In case you haven’t noticed…. the whole world is fat. I mean it! Don’t wax poetic about the French woman’s diet until you’ve visited a hostel recently. I hadn’t stayed in a hostel in a dozen years. Everyone is bigger. And I mean everyone… even the folks speaking French. I’m guessing here, but my guess is that women are about 15 pounds bigger at the age of 18/20 than they were a dozen years ago, and the guys are schlubbs too: at least 10 pounds bigger and all of it around the middle.
So I chatted with the Irish chef/traveler about this topic. We discussed various aspects of things. The typical suspects turned up (not enough walking, eating too many fried foods, and fast foods) but we also discussed the issue of variety. I really think that variety is the key to the change.
All humans are hardwired to take full advantage of food variety. It is the reason why we eat like pigs at the buffet table. Well the Western world has had an unprecedented increase in food variety: fruits in winter, cross pollination of food preparation techniques. Even backwater towns have a dim sum restaurant nowadays. As a result, things that used to be true delicacies are commonplace. And everything is everywhere. Nothing is too difficult to find. Compare that with the cuisine in 1970s America and you’ll begin to see my point.
The chef agreed. He has noticed that in the past ten years the Irish have truly broadened their palate. Now they eat more than just the standard fare of potato-based meals. Now everything is pasta-based, or prepared in the rich French style. It definitely helps his wallet, but it is bad on the belly.
Our riches will be our downfall. Every thriving economy with a thriving trade in goods and services is doomed to be fat.
Labels: travel