The French Paradox is a so-called “phenomenon” concerning the fact that people in France consume lots of food rich in saturated fats (butter, cheese, eggs, whole milk, foie gras and other animal livers, animal fats and all kinds of meats including bacon, etc.) and cholesterol, yet in general, have a much lower incidence of heart disease. This is only paradoxical if you naively believe that natural saturated fats causes heart disease.

Believe what you will, but the reason why Americans suffer a high rate of coronary heart disease is related to too much industrially processed foods, an insufficient amount of Omega 3 fatty acids, too much polyunsaturated vegetable oils, trans fats (hydrogenated fats found in junk food and in margarine), refined sugar, family history of heart disease, lack of fresh veggies, consumption of unbalanced meals and a sedentary lifestyle (to name only some factors; there are more). Of course, the relationship between diet and heart disease is much more complicated that the above factors. But basically, scientists have been too quick to announce what is good and bad for people. Afterall, what kind of condition are Americans in now? They are freakin’ obese. Clearly, they are doing something wrong.

In addition to their saturated fatty diet of cheese, creams meats and the like, the French also eat all kinds of vegetables and fruit – and exercise in one form or another plays an important part in the whole picture. It has to. However, probably the main thing I can say about most French cooking is that it is relatively simple, using basic ingredients cooking with traditional fats: butter, lard, chicken and beef fats, along with vegetables and non-industrial ingredients. These kinds of traditional fats are stable at high temperatures so they are the best to cook with and don’t lose any nutrients, whereas when cooking with some other oils like sunflower, shortening, soybean, canola or corn oil, they oxidize and create carcinogens or simply strip nutrients from the oil at high temperatures. These oils also raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce good cholesterol ((HDL). Just a quick note here: During  the 1900s in the U.S. when cooking involved using saturated fats like butter and lard, heart disease was rare. It was later on when traditional fats were replaced by margarine, shortening and other polyunsaturated oils, that things changed dramatically. By the 1950s, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the U.S.

It makes me sad that people have been fooled into thinking that things like margarine, skim milk and egg white omelets are good for them. They aren’t. First, margarine is a trans fat and causes heart disease. Second, anything SKIM tastes like crap, and your body actually needs fat to help digest protein – also you need the fat otherwise your body will not be able to absorb the calcium. This is probably why there are so many dieting girls in their 20s who have osteoporosis and their brittle bones resemble those of very old people. They completely cut fat out of their diets and are suffering the consequences. While we’re on the subject a milk, avoid not just industrial milk (which contains growth hormones and other icky things), but also try to stay away from powdered milk of any kind. The process that makes milk powdered creates oxidized, damaged cholesterol. Some foods containing powdered milk: yogurt, lowfat cheese, cake mixes, cocoa mixes, candy bars, baked goods, etc.

Regarding the egg white diet. If you are a egg white only kind of person, cut it out! That said, eat pastured eggs (not industrial eggs), they are actually good for your heart. The whole cholesterol phobia was based on fear and immature science. Today, we know that when we talk about cholesterol, it’s more important to see what the body actually does with the LDL and HDL cholesterols, rather than simply looking at foods that contain cholesterol in them. You just have to look at the whole picture.

Pastured eggs contain vitamins A and E, more monosaturated fats, beta carotene, and lutein. They also have more omega 3 fats, which prevent diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression. The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats in pastured eggs is perfect, being 1:1. You see, the egg white and yolk were meant to stay together, the way nature created them; without the other, you’ll get an unbalanced food. Don’t ignore the yolk! Yolks have the highest concentrations of biotin, a B vitamin necessary for healthy skin, hair and nerves. Biotin is also essential for digestion of fat and protein. A last word about eggs: Don’t eat industrial eggs, liquid eggs, powdered eggs, egg substitutes or pasteurized eggs. Stick with free-range eggs laid by happy, pastured hens.

Basically what I’m trying to say is stay away from industrial and processed foods. Stick with simple traditional balanced foods, don’t overeat and get some exercise. Also remember that grass-fed beef is better for your health than factory beef. This is what the French do. It’s as simple as that.

Some silly wine trivia: In 1991 when the TV show 60 Minutes aired a program about the French paradox, red wine consumption in the U.S. increased by 44%! Did that help them? Don’t think so.

Sources: The Book – Real Food: What to Eat and Why, Wikipedia