Learning from time tested healthy nutritional habits.
In these times of instant communication, worldwide interconnectedness, abundance of facts and never ending ways to stay in touch and keep learning, it seems as if knowledge and technology are being created at a faster pace by the day, but the ever present collective wisdom of old civilizations wellness principles for our bodies are often shunned and considered outdated, particularly by the American Continent, by looking at the alarming obesity rates and weight related diseases that lacerate today’s hyper connected society, it might be wise to pause, look back and around us, to examine the world-wide statistical data and the biggest laboratory, earth itself, which houses different nutritional philosophies that have been tested for hundreds of years, showing remarkable results.
Some of the following practices may seem unsophisticated, or contradictory to our eating dogmas, but they are supported by decades and decades of evidence present in the generations that have lived by them, let’s take a look at some of the best nutritional practices from around the globe and how they could be helpful to us, if we just pause and observe.
Japan:
Compared to the western world:
Lower obesity rates, low heart disease related death rate, low cancer related death rate, low rate of menopause related health problems.
Main dietary differences to the western world:
Fish is their main source of animal protein, it is included in a majority of dishes, it promotes heart health when compared to red meat, Soy is consumed frequently, tofu is a popular form, and it is believed to be related to the low cancer related death rate in Japan, besides reporting a considerable decrease in the occurrence of menopause related unpleasant symptoms. It is common to consume leafy vegetables and rice, vegetables are not overdone, they are mostly cooked lightly by steaming them, simmering and/or high heat stir frying. They include five or more foods in each meal, which promotes ingredient variation and smaller portions, and they often prefer fruit desserts, another common trend is the consumption of hot green tea during meals.
China:
Compared to the western world:
Lower obesity rates and lower cancer related death rate.
Main dietary differences to the western world:
Rice and Soy are common ingredients in china, often accompanied with large amounts of steamed vegetables. They are careful with the amount of food they take, they are cautious of overeating, eating slowly and chewing well is important for them as well as having respect for regularity in eating and sleeping schedules. They avoid eating large amounts of raw vegetables, they prefer to cook them lightly by steaming and stir frying in order to retain the majority of the natural nutrients. The Chinese avoid having cold drinks during their meals, because according to them, heat is crucial for digestion, they mostly prefer warm water or green tea, it is common to have a cup of green tea 15 minutes before meals. After finishing a meal, they often take a slow walk to promote a healthy digestion.
India:
Compared to the western world:
Much lower obesity levels when compared to the western world.
Main dietary differences to the western world:
Low consumption of meat, high contents of fiber in meals (rice, wheat, etc.), high consumption of seasonal fruits and different types of healthy spices (aniseed, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, garlic and chilies), drinking black tea is a daily habit (high in phytochemicals like phenols and flavonoids) and consuming dairy products (yogurt, curd, milk, butter, ghee, etc.) is part of the common diet.
France:
Compared to the western world:
The French have much lower levels of obesity, lower heart disease related death rate.
Main dietary differences to the western world:
The French Focus on quality of food (fresh ingredients, texture, consistency, flavor) instead of large quantities of it, they consider that choosing fresh natural ingredients and avoiding processed man made foods (such as low-fat products, partially hydrogenated, frozen meals, soft drinks) is important, besides the nutrient related benefits of choosing natural ingredients, the use of natural fats in meals while keeping an eye the portion sizes, stimulates the production of satiety signals from the brain that last longer hours, even after consuming smaller portions, this prevents the urge to snack between meals.
They usually have longer meals accompanied by friends and family, where drinking a glass of wine and having pieces of cheese are a common thing, it is seen as a social event, not something that should be done quickly to avoid wasting time. If you eat fast, you will gain weight, because you end up eating too much, the brain signals of satiety are generally delayed 20 minutes, which translates into overeating if you are in a hurry. The French like to serve their meals in separate courses and small portions, not all in one plate like we do in the American continent; in terms of activity walking and taking the stairs are a habitual thing for many French.
Greece:
Compared to the western world:
Lower risk of death from heart disease, lower rates of cancer and diabetes.
Main dietary differences to the western world:
The Greek eat whole grain breads and consume fresh seafood often, It is very common for the Greek to build dishes around salads drenched with olive oil, they are the biggest consumers of olive oil in the world, it contains monounsaturated fats which may help lower cholesterol, it also contains the benevolent vitamin E. Eating raw fruits and vegetables is part of their everyday life, another trait shown by The Greeks is their proclivity to make meals a social event to be shared with friends and family where including a glass of wine and cheese is a common occurrence being the most popular feta. The most common desserts are fresh and dried fruits.
So, in summary, by looking at all these different culinary habits from ancient cultures in the modern era from around the world, it is interesting to note the similarities they keep, some of them being: the low consumption of red meat, eating soy products, eating a lot of vegetables regularly either raw or lightly cooked, eating high fiber complex carbohydrates (whole grain rice, whole wheat bread, vegetables, etc.) and avoiding refined carbohydrates (industrialized white bread, soft drinks, large amounts of candies, large amounts of fried snacks, sugar, etc.), using natural, fresh, seasonal foods and ingredients including olive oil and cheese, including smaller portions of different dishes in one meal , avoiding cold soft drinks while eating and replacing them with water, tea or a glass of wine, eating fruits for dessert and eating sweets moderately, drinking tea often, eating slowly and with company, walking more.
If close attention is paid to differences in diet and rates of common health issues in different countries the modern world can learn much from the older civilizations, A lot can be gained if we incorporate at least some of these time tested best practices which have had a remarkable positive impact on millions, I would like to stress, that the key element for these best practices to work, is regularity, incorporate them as a habit in your life, not a once in a year occurrence, and by making these changes you will be benefited from the wisdom gained through thousands of years and feel better along the way, I challenge you to try it, what do you have to lose? A few pounds maybe? Come on!
Resources:
www.healthyconsumerreportst.com
http://www.mensfitness.com/