Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.

Not my experience at all. Curvier women were always more popular. Being skinny was considered not only unattractive, but sickly as well. For this very reason, no one really refrained form eating, quite the opposite.
People are generally slimmer than Americas and generally there was never more than 1-2 overweight people in my wider circle.

Both of you need to mention countries. "Eastern Europe" is where or what, exactly? Finland? Austria? Both in the east. Russia? Slovakia? Different cultures everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.

Not my experience at all. Curvier women were always more popular. Being skinny was considered not only unattractive, but sickly as well. For this very reason, no one really refrained form eating, quite the opposite.
People are generally slimmer than Americas and generally there was never more than 1-2 overweight people in my wider circle.

Both of you need to mention countries. "Eastern Europe" is where or what, exactly? Finland? Austria? Both in the east. Russia? Slovakia? Different cultures everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

From a fellow desi. Most desis have undiagnosed diabetes. The rate of diabetes in India is higher than the US. Obesity is obviously much much lower. Combined with smoking and a very carb heavy diet it's a recipe for disaster. Most diabetics if not all develop heart disease.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Southern California and most kids are thin. Maybe it’s where you live.

it's definitely where you are in the US. Go to Appalachia or the South. They're all fat AF.

+1 In Louisiana, people come in 2 sizes: obese or meth skinny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Can we take the good things from other food cultures instead of tarring it with the same brush? It's not black and white. For example, I agree that ghee is unhealthy but you can use avocado oil to temper your spices and fry up onions for Indian dishes. I like how learning to cook Indian dishes has introduced me to different spices and ways of using them. I guess the big difference is that I cook at home instead of relying on takeout and restaurants like many others. It's about being able to control what I consume and feeling great that I am able to cook for myself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.

Not my experience at all. Curvier women were always more popular. Being skinny was considered not only unattractive, but sickly as well. For this very reason, no one really refrained form eating, quite the opposite.
People are generally slimmer than Americas and generally there was never more than 1-2 overweight people in my wider circle.

Both of you need to mention countries. "Eastern Europe" is where or what, exactly? Finland? Austria? Both in the east. Russia? Slovakia? Different cultures everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Anonymous wrote:

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.

Not my experience at all. Curvier women were always more popular. Being skinny was considered not only unattractive, but sickly as well. For this very reason, no one really refrained form eating, quite the opposite.
People are generally slimmer than Americas and generally there was never more than 1-2 overweight people in my wider circle.

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.