Many times we look at America and mock their large portions of food and unhealthy diets. While we do that, the Europeans are mocking us! The statistics are dreadful and it may even become the norm that more children are obese. In fact, TIME magazine predicts most British and Irish people will be overweight by 2030.
Divorce wasn’t the norm a few decades ago but now it seems to happen all the time. In a few decades obesity will be the norm if we don’t change our diets.
What Rubbish Are The Brits Eating
27% of Britain is obese. France, Italy and Sweden has a less than 10% rate of obesity. Studies have shown that Britain’s obesity problem is having a serious impact on the nation’s health.
American Samoa is the fattest nation on Earth with 75% of its population labelled as obese. Nauru has 71.1% of obese people and Cook Islands has a 63.4% obesity rate.
These small islands may seem a distance from us and not related to Britain. However, western fast food culture, introduced after the Second World War when the islands were colonised by Australian, American, New Zealand, British and French nations, has been blamed for this obesity problem.
Of course it’s their choice whether or not they want to eat the rubbish foods but it’s not necessarily their fault if they aren’t educated on what the rubbish foods are and what damage the food can do to their health.
What’s Making Us Fat:
- Diets crammed with sugar and carbohydrates
- Alcohol and smoking
- Sugars, syrups and sweeteners
- White bread, toast, bagels pizza
- Potatoes
- Cereals
- Jams preserves & spreads
- Sauces
- Ice cream
What Are The Europeans Eating?
How Do The French Stay So Slim?
The French seem to sit down and take time with their food. We tend to wolf if down whilst driving and sitting at our desks. The food is no less enjoyable, but it seems to be in our culture to not take our time during meal times.
When we rush our food we don’t allow our bodies to take in the food and so we still feel hungry.
French portions also seem to be small compared to ours. While they do eat breads, pastas and baguettes, they’re not eating in the same quantity as we are. A ham sandwich in France is one thin slice of ham, a few tomatoes with mustard on a baguette.
Yogurt is a dietary staple that helps French women manage their hunger. Just one or two a day and usually at breakfast.
How Do The Italians Live Longer?
The mediterranean diet is most likely to be a factor in Italian longevity. Lots of fresh fish, a wider variety of foods and fresh fruit and vegetables are more commonly available than the more common rubbish in Britain. They also use a lot of olive oil in cooking and less animal fats than we do in our dishes.
Extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds all contribute to a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease.
How Are The Swedish So Happy?
Good foods have a long term benefit on our happiness while poor foods have a short term benefit on our happiness. We taste the junk food and it tastes lovely but we end up with headaches, short breath and finding it harder and harder to get up for work the next morning.
The Swedes Diet To Happiness:
- Knackerbrod – made from rye flour, this crispbread contains lots of dietary fibre and very little fat. Studies found the Knackerbrod reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks
- Blackcurrants – these have 18 times as much vitamin C, 9 times as much calcium and 4 times as much magnesium, Vitamin A and potassium, iron and phosphorus than blueberries
- Rapeesed Oil – Contains 50 percent less saturated fat as olive oil and 70% less than butter. Rich in Omega-3 and Omega 6 fatty acids
- Swedish Eggs – some of the best eggs in the world, these are 100% salmonella-free and contain almost every vitamin, mineral and antioxidant
- Probiotic Juice – Enriched with patented bacteria, studies show patients with prolonged antibiotic use or chemotherapy especially benefit from Probiotic Juice
Britain’s top chefs have consistently tried to educate us on what the other countries are doing right and while some of us are taking their lessons seriously, many of us just aren’t taking any notice.