The French Paradox

Much has been written about the French diet. They spend hours eating only cheese and cream, they drink a bottle of wine each day, every meal is 5 courses, etc. etc. Many call this the French Paradox. How can someone eat so much and not gain weight? How can someone eat so much and not have heart disease? After living here almost a year, I am not thin, but I have gained some insight as to the French diet.

First, just as all French women are not well dressed, all French women are not thin. However, many are and I, at the risk of great personal embarrassment, have taken an informal, "so what does your family eat every day" poll just to find out how the French do stay, mostly, thin. I cannot imagine what people must think when I ask this question at a party, but I figure I can coast a few more months on the "oh she is an American, what do you expect" line. Truly, most people probably think I am slightly crazy as this is a question I ask almost every French person I can, but I can't help myself, I find the answers fascinating. Maybe though this is why we don't get invited out much. In reality though, the eating habits of France are at the same time amazingly different then that of the U.S. and amazingly similar.

To start, the French do not eat breakfast as we know it. They would be appalled, or at least throw up, if they had to eat eggs, bacon and pancakes all in the same sitting with coffee and in the morning. Not that they don't love a good pork product, they do. Sausages are practically a national past time. It is just that the average French person is eating a very small meal that literally breaks the fast. Think a chunk of baguette (not the whole or half baguette, a small chunk) that is dipped in coffee or for children chocolate milk or coffee with a LOT of milk. Also, contrary to popular belief, croissants are a weekend breakfast treat. I have to say, that I am a bit surprised that the children can survive on such a small breakfast that to me, seems void of nutrients. However, I do chalk up the, in general, short stature of the population to the lack of breakfast nutrients. Most people do have another coffee at midmorning sometimes with a bit of sausage or cheese (again a small bit), and the children at school do have a cookie or small snack from home at midmorning. A note here, when I say coffee, I do not mean a Grande Mocha Latte from Starbucks (which sadly does not exist in this part of France), but a tiny, little cup of coffee similar in size if not strength to an espresso. If you want a normal size cup of coffee you have to order and pay for a cafe au lait. Someday, I will try and figure out how the thimble size cup of coffee can last for the hours some people spend at the cafe. No refills here.

Lunch is generally a bit more exciting. This is, usually, the biggest meal of the day. Lunch is the meal that consists of a piece of meat or fish, rice or potatoes and a vegetable all with wine and then dessert and coffee. If you are at a restaurant and order one of the "fixed price" meals, you also may get a salad or appetizer. The afternoon snack for adults is pretty nonexistent, unless one sneaks a piece of baguette on the way home from the patisserie or has a bit of chocolate or coffee but, if you are a child, you luck out. Nearly every child at school pick up receives some combo of the following, baguette with nutella, baguette with a large chunk of chocolate candy bar inside, a chocolate filled crepe, or well, I am sure you see the theme here. They also usually get a fruit product of some kind. The snack is large, by French standards as school is out at 4:30 and dinner is not until 7:00 or 7:30. Our girls love chocolate, so this is a tradition they have readily adopted.

Dinner in France, unless you are going out or are a guest in someone’s home, is quite a modest affair, soup or a sandwich a little fruit or maybe a little cheese and bread with a small glass of wine, nothing fancy and nothing large.

That is it, the French "diet". There is nothing unusual and no deprivation, if they want a few bites of chocolate they have it. Most of the food is fresh with most fruit and veggies from the daily marche. Everything is in moderation and everyone seems happy and for the most part thin. Now, if only I could follow this plan maybe I would be thin too.