At the end of last week I took my final class at La Sorbonne and, might I say, it was the most interesting class period yet. We learned about the French Paradox. For those of you who are not familiar with this concept, the French Paradox is a well studied phenomena that questions how the French population continues to be one of the healthiest groups of people in the world while their everyday common diet consists of bread, wine, chocolate, cheese, and red meat. Their cuisine is renowned as one of rich ingredients and heavy meals and yet the French have significantly lower rates of obesity, diet related diseases, and cardiovascular disease. This last point about cardiovascular disease (CVD) is particularly puzzling for scientists because CVD has been identified as a result of high levels of cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, and obesity. Of course, each of high cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure can be the result of a multitude of factors depending on the person, though more often than not, these maladies are caused or worsened by a poor diet. Now, back to the French paradox. Bread, cheese, chocolate, and red meat are all types of food which are linked to these sicknesses which we have been discussing. So, how are the French so healthy?

The answer, unsurprisingly, is not a simple one. There are many different reasons why this population may have better health trends than others. One reason, however, is wine. In the US, we have a much different relationship with alcohol than do the people of Europe and so it is sometimes strange to consider alcohol as a digestive aid or beneficial to one’s health. However, scientists have found that the French custom of wine, to drink it regularly but in moderation, is actually quite beneficial to their overall wellbeing. There is a certain molecule, resvératrol, which bears important antioxidant, anti cancer, photo-protectant, and anti-aging qualities. Resvératrol is found in the skin of grapes so it can be consumed through eating grapes. However, through the fermentation process for wine, red wine especially, the resvératrol becomes more potent, if you will. This means your body absorbs more of it through wine consumption than through just eating grapes. So, wine, in the French tradition, is beneficial as part of a balanced lifestyle.

Now, another fascinating phenom is that of the Mediterranean diet. This theory was born from many different studies showing trends that, the farther south in European countries you go, the healthier the populations of people are. So not only do the French stand out but so do the people of Spain, Greece, etc. An ideal Mediterranean diet is one full of daily vegetables, fruits, and legumes, frequent consumption of foods with natural omega-3s, light consumption of dairy products, bread, and wine, bi or tri weekly consumption of fish and limited red meats. That may seem like a common diet description format, however it is missing a very important part. Something that Americans do not consider is the lifestyle that certain groups of people follow along with their natural diet and yet this is extremely important as most diets do not bear the same results when one part is altered. For the people of Southern European countries who eat in these ways, they also tend to cook their own food. With this practice comes a sense of having a proper meal, a time of convivialité during which one is social, friendly, and generally feels low stress. The lifestyle in Southern Europe also includes regular physical activity and a sense of environmentalism, both of which create a physically healthy atmosphere for the people. With this all combined, scientists see trends of good health. That means, if one part is missing, the trend is likely to change for the worse.

My message here is that health is multifaceted. There are so many fad diets which suggest avoiding certain common foods while living off a few others. Meanwhile, there are many groups of people in the world who regularly consume these “bad” foods and maintain better health than those who avoid them. That can be due to the dieter forgetting the importance of one’s lifestyle and instead relying solely on a certain superfood to make them healthy. Food is a part of life, it is a significant member of one’s personal culture and so it must be treated as one of the many areas in life that require a bit of attention. Though, it should not be the only area which one focuses on in order to improve one’s health. It is the culture of food that many people overlook and that greatly aids in maintaining health. So many of the groups of people who have such impressive health records also have a certain ritual for their food. The French have le repas, the meal, which is actually protected by UNESCO on the list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. This concept of the meal invites everyone to sit down for a gathering of people over a few hours time and enjoy quality food and company. Food and wine is everywhere in French culture, but so is convivialité.

