Adventures in Amsterdam
Is European food superior to American? Do Europeans believe that their food is superior to ours? You might be surprised by what I learned.
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On to today’s newsletter…
I did not know what to expect when I landed at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from NYC. This was going to be my first international conference, and I was thrilled to be speaking on a panel, but at the same time, I am also, unfortunately an American, and these aren’t exactly the best times to be one. (If you don’t believe in fascism, that is.) How exactly was this going to go? Was I going to be respected among the other people in my field? Was my decreasing imposter syndrome going to creep back up? Was I going to have to answer nonstop questions about RFK Jr. and Trump? Let me explain how this all began in the first place.
I received an email back in April inviting me to attend the Next Generation Food conference and to speak on a panel about misinformation and disinformation regarding food and nutrition. So pretty much what I yap about 24/7 regardless. Of course, I was thrilled, but at the same time, a tad hesitant because we have so much going on currently in the States, plus we seem to have a reputation for how “horrid” our food system is, I wasn’t sure how the conversation was going to be handled. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how things turned out and realized that I, like many humans, also have some internal biases that I had to confront.
Processed Foods
“We want to get into the conversation of processed foods with you.” This was what Sean, one of the agents who was responsible for putting the conference together, said to me over a Zoom meeting, going over the logistics before my arrival. “Oh great”, I thought to myself. I was mentally preparing myself for getting bashed by a group of Europeans for justifying processed foods. Not really how I wanted to spend my time, even though I stand 10 toes down in my beliefs. And as a final, surprising moment, I was told that Dr. Laura Fernandez Celemin, who is Director of European Food Information Council (EUFIC), was also going to be on the panel. Oh boy.
Here’s the shocker - Dr. Laura and I (among many other conference attendees) actually agreed on many things. There are different degrees of processing, processed foods are necessary for many people, and there is so much fear-mongering about these foods. So imagine my surprise when I realized I wouldn’t be going into battle during this panel, but rather having an actual open discussion. Food systems in developed nations, including here in the States, have never been safer (at least before folks from the Food and Drug Administration were let go), and yet we seem to be constantly fighting this uphill battle regarding what people should and shouldn’t be eating. One of my favorite questions that I was asked during the Q&A portion of the panel was if I believed we have too much information available regarding food. My answer - Yes, absolutely, because the rectangular devices, which we constantly have in our hands, have suddenly made everyone an “expert.”
“I notice Americans are scared of seed oils. Why is that?” Did I mention that Dr. Laura and I became so well acquainted that we decided to ride in a car together after the conference? Anyway, this was what she asked me in the car. And it was quite a justifiable question, considering social media post after social media post, you will see an influencer (usually a non-credentialed one) bashing seed oils and calling them inflammatory. Yet they are used quite frequently in Europe.
One of my favorite pastimes when I’m traveling to another country is going to a grocery store and checking out the various products and items on the shelves. On the shelves, aka processed foods. Hint hint. Anyway, one ingredient I did notice was rapeseed oil, otherwise known as canola oil here in the States. So, yes, Dr. Laura was curious as to why we over here in the U.S are so scared of the product. There can be so many explanations to this, but it will always boil down to a lack of familiarity, a lack of understanding, and a lack of comprehending scientific studies. People will see the word “inflammation” mentioned a couple of times and will then use that word to confirm their beliefs that a food is bad. However, the scientific literature actually proves that vegetable oil, particularly canola oil, is healthy and beneficial. Canola oil is recommended by the American Heart Association for a reason.
*Shameless plug - I wrote about this in my book! Just saying, if you want a more thoroughly written out version of what you are currently reading in this newsletter, check out my book, “Live Nourished: Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy.” I compare all the differences (food and lifestyle) of us here in the States to our European counterparts.
Why is Europe put on a pedestal?
It’s so interesting to me to see the discourse on food, and especially comparing American food with European food. “They are sooo much healthier than us.” Is it because of the food, or is it because of other important factors, such as quality of life? Work-life balance, free healthcare, walkable cities, a livable wage, and encouraged PTO breaks sound like less stress and being taken care of by your government to me. Because again, I walked around a Dutch grocery store and saw many foods being sold that are comparable to what we have here. I also saw the chocolate sprinkles at the buffet at both my hotels, and a whole shelf at the grocery store dedicated to them. Yes, chocolate sprinkles are a big thing over there and are eaten on a piece of buttered bread. Delicious, I am sure, but we are constantly being told that we eat unhealthy and consume too much sugar in the States, so I refuse to hold other countries in such high regard when they themselves have their own version of sugary deliciousness that is quite popular. It’s like going to Paris and ignoring all of the breakfast pastries available, while simultaneously complaining about the sugary breakfast cereals here. It’s almost as if we all know that food is cultural, social, and supposed to be delicious and enjoyed.
*And of course, I have to give the disclaimer on the interwebs that I do think we should be more mindful of sugar, and I am not saying it should be eaten as a free for all. I am saying there is a ton of pot calling the kettle black happening.*
You might be thinking, “Well, the ingredients are superior to ours.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not really. The reason that many of the ingredient lists look short and
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