[quote=spdrun]Yet smoking rates are higher and sugar-substitute use is much lower in European countries with a higher life expectancy. The keys, IMHO:
(1) Active lifestyle — a lot more people commute on foot or by bike
(2) Portion control
(3) Lower levels of stress. 50 hr work weeks combined with 3 hr/day commutes are much less common.
BTW, outside of CA, indoor smoking in restaurants and bars was allowed well into the 2000s. NY banned it only in 2003, NJ waited till 2005 or 2006 to outlaw it. It’s still legal indoors in bars in Pennyslvania.
As far as sugar substitute use, it’s not clear that most substitutes are any healthier than sugar itself, when used in moderation (since they tell the body to expect a load of sugar while not delivering, confusing the pancreas). And if anything, since a lot more sugar comes from HFCS than it did 20 years ago, we may be worse off now.[/quote]
spdrun, I’m unfamiliar with Europe/Eastern Europe. Is the smoking rate really higher in those countries than in the US? I wouldn’t have thunk it!
As far as sugar use vs. sugar-substitute use, I could see where Europeans would want to stick to their recipes and not substitute sugar for a substitute. And also drink plain coffee and tea with or without plain milk. And have plain biscuits and scones to go with them. Unlike Americans, most of who seem to like their hot drinks and pastries all duded up (not ME!), I see Europeans as being more of a “purist” in that regard.
I’ve used powdered Splenda in recipes that called for sugar for the last few years.