From all this information, here’s a summary: Eat food, just in moderation. Remember that some foods have higher quality nutrients for your body than others so balance is important. Start doing a bit of research or asking your doctor if you’re not sure of how beneficial a certain type of food is. Don’t forget to sit with friends and enjoy a laugh or two as you chow down. Then, take a walk, ride your bike, or take the stairs a couple extra times (it’s good for the environment and you!). Maintain a healthy lifestyle and don’t forget to include food in it.

I think it’s also important to bring up the idea of quality of food. Here in France I have noticed a significant difference, meaning that the food here, most everywhere you go, is higher quality than what we would see in the US. The vegetables are fresh and properly ripe, the meals are not heavily processed, the bread is made from whole grain and carries actual nutrients and flavor. I could go on and on. Check out these pictures of the finger foods they served at the certificate ceremony at the end of my weeklong course at La Sorbonne.

These platters were beautiful and made of fresh, unprocessed ingredients. No mass produced, BigY finger foods here. Quality of foods matter because, not only do fresh, unprocessed foods taste better but they also have higher nutrient value as well.

To get higher quality ingredients, make sure to buy the fresh fruits and vegetables rather than those in a jar or can. If you want to take it one step further, shop at a local farm when produce is in season because then you know you’re eating ripe, local produce. This insures that those vitamins and nutrients are there. In my opinion, one of the most vital changes we need to fight for in America is that of the quality of food produced for and expected by the public. Our government supports a mass production system and large scale subsidized farms. So, we get heavily processed foods and lots of corn. My initiative is to encourage local food production. This isn’t to say that we should leave modern technology behind, but instead use it where it is needed. Encourage local food production, import the products that can’t be grown in country, but let the people, all the people, enjoy fresh products again rather than canned, dried, and processed foods. This is extremely important in urban environments and we’re seeing an increase in urban gardening initiatives but we are a long way off from assuring quality food for all.

Here’s to enjoying a good meal with others,

Abigail

On Monday I began the weeklong course at La Sorbonne. Entitled cuisine et gastronomie françaises: un art exceptionnel, this class is perfect to supplement my project as it is essentially a lesson on the history of French food culture. This post is about 3 days overdue as I’ve been absorbing all that this course has to offer and contemplating the best way to integrate the information into my mission. All of the lessons so far have had valuable fact that we can all use to better our relationship with food. To give you an idea of what this class entails, here’s the schedule. Every day this week we have a 3 hour lecture period with the professor from 9:30am-12:30pm. Then each day comes with a different accompanying session. On Monday we had a full dinner at a wonderful restaurant. On Tuesday there was a wine and cheese tasting (un atelier vines et fromages) at which one of the professors at the university led us through 4 pairings. Then, on Wednesday, there was a tour of the history of the heart of the city (la cœur de Paris) during which we discussed a lot of the original ways in which Parisians ate and bought food. On Thursday there was a literary tour of la rive gauche (the part of the city to the left of the Seine river) during which the professor discussed cafés famous for serving literary figures and some of the original cafés in the city (one since 1686!) that are still serving people today.

This is the original campus of Sorbonne Université!

My BIGGEST takeaway so far is from the absolute first day of class. Our professor was discussing French cuisine as it was in the Middle Ages and every other fact that came out of his lecture had something to do with how involved the people were with their food. During this time period there was no form of a public meal (ie: this is before restaurants and cafés came into existence) in France so the custom was to cook your own food or visit a friend for their kitchen. It struck me how ingenious people were as they were developing recipes and finding a use for ingredients from around the world. Everyone had an interaction with the ingredients of their meals and these interactions led to the beautiful phenomena that are the French cuisines. Yes, plural, cuisines, good eye there ;). Cuisine, in this context, refers to the foods of the region. As France developed, each region had different access to ingredients, different social structures, different economies, etc. All of these different factors came into play in the development of the dishes served.

