Why are French women thinner than us?

Here are some important things French women do to be much slimmer than many South Africans...The French are a whole lot slimmer than the notoriously obese nations of the developed world, such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK.  Worryingly now South Africa also falls into this category of top obese countries – in fact we’re now the third most obese country in the world.This is bad news since it puts the health of many South Africans at serious risk.

Here are some important things French women DO to be much slimmer than many South Africans:

•    They eat loads of fruit and vegetables. •    They drink lots of water. •    The French enjoy fresh, seasonal, and local food. •    They cook their food themselves – flavouring it with herbs, spices and very little salt.•    They eat three moderate meals a day, they don’t skip breakfast, and they don’t snack or graze between meals.•    The French eat slowly, savouring and enjoying their food more than the average nation. This could add to their overall health.•    They walk everywhere they can and take the stairs whenever possible.•    They drink a glass or two of red wine every day – but always, only with meals.

Here are some important things that French women DO NOT DO:

•    The French do not eat foods labelled “fat free” “low-fat” or “sugar free”. They eat real, natural fats, like cheese, fresh cream and butter, but in moderation.•    They avoid trans-fats, margarine, and chemical food additives. The French also avoid processed, fast-, junk-, and pre-packaged food – and carbonated soft drinks.•    The French never let themselves get hungry or go without a meal. •    They never allow themselves to overeat or feel overfull.•    The French do not eat on the run, standing up, in the car, or in front of the TV.

The French consume less sugar

Interestingly the French consume half the amount of sugar that the Americans do. This is largely due to the massive per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup by the U.S.

Deductions from the French way of eating

When you make a commitment to seek out the freshest, most natural ingredients available and cook them yourself, your diet will be healthier. You will also be slimmer than if you count the calories or the grams of this and that on your chemical-additive-rich TV dinner ingredient/nutrition list.Maybe we can also deduce from the above that natural saturated fat isn't so fattening after all, and that enjoying fresh, wholesome, home-cooked, unprocessed food and limiting sugar is the true prescription for optimal health.http://www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz/womens-health/the-french-paradox/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_winehttp://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/03/french-paradox.html

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