When it comes to eating (and many other indulgences), the United States is a culture of excess. To the average American, bigger plus faster equals better; we shovel massive quantities of food and beverages into our mouths on the go, scarcely taking time to taste what we’re consuming … and then we complain about how much weight we’re gaining. Meanwhile, diners in other countries favor moderately sized but well-rounded portions, savor their meals in a leisurely fashion with friends and family members, and make exercise part of their daily life. Is it any surprise, then, that so many people in other cultures sustain enviably trim figures without depriving themselves of culinary enjoyment? Let’s learn how they do it.
Spice Things Up (Thailand and Malaysia)
The hot peppers in Thai cuisine, which is legendary for its spiciness, accomplish a dual dietary purpose: they both speed metabolism and slow the eating process. For Americans, weight gain is an inevitable side effect of our tendency to wolf down our meals; our brains don’t have time to process our bodies’ signals that we’re full until we’ve already overeaten. So when spicy fare forces us to slow our pace (because we simply can’t eat three-alarm red curry as quickly as we can put away, say, McDonald’s french fries), our waistlines benefit.
In Malaysia, turmeric, a spice that conveniently grows wild in the jungle, contains a substance called curcumin, which, according to a Tufts University study, may suppress fat-tissue growth and increase our bodies’ fat-burning capacity.
Go Nuts for Nuts (Africa)
Packed with protein and often healthy fats, nuts can serve as a nutritious and filling replacement for meat and poultry. In Africa, particularly in Gambia, peanuts are a common complement to vegetables and spices in numerous soups and stews—and perhaps it’s no coincidence that this nation has not only no problems with obesity, but also one of the lowest international incidences of all types of cancer.
Make Friends with Rice and Beans (Brazil)
Americans tend to think of starchy foods as the enemy, but according to a study published in the journal Obesity Research, a diet focused on rice and beans (in contrast with a typical Western diet), such as the kind Brazilians espouse, reduces people’s risk of becoming overweight by approximately 14 percent. Low in fat and high in fiber, it’s a winning combination that stabilizes blood sugar and leaves people feeling satisfied.