The rules of eating were also developing at this time. It was interesting to read an account of the rules from 1530. A lot of them, which, keep in mind, had to be written down and explained for people at the time, are simple manners that we now follow without thinking. (They had to come from somewhere!) The first rule on the list is “wash your hands before sitting down”. Then there are some fancier ones like”do not take the honor of sitting first if it is not yours to be had” and “wipe your mouth before taking a drink”. Another rule spoke in depth about maintaining the convivialité of the meal and respecting any social hierarchies. Overall, these rules would create a sense of respect for the ritual that is eating and that is because a meal involves much more than consuming food. It means slowing down or taking a break from your day and taking the time to cook and eat. What inherently follows is a period of time during which you can think, socialize, unwind, and reflect. Not only does eating give us the fuel to pursue our everyday goals, it also comes with an automatic break, a point in time when you can stop working and recharge. The meal is a concept in which few of us engage anymore.

Our class dinner on Monday! We ate a a traditional French restaurant, Au port du Salut, in the Latin quarter right next to the Panthéon! Our class was 4 students (including me) so some of the University faculty joined us.

Now the reason I started this post with: let’s bring the food back to the people, is because here, the French are still connected to their food. Supermarkets carry fresh foods and the ritual of the meal, or le repas, is still a common sight. There are cafés on every street corner and restaurants in between. Everyone has to eat so it may be a bit strange that I am talking so in-depth about incredible is it that the French eat meals. But you know what I don’t see here? I don’t see people walking and eating, or even walking and drinking for that matter (and I’ve walked about 8 miles a day for the last week). In America, the culture is to eat when you have time, or, if not, then wait until you are very hungry and squeeze in a quick bite. Eat at work, eat in the car, eat on your walk. But don’t sit down, don’t take a break for food. I am not trying to breach this subject as if it’s the first time you’ve heard of it. I’m bringing it up because you may have brushed it off the first or second time as a social norm that’s untouchable.

I just want to remind you that social change comes from the people. So, if you feel that you are disconnected from your food, start taking steps to change that. May I suggest starting with learning about your food. This means learn what you like and what you don’t, explore all the options and understand the difference between processed foods and unprocessed foods. After that, understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods. If you’ve made it this far into this article, I would like to hear from you. In the comments, do you sit down for a meal most of the time? Do your friends and their families do this too? If so, what is the sense of that meal? Is it a processed frozen dinner that you heat up, a fast food delight, or a home cooked meal? How often do eat on the go or through work? And, would you eat differently if you could? Finally, what’s stopping you? It’s very real in our society to be in a situation where you don’t have access to proper food but it is also very realize to be overwhelmed by all the choices you have. Something I am pursuing is the importance of using law and public policy to guarantee access to unprocessed foods. To start, let’s educate ourselves on real, raw, traditional food (not that processed, prepackaged stuff) then, let’s get this change happening so everyone can access the healthy stuff.

So, let’s start a conversation about our life style choices when it comes to food and eating because health isn’t just about the type of food you consume, it’s also about how you eat it and when. Our final class at La Sorbonne is about the French Paradox and the science of a healthy diet. I’m excited to have that experience and then bring it to all of you!

Until next time,

Abigail

Bonjour mes amis! Let’s discuss French food culture!

As I began constructing my project for this summer I came to the realization that I needed to highlight an example of a food culture in order to best understand how food culture benefits someone or a society. As a French minor at school, and someone who has always enjoyed French culture and traditions, I knew that the food culture I could use as an example was that of France. Especially because of the French paradox, the conundrum of how the French, who’s diets mainly consist of chocolate, butter, cheese, and bread (see where I’m going with this), have very low rates of cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Doesn’t every diet in America tell you not to eat at least one of the food items I just listed, and don’t some diets tell you to avoid all of the above? So then how are the French so healthy? There’s your paradox. I’ll expand on this in another post, but until then, consider the origins of American diet trends and think about how young America is compared to other countries. People throughout the world have been eating what Americans consider taboo food for a very very long time and surviving this far.

