French portion sizes - did you see this?

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evan

Well-known member
I'm currently reading a book about the French Paradox (- you know, about thin French people eating all that fat blahblahblah) but the portion sizes had me thinking. Have I really gotten it all so wrong? Is this what a portion REALLY should look like? In that case, I'll be slim as a sylfide by Christmas:

One portion of each food is:

1 slice of whole wheat, rye, white or pumpernickel bread

1/2 bagel

1/2 english muffin

1 dinner roll

one 6-inch-diameter pita bread

one 6-inch-diameter corn or flour tortilla

1 cup cold cereal

1 1/2 cup puffed cereal

1/2 cup cooked cereal

1/2 cup cooked brown or white rice

1/2 cup cooked pasta

1/2 cup cooked or canned beans, lentils or peas

1/2 avocado

1 cup raw, leafy vegetables

1 cup raw vegetables

1/2 cup cooked vegetables

1 small, 3 oz baked potato

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1 small, 4 oz apple

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 medium banana

1/4 cup berries

1 medium peach or nectarine, kiwi or plum

1/2 medium grapefruit

4 prunes

2 tablespoons raisins

1/3 pound chicken, turkey, fish, beef or pork

2 slices of bacon

1 small can tuna in water

1 oz of most cheeses

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup yogurt

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons cream, half-and-half, or sour cream

1 1/2 cup popcorn

2 tablespoons of hummus or peanut butter

4 to 6 whole wheat crackers

6 unsalted nuts

6 black or green olives

4 slices of Melba toast

....and drinks are usually around 5 oz.

 
Oh, yeah. My French host family used to do 4- or 5-course dinners, each with a small (but not stingy

) portion of each. I loved it, although as an American, it took some getting used to--the first month there, I would dream about American-sized dinners. smileys/wink.gif

When one of my classmates and I made spaghetti and meatballs for my host family, my wonderful French host mother nearly passed out at how much pasta we served them. She really blanched--not so much at what it may have signified, culturally--but at the notion that she, a finch-sized woman of 60, might be expected to eat more than three spoonfuls...

I do think Sunday lunches don't really adhere to this rule--everything is a little more extravagant--but it's been a long time since I was in France, so who knows...

I also tend to forget that the American concept of snacking (which you can pull from my cookie-crumb-coated, dead hands) is more or less frowned on in Europe. My husband thinks it's wrong, somehow, to snack, which explains why, in the seven years we've been married, he has gained very little and I have snacked my way from continent to continent... smileys/wink.gif

 
There's no mystery. When we had our French store here in California we sold imported ceramics.

People would pick up a 10" plate and say "that's lovely, do you have the dinner plate?" The answer was "That IS the dinner plate." It was hard to sell because Americans are used to 12" plates.

Restaurants and cafes serve smaller portions of really satisfying food. The wine glasses are smaller too. And they tend to not eat between meals. In fact, they rarely eat or drink standing up.

 
Those are what I have understood to be correct portions from the time

I studied calorie books since I was a teenager. I'm always amazed at the size of portions in commercials - especially served to kids. They'll be pouring a wash-basin full of cereal and a 16 oz glass of juice for them. 4 oz is considered a serving of o.j. Two cups of o.j. has 320 calories or so. A cup has about as much as a twelve ounce coke.

 
The "thin" French are known to savor their food (i.e. eat slowly and taste) vs

other cultures who shovel-in too much at one time. Their slow and small-portioned way of eating also boosts their metabolism.

I've been to France twice and have admired how most French people were thin albeit some of the rich foods that they eat. Red wine is typically a staple and in moderation, is healthy for them.

 
Being married to one of their thinnest, I can vouch for the slowness, however

I'm not sure if it has to do with savoring the food as much as participating in the lively conversation. No dinner is complete without a sophisticated, unrestrained argument about politics, religion AND sex. (While all I want to talk about is the food!)

But I also think since they are surrounded on all sides by wonderful food, they take it for granted and don't feel the need to hoard or chow down. Not so for me L'Americain, who wants to eat everything in sight while I'm there.

 
One thing I've noticed about my own eating habits is that when I'm being sane...

...and eating like I should, I eat good quality foods that are healthy and simply prepared. Since I'm eating nutritionally dense foods and not filling my body with empty calories, I tend to eat less, by volume.

Plus, when I'm eating in a healthful way, I eat high-fiber foods more often. Vegetables and whole grains have way more fiber than french fries and white bread buns.

My point is that my body comes to expect smaller portions and I am full faster. I don't need to pistol-whip myself with huge portions of food. And, when I do go overboard, my body tends to let me know that I've messed up.

I had a business partner in town a couple of weeks ago and he *loves* the Golden Corral Buffet. He took me there, and I admit, the food was fresh and reasonably well-prepared. I ate too much, and I knew it. For a day and a half my body felt awful. It took me seven hours to digest the meal, and I felt bloated and lethargic into the next day. No fun.

When I was seriously overweight, I could go into a place like that and really tear into it! I would've eaten twice as much and never even felt it. I've seen me do it!

My body tends to prefer whatever I'm giving it on a regular basis, and I think the French way of eating works for people who eat that way on a consistent basis. Their bodies adapt and flourish, as they don't pound down empty calories and huge portions regularly and have to deal with the obvious consequences.

That's my "take" on it. Now pass the onions au gratin and the roast turkey with gravy and give me a moment alone, thank you very much.

Michael

 
You rock Michael! That certainly must have been a hurdle to adapt a healthy way of eating

Would YOU please have one of my Gibble's cheese puffs?? Please? Huh-huh??!

 
Yup, that's pretty much it. EAT LESS. I've lost 40 lbs.

eating a similar diet since June. Kids and grandkids where here for a week, we ate ice cream, bread, etc. I was a blimp. Could not wait to get back on my low carb diet.

And I eat lots of wonderful vegetables for those that think that low carb is meat.

 
I think this is pretty much the way food was here until the last few years. We still don't have the

huge quantities that regular US restaurants serve but we too, are growing. For me, this is still ideal in terms of quantity. I prefer more courses, over a longer period of time; I'm always the last to finish. And I think that Joe's comment about having such bounty around them has huge merit, never thought about that before. Such wondrous food is just 'de rigueur' to the French.

 
Oh good Joe! You can have as many as you'd like. The more you have, the more

I'll cut down on my portion size.... smileys/smile.gif

 
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