to your health:
the french paradox

by John Fanning

On a recent routine visit to my doctor, we discussed nutrition and the plethora of diet fads that have come and gone. As a medical professional, he would stand behind only one diet, the tried and true Mediterranean Diet. Recently endorsed by the World Health Organization, the diet is simply part of life in Spain, France, Greece, Italy, and several other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. What you might notice is that all of these countries are also recognized worldwide for their wine. While the Mediterranean Diet consists of high consumption of fruits, vegetables, breads, and olive oil, moderate consumption of wine is also an integral part of the diet. Studies have illustrated that adhering to the diet will greatly decrease the chances of coronary disease, and Harvard School of Public Health Professor, Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulus, states that he does not “think the Mediterranean diet would be quite as healthful without wine.”

The theory was reinforced in the early 1990’s when the television program “60 Minutes” ran a story they famously named the “French Paradox.” The piece spoke of the apparent contradiction within the French diet; high consumption of butter, cream, and cheese, yet an incredibly low rate of both heart disease and obesity. It also noted that the French drink a lot of wine. While the story caused much excitement and sent wine sales through the roof, it was not necessarily new information. For thousands of years the people of the Mediterranean have been incorporating wine into a diet of fresh, healthy foods, and the result is a people with long life expectancy, a lower incidence of heart disease, and significantly lower obesity rates than in the U.S.

The United States is a country seemingly obsessed with health, new diet fads, and new ways to drop pounds. As more and more diet fads fall by the wayside, the simplicity of the Mediterranean Diet is increasingly being adopted and appreciated. A natural and wonderful result of the diet’s popularity is that wine is finding its way onto more and more American tables.

What is important to realize for the diet to be effective is that there is not a very strict set of rules or guidelines; it is almost a diet of common sense. Eat foods that are good for you, eat a reasonable amount, drink a moderate amount of wine, and remain as active as possible. To the people of the Mediterranean it is not a “diet” in the American sense of the word, it is simply a good way to live. So revel in the simplicity of the Mediterranean diet, and even the Mediterranean lifestyle. Eat a wonderful meal of freshly prepared food, turn off the TV and take a walk outside with friends, and most importantly, complement it all with a great glass of wine!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Fanning became interested in wine several years ago. He has worked at both vineyards and wineries all over the world, including the Finger Lakes, Oregon, and Tuscany. He is currently a Wine Specialist at Marketview Liquors in Henrietta.