Fiber
The French eat two to three times more soluble
fiberfrom pulses, such as beans and chickpeas, fruit
and vegetables, whole grains and grain products than
the English and Americans. Soluble fiber helps to lower
cholesterol levels. In addition these foods are a good
source of antioxidants, such as Quercetin also found in
red wine, which may reduce oxidation of harmful low-
density lipoproteins (LDL) that can cause atheroscle-
rosis (hardening of the arteries).Vegetable sources of protein
A diet rich in animal meat may result in high levels
of homocysteine in the blood, which can lead to athe-
rosclerosis. Low levels offolateare associated with
high homocysteine levels—an independent risk factor
for CHD especially in men. The French diet is high in
legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, especially dark-
green leafy vegetables that are a rich source of folate or
folic acid, a B vitamin. Their animalproteindishes are
generally accompanied by generous salads and pulses
are a large part of typical winter foods, such as soups
and stews, which may help to control levels of
homocysteine.Unsaturate fat
Although the French diet is high in fat, it includes
plenty of unsaturated fat like olive oil, olives and nuts,
which help lower the level of harmful LDL cholesterol.
Like red wine, peanuts also contain significant
amounts of the heart healthy antioxidant Resveratrol.
One ounce of peanuts contains approximately 73
micrograms of Resveratrol, while a glass of red wine
contains 160 micrograms per 30 millilitres (ml).Goose and duck fat
These fats are commonly used for cooking and to
make pate or mousse,such as foie gras (goose or duck
liver). Although high in fat, these fats have a nutri-
tional composition closer to that of olive oil than
butter or lard. Olive oil has about 76% monounsatu-
rated fat and 15% saturated fat. Goose fat is 56%
monounsaturated fat and 27% saturated fat while
butter is only 33% monounsaturated fat and a huge
63% saturated fat. The benefit of monounsaturated
fats is they lower total and LDL cholesterol without
affecting beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol.Portion sizes
The French may have a diet high in fat, but they eat
fewer calories consequently are slimmer than Ameri-cans. 11% of the French are obese compared with 30%
in the United States. Fat stimulates the release of chol-
ecystokinin, a hormone that acts as a hunger suppres-
sant and prevents over eating and snacking. In
addition, portion sizes in France tend to be a third to
a half of American portions. For example, in Paris a
croissant weighs in at 30g, while in Philadelphia it is 60gLifestyle
A 2004 survey completed by the French govern-
ment’s Committee for Health Education (CFES) on
French food and health showed that French eating
habits have not really changed in the last 10 years.
Most people in France still eat home-prepared meals,
take their time eating and generally do not snack.
Whereas in America snacking is a $30 billion industry.
However, the only justification for the lower
CHD rates that has been most scientifically proven is
the moderate consumption of wine with meals.Function
There are several potential benefits of red wine in
lowering CHD risk.
Red wine contains flavanoid antioxidants, Resver-
atrol and Quercetin, which help prevent the build-up of
fatty deposits within the wall of the arteries. Both are
found in the skin of red grapes. A 2006 study indicates
that antioxidant, procyanidin, found in red wines from
the South West of France, which has the lowest inci-
dence of CHD in France, helps lower blood pressure
and may account for the lower rates of heart disease.
Alcohol itself has been shown to raise good HDL
cholesterol levels, but as of 2007, the exact mechanism
is still unknown. HDL cholesterol helps to carry LDL
cholesterol away from the walls of the arteries and
back to the liver for reprocessing or excretion. This
prevents build-up of cholesterol in the artery walls and
protects against heart disease.
Alcohol also has the effect of decreasing throm-
bosis or blood-clotting .It decreases fibrinogen pro-
duction, a blood-clotting enzyme, which reduces the
stickiness of platelets. This reduces the incidence of
clots, which may lead to a heart attack or stroke.Benefits
Moderate consumption of alcohol can have
health benefits other than reducing the risk for CHD.
In 1997, a study by the American Cancer Society
found the risk of death of any cause was lower for
those who had moderate intakes of alcohol compareFrench paradox