Now, as I examine French food culture as an outsider, I’m looking for more than just what they eat. As I’ve mentioned before, food culture refers to the life style of having a relationship with food. So, I’m looking at how they regulate it, sell it, cook it, gift it, etc. For one thing, as my Parisian market tour guide reminded me yesterday, no culture is perfect. I’m not trying to idolize the French food culture here, I’m just using a well established example to explain how some groups of people relate to their food. Traditions can be started at any time, they just need to be kept up with. In France, their culture is ever growing, but they haven’t lost much of their original ways. On Sunday I had a private (since I was the only person signed up that day) walking tour of one of the famous open air markets in Paris. My guide explained the incredible history of the area and toured me through the market. Then we sat in a park with a picnic lunch that we put together with our purchases at the market. We ate a melange of fromages, some fresh fruit including cherries, apricots, and peaches, as well as a warm baguette, some pâté, some cured pork, a red wine and an apricot tart for desert. (Fun fact: the French label their wines by place of origin not by grape type!) It was a beautiful, and rather cliché, Parisian experience.

Au marché, something I noticed right off the bat is how personable the vendors are. They strike up conversation with each customer and have wonderful relationships with the regulars. It was spectacular to watch people come through for their weekly (or daily) buys and talk about more than just their purchases. Even I got to experience it, with my rather rough French language skills, as I purchased cheeses and fruits. The vendors told me all about where their products come from and talked with me about what can grow in my part of the United States. All smiles, all morning. There’s a wonderful example of food bringing people together. Especially with the samples. I must have tried at least 6 different types of cheese within 5 minutes which sparked a conversation of how to tell a cheese’s maturity. Then we started talking about raw milk (milk that is unpasteurized). It’s fascinating to me that raw milk is still common in France because in the US, it is not. I bet at least half of the people reading this have never tasted raw milk. Why? Because the government requires pasteurization to prevent illness. But here we are again with the fact that the French, and many other cultures, still happily consume raw milk.

Here’s some of the cheeses we sampled!

Another highlight of the French food culture is the sense of polity imbedded in it. French restaurants and cafés are places of great hospitality, respect, and a paid staff. When you sit down for a meal, the waiters greet you, serve you what you need and then move on. They don’t bug you every couple minutes about the quality of the food or if you need something but they are always around in case you do require more service. This style of eating is peaceful and respectful. You don’t feel rushed to leave by the waitstaff which is very important. It’s proven healthy to take your time while you eat but in the United States, the restaurant culture is focused on moving customers in and out as quickly as possible. How many times have you felt rushed at a restaurant? I’ll bet quite a few. I’ve been in situations where the waiter brings the check before I’ve finished half of my meal and then has to edit it as I order more food. Not only does this reduce the quality of your social experience but it fosters the American habit to eat fast. That, on top of large portion sizes, ends in food waste and overeating.

All in all, from my experiences so far, I’ve witnessed a food culture in which one takes time for their meal, uses food as a social tool, in the restaurant and at the market, and consumes age old foods like pâté, baguettes, cheeses, and raw milk while staying healthy. That bring the question to my mind as to why some of these product are so heavily regulated in the US. Also, the portion sizes for every one of my meals so far have been just right, and I think that’s a huge reason why I can feel comfortable eating all my food and feel good after I consume it. One portion size difference that really stood out was in my morning coffee.

I could hold that mug completely in one hand (look how small it is compared to a average size croissant!). That’s the serving size they offer, my friends and it was the best coffee I’ve had in a very long time. I’d take a small, delicious cup of café over a large, mass produced cup of coffee any day. The next time you go for a large size drink in the US like a soda or a coffee, ask yourself why you need so much of it. And why, instead, can’t you have a small serving to satisfy the craving, whether it’s taste, caffeine, or sugar, and then drink water to hydrate? Just some food for thought ;).

Thanks for tuning in and come back soon for some insider info on the class I’m taking at La Sorbonne, Histoire de la cuisine et de la gastronomie française.

As always,

Abigail