Have you ever wondered why you rarely see extremely heavy people in
countries like Denmark, Italy, France or Iceland?

Well, their secret for maintaining slim physiques don’t come from
fad diets or hours in the gym, no- their secrets lie in their traditional
foods and the way they prepare those foods.
And if you want to slim down and look like your brothers and sisters
from from other countries, use some of their time-honored methods
which are listed below…

a) Denmark-
Eat bread like the Danes. The people of Denmark eat more bread than
people in almost any other nation, yet only 7% of the population
is considered overweight.
What type of bread are they eating?
Dark rye bread.
This type of bread contains a special hunger-suppressing fiber
that keeps you satisfied for up to 8 hours.
Plus, the fiber in rye bread increases insulin secretion, helping
to prevent blood sugar surges. This, in turn, keeps your appetite
in check and lowers your risk of diabetes.
For people in the U.S.- look for dark rye bread at most supermarkets
or look for the brand Oroweat Schwarzwalder dark rye bread, which
is sold at many Target stores.

b) France-
You may have heard about the French paradox: The French eat fatty meats,
different types of cheeses, rich and creamy desserts and drink plenty
of wine and yet remain slim and way less heath problems than
their American counterparts.
And one of the reasons why they’re able to indulge like this is
because of vinegar, more specifically-Red Wine Vinegar!
More common in France than most cooking oils, red wine
vinegar can increase your weight loss by as much as 15%,
without making any other changes to your diet.
Another benefit: It (the vinegar) is loaded with acetic acid,
which blocks the absorption of carbs before they can raise
your blood sugar and be processed as fat.
For the people in the U.S.: add some red wine vinegar to salads,
marinate some steak or chicken (before cooking it) or pour a
small amount on a veggie stir-fry.

c) Italy-
Like their French brothers and sisters, Italians are known for their
love of food, and one food in particular, that being pasta,
which is considered a fattening food in the U.S.
But Italians avoid the bulging bellies and other
heath problems by eating plenty of vegetables and pine nuts.
Eating fiber-rich vegetables at lunch and dinner fill them up so
much, they don’t mindlessly snack (throughout the day)
or go back for seconds and thirds.
And the pine nuts: These buttery, kernel shaped pine nuts
are used in everything from sauces to salads to rice to baked
goods. Also called Pignolis, they contain a special compound that
triggers the release of two hunger-reducing hormones (CCK and GLP-1).
For the people in the U.S.: eat a small handful of pine nuts before meals,
or add some to a baked good, or a morning bowl of barley or oatmeal
or use them to make your own brand of pesto, (the green Italian sauce).

d) Iceland-
Icelanders also have their own foods which help keep them
slim and trim and full of vitality. Foods like root vegetables,
fish and dark berries, (ligonberries) but it’s one food
that may be responsible for the slim waistlines and it’s Skyr.
It’s a thicker and creamier type of yogurt that’ s been around
for centuries.
This yogurt packs more protein than Greek yogurt, is lower
in sugar, is brimming with calcium and has virtually no fat.
Researchers say that the protein in Skyr decreases appetite,
and the calcium helps reduce belly fat, plus the healthy
bacteria in it breaks down food faster, boosting nutrient
absorption.
For people in the U.S.: Look for the brands called
Siggi or Smari and Skyr. Use it to make smoothies,
add some honey and fruit to it and make a lower calorie
Ice cream or add granola to it and eat before or after a long hike.

e) China-
It’s unfortunate, but the heavily populated areas of China are starting
to resemble their American brothers and sisters, and by resemble,
we mean in appearance.
Thanks to the fast food giants and sugary beverage companies
who are taking up residence in countries like China (and Japan)
many Asians are suffering from a litany of health issues
(like Americans) and obesity is at the top of the list.
Although fast food has a grip on many of the major cities
in China, there are a lot of cities and towns that remain
untouched by the fast food cabals.
And what are they doing to maintain their weight?
Two things and they are tea and ginger.
The tea: Oolong.
A traditional Chinese elixir that turbocharges
your metabolism. Drinking a cup a day helps you burn up to
70 calories- equal to 10 minutes of aerobics a day.
And their second slimming food is a spice.
The spice: Ginger.
A staple in Chinese cooking that’s been used for hundreds of years,
ginger is a natural diurectic and digestive aid. It also flushes out
fats, toxins and fluids, easing bloating, reducing water weight and
making the stomach much slimmer.
A tsp. of ginger burns 40 calories.
For the people in the U.S.:
Have one to three cups of oolong tea and add 1/4 tsp. of ginger
to each cup, and burn up to 100 to 400 calories a day.
Also add ground or minced fresh ginger to baked goods,
stews, soups, smoothies and hot cereals and burn even
more calories.

That’s your post for today. And at a later date- look for part 2-
we’ll post more slimming secrets from countries like…
South Korea, Japan and Thailand.

Sources:
* Shane Ellison, Author of Over The Counter Natural Cures
* Columbia University, Research Dept.