If Bread is so Bad, Why Are The French People So Thin? – Dr. Berg

Is bread bad for you?

Timestamps:
0:00 Is bread bad for you really, because the French are so thin!
1:25 The French preserve their culture and stick to mostly traditional foods
2:48 Because the grains in France aren’t fortified, it takes away the risk of significant health problems

Someone asked me, is bread bad for you? If it is, why are the French so thin?

This question comes up quite often. First of all, there are fat people in France. Not everyone is thin. But there’s a big difference between the European countries, especially France and even Italy, and America.

The French consume a lot more fat; four times as much butter and sixty percent more cheese. They eat 180 grams of fat from animal sources as compared with Americans who eat just 72. In other words, in France they eat a lot more saturated fats. In the US we consume way more vegetable oils, like corn and soy, which are GMO and can lead to insulin resistance

They eat three times more pork, and less high fructose corn syrup.. In France they tend to keep to their traditional foods. In the US, about every corner has a Thai, Italian, or Mexican restaurant. These restaurants are filled with processed, refined carbohydrates. But the French preserve their culture and stick to mostly traditional foods. They have strict purity laws, less sugar, and they snack less often.

And they don’t allow fortification of foods like is done in the US, the UK, and Canada.We fortify with iron and synthetic vitamins. I really believe this is why people don’t get digestive issues when they eat grains from European countries, because our grains are fortified and they bind up your colon.

Iron interferes with the microbial life in your gut. It’s very oxidative. I did another video explaining how iron can contribute to insulin resistance and even cause diabetes. Iron causes a lot of health problems, especially because of oxidation. Your risk of Alzheimer’s and heart disease increases.

If you look at the studies on these synthetic antioxidants you’ll see they aren’t very effective, certainly not as much as antioxidants found in food.

I linked below to a study showing that consuming synthetic vitamins or synthetic vitamins that are added to food, actually increases their oxidation, leading to inflammation and potentially insulin resistance.

In summary, the answer to the question is bread bad for you? Is this: yes the French consume more bread but it isn’t fortified, they don’t snack as much, they consume more fat and high quality foods.

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 56, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Thanks for watching!

[NCrdwlf]

I lived in Germany for three years and came back home 12 lbs lighter, despite the beer . Real food is the answer.

[LukeBunch]

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." - Alfred Newman

[stephaniehenault]

Dr. Berg you forgot a very important point in the kind of bread we have in France. It's done with quality medieval flour as organic Spelt and made from the simplest ingredients – just flour, water and salt. Long-fermentation dough promotes good gut health and bacteria. The dough is allowed to ferment for twenty-four hours, allowing the natural yeasts to grow . No chemical yeast.This improves digestibility, especially for people with gluten intolerance problems.

[monpopotama]

We French people cook our meals (take out food is a treat, not an everyday thing) and sit eating them (usually not in front of a tv)
We drink water (soft drinks are ok for a party, not with every meal)
We rarely snack

[brianmenendez]

My Friend from Switzerland said the bread in the States makes him still feel hungry after he eats it unlike the bread in Switzerland .

[joanneh]

European countries have also kicked out Monsanto. Their wheat is non-GMO, and they don't use American methods of harvesting, which includes spraying the wheat with roundup to force it to ripen quicker in order to harvest it on a timetable. So, their wheat flour is much healthier. When I was in Germany once, I noticed that eating bread there did not cause bloating and weight gain, as it does for me here in the US.

[MrA]

They have no corrupt FDA, that would be the top of my list!

[Cacophaton]

French person here :
- The amount of bread you think we eat is vastly overstimated
- Portions size are much smaller
- We have a LOT less sugar in everyday processed foods
- We're not as thin as you think.

[TotalFitnessBodybuilding]

Another huge factor as well is the portion sizes. Traditional French meals are very small compared to the "super sized" meals we typically see in North America.

[kenmolloy]

I lived overseas for over 10 years, when I returned I really noticed how sweet everything is in the States.

[dont.look.at.G]

simple:
they eat food. real food, not processed, not fast food, not industrial food.

[catmeg]

I am French and you are right! We eat much better in France.
When I moved to U.S. I was horrified to discover that everything was so much salter, sweeter and the quantity in restaurant were enormous .
I love your videos.
Thank you.

[asphalthedgehog]

Now on Holliday in France: a lot of people biking here. A lot of fish restaurants. Enormous amounts of fresh food (and fish) in the supermarches.

[tqovgvq]

They have many local bakeries that use high quality flour and yeast. French bakers are very proud of their quality bread.

[infini]

Salut from France, you could add that WE eat with pleasure and not for pleasure.

[apgx]

Earlier this month I visited my niece in France, Their baguettes are freshly made and purchased daily either from bakeries or vending machines. They add no preservatives so by the following morning they are hard enough to double up as a baton!!!

[harpoon]

I think the biggest difference is people actually buying ingredients and spending time in the kitchen preparing meals. That alone is a limiter to how much you eat and the quality of what you eat.

[chrisofnottingham]

If you buy a baguette on Monday morning, by Tuesday morning it is a fossil. That's what actual bread is like. The reason your bread lasts all week is that it isn't bread.

[sathishvijayan]

I studied in Spain for a bit and when I got back to New York I was thinner, healthier, my skin glowed and I felt more energy. This was despite eating voraciously through the country. Oh, and I loved their breads dipped in heaps of olive oil.

[bonniegaither]

Also, the French taking their meals seriously. They actually sit down and eat and enjoy their time. Not like us who eat ‘crap’ in our cars, eat at our desks, eat while standing, etc…