural source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and are also proving to be an important way to help balance hormonal levels for people in mid-life. Along with soy products traditional Asian cultures emphasize lower amounts of animal based protein, no dairy products and the use of a variety of seaweeds. Seaweeds contain a huge amount of trace minerals, provide a pleasant, subtle and salty flavor when added to other dishes such as soups and eggs and are mildly detoxifying which means that they can assist the body in eliminating chemicals that we ingest or byproducts that our body makes.
In the 1970's it was found that in a few small villages in the Caucus Mountains in Afghanistan the population of Centenarians (people of the age 100 years or more) was at a much higher percentage than anything ever seen in North America. After studying these mountain dwelling people, it became accepted that the main thing that was keeping them alive for longer was the large quantity of yogurt that they ate. The friendly bacteria that makes milk into yogurt called Acidophilus, is normally found in our intestines, but can easily be depleted. For good health and apparently longevity it is important to keep the population of this bacteria high as it serves a purpose for the functioning of our digestive and immune systems.
The people of India have a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer in comparison to us here in North America. These people use a lot of the spice curry (which is actually a combination of different spices) in their cooking, smaller amounts of animal protein (no red meat) and traditionally hold the belief that food is their medicine. Ayurvedic Medicine is the traditional medicine of India and is the main force behind the idea of food as medicine. In this form of medicine food and spices are assigned basic qualities such as drying, moisture or heat forming. Ayurvedic Medicine holds the belief that health is achieved through balance and that part of achieving this balance is by daily seeking the correct combination of food flavors and spicing to help complement what imbalance may be occurring in your body e.g. Yogurt causes mucus, so if someone who is prone to mucus wants to eat yogurt they would add the spice cumin or ginger to it to decrease mucus production.
In our global village culture choice is vast, which is at the same time great and confusing. From this article, I hope that you have been able to recognize and perhaps will adopt some common dietary habits that populations who tend to be healthier than we North Americans have been using for centuries.
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