Heading For Post-Holiday Diet Hell? … Slow down!

December 26, 2006 at 11:54 am | In Food & Drink, Lifestyle |

It’s the day after Christmas, and Chanukah ended last week. For most of the population this weekend just passed was the culmination of a month of holiday parties, oily treats and hearty meals consumed around an overflowing table, together with family and good friends.

So I can only imagine how many people, cracked open an eyelid this morning, and headed straight for the scales, with great trepidation.

Israelis, like most of us in the western world, are fairly pre-occupied with their looks (fashion, weight, hairstyle, etc.). And just like the US’s multi-billion dollar diet industry, my own anecdotal research would suggest that Israel boasts the most diverse range of diet foods, to rival any country on the planet.

For seasoned dieters, a first glimpse into an Israeli supermarket is like a dream come true. Creamy cheeses in a choice of nine, five, two or zero percent fat! Cookies, yoghurt and ice-creams, sure, but even bread, pasta sauce and other basics come in “dietetic” versions.

A recent article in Ha’aretz, however, calls this practice of diet-obsession into question.

It states that: “Statistics reveal that nations that produce more dietetic and low-calorie products, a side effect of processing food, also have more people with weight problems. Guilt has not decreased, but regular eating habits have been compromised.”

While this may be so, my anecdotal research on the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem has also revealed that the typical Israeli girl is what I would call “kinda skinny”. Okay, very skinny. I always feel kinda pudgy walking around the holy land (and I’m not!)

But back to the article, it discusses another approach to eating, based on the “Slow Food” movement, which is gaining popularity in Israel today.

“Slow” eating aims to bring people back to cooking, as opposed to buying prepared foods. It discourages calorie-counting and proposes a return to ideal of eating in moderation.

But I don’t think this post can do justice to the breadth of issues described in the article …. So click here, and read for yourself.