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Apr 10, 2011

Our Diet and Tastes Reflect our Culture - But it CAN be Changed!


Our Diet is a Matter of our Culture - How we were Raised
The way we were raised, our culture, affects our diet, our likes and dislikes, our tastes and our daily eating habits. If you are used to eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and natural foods, you will find these foods most desirable and likable. If you were raised eating fast food and highly sweetened and processed foods, natural foods like vegetables and whole grains will not be desirable. If you are used to eating foods with sugar, salt and fat..... you will think vegetables and whole grains taste funny. However, if you were only raised on these natural foods - eating processed foods will taste funny to you as well!

You CAN Change your Tastes Over Time!
Your diet is all a matter of what you are used to eating. However, you can get used to anything over time. You can always change your diet for the better (or worse) with an adjustment period of a few weeks or months. That is why many people tell me after they improve their diet, the taste of soda or a donut is not the same. They no longer enjoy it the way they used to. Their body has adjusted to a new diet and now expects more of the same. The old diet is no longer appealing.

This is hopeful for some of you who may be reluctant to change your diet in fear that you will no longer be able to eat the foods you enjoy most. The funny thing is - if you really clean up your diet, those foods are no longer enjoyable - so there really is no loss...except maybe a nostalgic one.

How Does Your Diet Compare with Other Cultures?
I got this information in an email today. I am not sure of its origin but it certainly depicts how culture affects our food choices.

Take a good look at the diet of each country and the cost of what is eaten in one week.

Germany: The Melander family of BargteheideFood expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07




United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11



Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09



Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-JeziornaFood expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27


Egypt: The Ahmed family of CairoFood expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53




Ecuador: The Ayme family of TingoFood expenditure for one week: $31.55


Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03



Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23


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