The last few issues have explored the health-damaging effects of food marketing. Those newsletters laid the foundation for understanding the link between culture and healthy eating success. I’ll explain that more below, but first, take a look at Japan’s very different and promising food culture that can be a model for us.
Long, long ago, back in the last century, I arrived in Tokyo in the middle of the night. It was my freshman year in college, and I was part of one of the first study abroad programs in Japan after WWII. (Yup it was a long time ago!)
We stumbled sleepily into our tiny dorm rooms that were freezing cold because there was no heating at that time. (Yup, it was a long time ago.)
The next morning we stumbled down to breakfast, starving and relishing the thought of comforting pancakes, eggs, bacon, maybe some orange juice or a glass of milk. Instead, there on the table were bowls of plain white rice, some seaweed something . . . and a raw egg.
Oh the disappointment! But of course we knew that part of living in Japan was eating like the Japanese, so of course we eventually adapted.
This experience came to mind while reading “The Grammar of Food,” by food anthropologist Bee Wilson. She recounted her first ever trip to Japan where she was introduced to the very foreign foods and tastes of Japan. Although she was delighted by its novelty, some of her English friends struggled with the cuisine.
In particular, like my study abroad group, her friends were challenged by the typical Japanese breakfast of fish and rice and pickles and soup. “It wasn’t that they disliked fish and rice per se,” she said. “It just felt unusual to have them in the morning.”
Eating Cultures
The different ways of eating that we see in different parts of the world are what I call “eating cultures,” i.e., all the values, conventions, or social practices, as well as the perspectives, attitudes, assumptions and beliefs around food, eating, the kitchen and cooking.
What constitutes breakfast is just one small piece of an eating culture. There’s also whether we race through a meal or slowly savor it, whether we eat whatever is easiest and most convenient or value the time to make a health-giving meal, and whether we see food as just something to tamp down hunger or as a delicious opportunity to re-supply the body with vital nutrition.
Collectively, those cultural eating norms can either support or undermine us. In other words:
When it comes to eating, different cultures around eating can produce profound differences in peoples’ health.
For example, while the Japanese eat a highly nutritious savory breakfast, the typical American breakfast is heavy on sugar, poor fats, and refined carbs that raise blood sugar and lead to weight gain and other chronic illnesses and conditions, like diabetes.
The cultural differences with Japan go far beyond breakfast, however.
- In schools, children are served nutritionally excellent lunches.
- The government strongly promotes dietary guidelines that include eating 30 different foods per day.
- Meals are typically made with very fresh ingredients and are eaten with mindfulness and relish.
- Even Japanese 7-11 stores are fully stocked with freshly made, healthy foods.
Overall, says Terry Huang, a health policy professor at the City University of New York, Japan’s support for healthful eating is largely rooted in its cultural history. “Japan — and Asian countries generally — place greater emphasis on health and longevity, as compared to convenience, say, or instant gratification.”
In turn, Japan’s population has been remarkably resilient in the face of upward global trends in obesity and related diseases.
Culture and Healthy Eating Success
Now back to the link between culture and healthy eating success.
Generally, we look at healthy eating as a solo act, believing our little individual selves are entirely responsible for improving the way we eat.
Certainly, there is truth to that belief. After all, we are the hand moving the fork between plate and mouth. But this fact ignores the very helpful role that our culture can play in determining what goes on the end of that fork.
Japan’s deeply rooted eating culture, for instance, makes it far easier to make healthy food choices. Eating real, whole nourishing foods is routine and normal. It’s just what everyone does.
Think how much more successful your food life could be if, from the outset,
- you grew up eating health-giving foods,
- you learned the importance of good nutrition every day at school,
- the government strongly advocated eating 30 different foods a day,
- your friends and neighbors all regularly prepared meals both wholesome and beautiful,
- it was customary to stop, sit down and savor meals, and
- restaurants from high-end to fast casual (and even at 7-11’s) served fresh, good-for-you food.
Is there some reason we can’t have an eating culture that supports us instead of one that promotes eating to get sick?
Of course we can have this kind of culture! A culture belongs to the people in that culture, so we get to make it any way we want!
A New Eating Culture for Us!
This is why my work over the last few years has been focused on advancing a New Eating Culture that isn’t about convincing us to eat highly-profitable but health-damaging foods. Instead, this new culture supports and encourages us to make real, whole food meals that deliver wonderful good health and vibrant energy.
Who Is Your Friend?
Here’s another way to think about this new culture: What if you had a friend who talked you into buying some collectible (stamps, playing cards, Beanie Babies) that was supposedly going to skyrocket in value. What would you think of that friend if: 1) the collectible collapsed in value within six months and 2) your friend made a windfall selling those collectibles to all his friends?
Likely as not, you would ditch that friend!
Being a make-believe friend is what the convenience food industry has been for a long time! Really, what kind of friend would ask you to eat food with sunscreen in it? Anti-freeze? More added glucose than fruit in a fruit smoothie? Corn fiber instead of vegetables in a vegetable juice? Remember these articles?
So let’s ditch the industry that’s creating a culture based on convenience and instant gratification. Let’s replace it with a culture that treasures health-giving, natural foods and that supports us in cooking those foods to make simple, satisfying meals.
Join Me?
I’m guessing everyone in our reader community resonates with the idea of a #NewEatingCulture. Nevertheless, I wanted to share information about it so you can see that your good eating efforts are part of a bigger, and exciting, movement.
I hope you can feel supported in your efforts and know that you are helping to shift our culture with every food purchase you make, with the conversations you have with others around cooking, by the meals you make and share with others, and by how you savor and treasure nurturing meals.
Reflections and Resolutions
As the year draws to a close, it could be helpful to think about what your personal eating culture looks like.
- Do your values and thinking support cooking and eating the meals of your dreams?
- Are you still trying to maintain a friendship with convenience food makers?
- Are you feeling courageous enough to take control of your food life, make your own meals and take care of your own health?
My New Book –Comments, Suggestions?
This article is excerpted from my upcoming book, A New Eating Culture. I’m in the process of editing and recording it as an audio book and will be excited to share it with all of you. So please, please, let me know if you have any thoughts about this #NewEatingCulture. I appreciate your feedback.