The French paradox refers to the lower incidence of heart disease in France despite a diet high in saturated fat. Factors may include smaller meal portions, drinking wine with meals, and consuming more animal fats than plant-based ones. The French also eat more butter, pork, and cheese than Americans.
The French eat about four times as much butter per person as Americans. This is part of a phenomenon known as the French paradox, in which the French tend to have a diet high in saturated fat but have a significantly lower incidence of heart disease than people in other countries, particularly the United States. This could be because the French tend to eat more animal fats, three times that of Americans, than those of plant origin.
Read more about the French paradox:
Another factor in the French paradox may be that French meal portions are typically much smaller than American portions. The portion of food in American fast food restaurants is usually about 25% larger than the portion in French restaurants.
Some people theorize that the French paradox works because of the way the French tend to drink wine with meals, the practice of mindful eating, the relatively high amount of olive oil in the French diet, the use of garlic or onions in the French diet or even the consumption of foie gras, a specially prepared duck or goose liver. However, there is no conclusive evidence for any theory.
In addition to eating more butter, the French also eat about three times as much pork as Americans and more than half the amount of cheese.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
