I recently spent a week in Belgium and France with my husband, children and 23 students from my "psychology of eating" class at Rutgers University–Camden. This wasn't my first such trip, and I've been lucky enough to go to Europe a half dozen times in the last few years. And yet, each trip I'm struck by how Europeans view food – and actually eat. Let's just say it's a lot different from Americans, who, by no coincidence, are far more likely to be overweight and obese. Here's what we can learn from our friends overseas – you may reap some health benefits by following suit:
1. Take your time when preparing food.
While abroad, our group made chocolates and toured a family-owned brewery in Belgium. We learned to make macarons and eclairs in France. We went on a market tour and a food scavenger hunt in Paris. Across these experiences, I noticed people in Europe simply seemed to care more about their food (and drinks!), and spend more time preparing them. From collecting ingredients to chopping and cooking them patiently, careful food preparation was a point of pride. Compare that to my American lifestyle, which leaves me happy to subcontract out the preparation of food as often as possible. Perhaps I shouldn't value "fast" when it comes to food, though. After all, if we are going to put it into our bodies, isn't it worth some time and effort?
[See: Here's How People in 8 Other Countries Stay Healthy.]
2. Eat smaller portions.
Scientists including Paul Rozin have documented the significant differences in portion sizes between France and the U.S. for over a decade. But this concept comes to life when you see croissants that are half the size of what we're used to in the U.S. The tarts are tiny and the glasses seem even smaller, but their contents are high quality. Just take it from my preteens, who initially weren't stoked about the petite portions, but cherished each taste of Amorino gelato, a beautiful-looking and delicious Italian treat.
[See: 10 Healthy Habits of the 'Naturally' Thin.]
3. Take more time to eat.
Sometimes, our meals took so long we became frustrated; after all, we had a packed sight-seeing agenda. Some of my students even felt mocked at a Starbucks in Paris, where the barista insisted that only Americans take their coffee to go. However, a slow meal – especially one that's broken into courses of small portion sizes – has benefits, since it allows your brain to get the message that you're full before you've overeaten a supersized portion. It is also beneficial to digestion and helps you enjoy the experience.
4. Eat with others and have fun.
At home, I often pick up a quick dinner at the end of a busy day. Sometimes, my family even eats in the car. Indeed, in America, food can feel like a burden – even something to be feared. But, on our trip abroad, it became clear that this was not the way that our European counterparts view meal time. Eating there is all about enjoyment – talking, relaxing and socializing.
[See: 9 Ways to Actually Make Eating Well Fun This Summer.]
5. Eat real food.
I didn't see much in the way of margarine while abroad; the butter is real. I had a hard time finding a sweetener like Splenda for my coffee. It's almost as if these lower-calorie and lower-fat options were viewed as unacceptable. As we learned from a market tour in Paris, the ingredients used in France are more likely to be fresh and unprocessed than they are in the U.S. They are also more likely to be the "real" thing, whether that mean butter, sugar or whole milk. Better ingredients contribute to tasty food that is often rich, fatty and sweet. And yet, in many European countries, including France, there are lower rates of obesity-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease. This so-called "French paradox" demonstrates that enjoying food may be conducive to health and fitness. It's possible that none of us need to give up our Belgium chocolates, frittes or croissants. We just need to take care in their preparation, eat them slowly, enjoy them sociably and keep the portion sizes modest. Bon appetit!
