Posted on 02/23/2025 8:22:21 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Le baguette, le croissant, éclair…some of the words that come to mind when I think France. I eat a gluten-free diet at home due to gastrointestinal sensitivities associated with wheat, yet every time I come to Europe, I find myself wondering why baked goods and pasta don’t make me sick the same way they do in the US…
I want to start off by stating that I’m not celiac. Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Over time, it causes inflammation that damages the small intestine’s lining, leading to some serious health complications. If you have celiac disease you must avoid gluten at all costs and seek medical help.
This conversation is not for celiacs. We’re talking to those of us who get inflamed, bloated, puffy, constipated, gas, nausea etc after eating gluten—commonly described as a gluten sensitivity. Although fully anecdotal, I find myself happily indulging in European bread and pasta with no problems at all, so naturally I had to dig deeper to find an explanation.
Fact: American wheat is higher in gluten.
The majority of wheat grown in the U.S. (about 60%) tends to be hard red wheat which is high in protein content (mostly in the form of gluten). In Europe, the majority of wheat grown is soft wheat, lower in proteins and thus lower in gluten content.
Fact: American wheat is covered in glyphosate.
Glyphosate is a herbicide (main ingredient in Roundup) used on American wheat to kill bacteria, dry out and prepare the wheat crop for harvest. Making the wheat growth process more effective and more profitable. In Europe, this practice isn’t as prominent, and it’s even banned or heavily restricted in some countries.
Unfortunately glyphosate can disrupt or kill the bacteria in our guts disrupting our immune system and microbiome.
Fact: Soil type and growing methods.
American wheat is grown in sulfur-deficient soils—Kansas, Washington, and North Dakota. The concentration of sulfur in the soil regulates the amount of gliadin proteins (the gluten subtraction responsible from the allergenic response). Less sulfur in the soil, more gliadin in the gluten. More sulfur in the soil, less gliadin in the gluten. Which means that American gluten is likely to be higher in gliadin than normal therefore more reactive.
Other contributing factors to improved digestion while on vacation are your activity and stress levels. In any given European vacation you are always walking. These beautiful cities are build for pedestrians—we walked 45k steps in 4 days without even thinking about it! Also traveling, is normally a time to decompress, get inspired, have fun, and be stress-free (even if it’s for a few days). Stress, specially chronic stress, is one of the most underrated health disruptors in the game.
So there you have it. Some factual information, some fully anecdotal, but a few of the reasons why some of us can enjoy a croissant in Europe, reaction free.
Why I have no heart problems or diabetes or obesity problems? I eat anything on sale at grocery stores. I have stopped reading ingredients listed on products.
My method of staying healthy in my 80’s is never miss 25 minutes power walk with 1 lb wrist weights every day. And eat SMALL portions. As soon as I order a meal in restaurant, I ask for a container & put half of food on plate in container before starting to eat. I eat vanilla yogurt with sugar and low fat milk every day. No gut problems. It is not what you eat, it is how much you eat, is working great for me. Age 100 without chronic diseases is looking possible.
Wow
There is also a difference in heart disease and lung cancer there even though smoking is heavy there. The French used to eat a large lunch, and a small dinner- they work had in the morning, eat large lunch with pastries and breads and whatnot, and then go back and work the fields hard till dinner. In the us we would eat our large meal at night then rest all night- researchers bekeived that wax the difference as to why the French could eat such “fattening foods” and not be as detrimental as Americans with their eating habits. The ciggs however the French did something different with how they cured the tobacco- appafdntl,it made a difference too.
There is a tpe,of old world flour that is,supposed to not have pesticides when grown and makes a really delicious “glass bread” - not too expensive, but have to make it at home- can’t think of the name of it right now unfortunately. But c an attest to how good it is- several loaves would,dissappear almost within the hour when made- everyone loves it.
Germans have awesome chocolate. I only like white chocolate in the states- never liked dark chocolate here, but friends from Austria would have their relatives send hem some dark chocolatE from Germany and wow is it good- almost tastes like the white choco,ate here.
Bfl
Lifestyle makes sense. Plus their butters, jams, meats, and cheeses remain far less processed to this day. 🇫🇷
Bump
Agree on the wine - I drink locally made wine here in Sicily; most specifically Nero D'Avola, which comes from the Avola region. It's great and costs ~$4 for two quarts.
One other quick comment: Nearly everyone here prepares their own meals from scratch using local products, including the beef, which comes from free-proaming cows living about a mile from me in the woods and hillsides. The frozen food sections are very, very small compared to those in grocery stores in the US.
could also be because God is merciful and sustaining you through some poor choices along the way with all your good ones. Just as some can smoke, or do drugs, or other known unhealthful things until old age with no obvious problem and some thing else is ultimately what leads to their death?
Glad you take care of yourself, but God plays the biggest role in why you are alive.
I live in Italy and I second your opinion.
So jealous! ;]
I’ve visited numerous times and have found big differences in the food and pasta. We would buy from local markets the most beautiful and taste full fruits and veggies at a fraction of the cost of American markets. Even in tourist trap markets like Centrale Mercado in Firenze or Campo di Fiore in Rome, the quality of the products and the pride of the sellers was stunning.
Pasta? I would get lost in a Conad pasta aisle. Italian Barilla and American Barilla are not the same at all. I am partial to Rummo, since it is made near our family origin area and can find it here. I like Monograno Felicetti...pricey but very good! I can also find pastas made in Grangnano at Home Goods though the brands and selections vary.
Its just better!
Gut health bump.
Azure delivers all over the country.
I did not know that. I guess at one time it was strictly NW.
Occasionally I buy German chocolates always available in Aldi store. They are bitter. I only like Cadbury milk chocolates. Grew up eating those in India where British products were ubiquitous. Only problem was my parents could not afford to buy those often. Now in good ole USA I splurge on Cadbury milk chocolates every chance I get.
Zhmm, that is weird. The German chocolate I had was re a ll good and smooth and not bitter at all. That was infsct why I liked it, znd it tasted more like white chocolate.
Yes..my dtr uses them...when the truck pulls in everyone is expected to help unload..
Corn has changed as well...infact I think a lot of our food has changed for the worse.
I used them just one time to buy their strong bread flour. Somebody was unloading the truck (I think the truck driver). The orders were all in boxes or bags and placed on a stand in the parking lot for you to pick up. I was a first-timer so it was a bit confusing as to what I should do. I think he was calling out family names and he unloaded the goods.
It was a real different experience. I was impressed how they loaded the truck in the correct order so all the different grocery orders could be unloaded at each successive stop. It was pretty efficient except I don’t know what they’d do if it was raining. They unloaded the truck in a church parking lot.
Now with is an issue I am experimenting with... Excema
said to have begun with pool bromine allergy and gluten being its cross allergen.
I just tried King Arthur Organic flour. reacted
you are saying it caries chemicals?
so it is not really organic?
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