When we think luxury, sophistication and decadence, the fabulous food of the French undoubtedly springs to mind. Hot gooey chocolate croissants, gourmet cheese paired with a rich and earthy Bordeaux. Gourmet fair loaded with fat, carbohydrates and alcohol, all things that would make the typical health nut cringe. These are all, however, staples in the French diet, a fact that you would never guess if you perused some info on their health standards. France has shockingly low Coronary Heart Disease rates, as well as longer life expediencies compared to other countries such as America and Australia. Despite doing all the wrong things as far as health is concerned, smoking, drinking and eating high fat foods, the French are a very healthy nation. This bizarre set of circumstances has been coined The French Paradox, and has seen many theories try to explain its happenstance.
French food culture is approached very differently to other nations, they see all their meals as a social event, to really experience and indulge in. Meals commonly span over several hours, and involve the slow consumption of predominantly red wine. Red wine is considered to have a lot of health benefits including aiding digestion, possibly contributing to their high health standards. Something the French diet significantly lacks that would positively impact their health is processed and frozen foods. Countries like America often opt for convenience over nutrition, however the French adore fresh home made cooking, free from many of the preservatives and chemicals that can be detrimental to ones health.
Regardless of how they manage it, the French have perfected eating divine cuisine while staying stunning and healthy. Could the French Paradox spurn the next food trend, we truly hope so! Bring on the rich cheeses, creamy pates, rillettes and crisp and crusty baguettes, all of which can be easily purchased at Steph’s Gourmet Foods.
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