Healthy food in Spain

[Pelegrin]

According to this article, THE LANCET publishes today an study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that says food is the main cause of death in the world.
Spain is in a good position in less people dead by this issue (third after Israel and France).
After seeing France in second place I'm happy because I like very much cheese.
https://elpais.com/sociedad/2019/04/03/actualidad/1554274622_103802.html

 

[naplesdon]

I would say that the use of pesticides, preservatives and growth hormones are a serious problem in most US products. If you are eating beef and chicken from an animal that has been pumped full of hormones and antibodies versus something field raised it has to be bad for your health.

 

[Geodoc]

I'm going with life being a terminal condition as the primary cause of death

On a more serious note, diet is one of the biggest drivers of life expectancy, with vegans feeling like they live a lot longer because they don't get to eat the fun stuff (just kidding - I'm mostly a vegan).

 

[trecile]

I've heard several reports that Spain has been declared the healthiest country in the world for 2019.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-worlds-healthiest-countries-ranked/

 

[t2andreo]

I also read the articles with interest. My supposition is that diet, largely based on a Mediterranean Diet, is a large part of the finding. But, I also assess that the people, culture, and politics of Spain, and indeed Portugal also assist in the study findings.

Note that I am NOT making any judgments on relative positions of one side versus the other. In that regard, this ought NOT be interpreted to be a political statement (moderators).

In my observation and over 40 years of global travel, I have observed that, relatively, those countries whose populations and societies simply get on with their lives and do not interfere with other countries issues, problems and strife, seem to be relatively more happy, healthy and longer-lived. Of course, my observations are empirical and subjective, whereas any formal study would be grounded in formal statistical methodology.

I observe and opine that, in a country such as Spain, people live their lives in peace and relative good health. Their government, while not isolationist, is not interventionist. They are neither a global superpower; nor, contending to be or remain one. Spain had that experience in the 1500 and 1600s... been there, done that...

Governmental policies are focused internally, not externally. True, Spain has some issues with migration over the fence in its' remaining North African territories. But these pale in comparison to other migration crises in other parts of the world.

Simply put, to me, Portugal and Spain represent an oasis in a turbulent world, region, and culture. I find it very safe, sane, civilized, friendly and beautiful. Originally a Europhile, I now regard myself as a Iberophile. I love everything about Portugal and Spain, formally known as Iberia, or the Iberian Peninsula.

I only wish I had discovered it when I was younger, instead of in my late 50s. But, I take the book of my life, one unfolding page at a time, and I do not look ahead to the last chapter...

If situations were favorable, I would seek to live there at least a large chunk of my year. But, like yours, my life is what it is.

Hope this helps the dialog.

 

[NavyBlue]

By the way, the well-known pilgrim's menu is not so healthy. Repetitive chicken / French fries diet can be trying and I began to develop some discomfort in the long run. Exploit opportunities when more "mediterranean" food is available.

 

[trecile]

By the way, the well-known pilgrim's menu is not so healthy. Repetitive chicken / French fries diet can be trying and I began to develop some discomfort in the long run. Exploit opportunities when more "mediterranean" food is available.

Another option is what I often do - order two first courses rather than a first and second course. I find that the choices of first course are usually more appealing - things like ensalada mixta, spaghetti, Lentil stew, etc. I like to have the salad and pasta.
Or, if you are a light eater you can often ask for a partial menu at a reduced cost.

 

[Felipe]

I suppose spaghetti is part of the very healthy Spanish diet.
Because is the most common fare in albergue communal dinners.

 

[Albertagirl]

If food is the main cause of (premature) death in the world, I would be curious to know whether this is because of too little food (starvation), too much food (obesity) or bad food: either rotten or polluted in some way. My suspicion is that, in the past, starvation headed the list, followed by polluted food. The original religious community at the monastery at San Anton seems to have treated pilgrims poisoned by ergot, a fungus which attacked the rye eaten by pilgrims from northern Europe. Now, we worry about food deliberately contaminated by excessive or inappropriate use of chemicals intended to encourage the growth or discourage the decay of foods. I suspect that the fastest growing cause of death through food is probably obesity, and related diseases. I have not witnessed a lot of obesity among the locals in Spain. And I have heard on this forum about the help that overweight persons get to control their condition through walking caminos. My doctor does not consider me to be overweight, but I look forward to this fall's camino to help me avoid becoming so. I regard walking caminos as the best fat farm in the world, and one of the cheapest (this among other, to me more important, characteristics). But please don't tell too many people.

 

[t2andreo]

I suspect the full and complete answer is yes, all of the above...

Not enough food, you starve. Too much of the wrong or contaminated food, you get sick and die.

I think this is all a case of 'all things in moderation,' followed by... as part of a healthy lifestyle...

Peregrino menus are skewed towards having more fat and carbohydrates as these contribute to energy. It is possible that you could burn through 5000 - 6000 calories over the course of a long walking day.

In the end, calories are calories. Some substances provide more or less calories and nutrition per gram. But in the end, it all burns in the oven that is your body.

For a sedentary person these differences make all the difference in terms of weight control. But when you are walking the Camino or doing anything else strenuous over a protracted period, food quality (within some limits) becomes secondary to quantity and energy provided.

At least, this is what I think...

 

[naplesdon]

Another option is what I often do - order two first courses rather than a first and second course. I find that the choices of first course are usually more appealing - things like ensalada mixta, spaghetti, Lentil stew, etc. I like to have the salad and pasta.
Or, if you are a light eater you can often ask for a partial menu at a reduced cost.

Another option is to avoid the "pilgrim menu" all together and do the menu del dia during the middle of the day.

 

[cbacino]

According to this article, THE LANCET publishes today an study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that says food is the main cause of dead in the world.
Spain is in a good position in less people dead by this issue (third after Israel and France).
After seeing France in second place I'm happy because I like very much cheese.
https://elpais.com/sociedad/2019/04/03/actualidad/1554274622_103802.html

I've found that food is taken more seriously in Europe than in the US, is higher quality.

 

[tall_dude]

By the way, the well-known pilgrim's menu is not so healthy. Repetitive chicken / French fries diet can be trying and I began to develop some discomfort in the long run. Exploit opportunities when more "mediterranean" food is available.

I found the same, have IBS, gluten intolerance, mainly vegetarian and prefer cooking vegan food at home. I sometimes had to just eat what was on offer, but was in more and more pain. I felt pressured to just do what the Romans do eventually, as well as being so hungry. Wasn't much catering for vegetarian/vegan on the whole in passing nearby. It must be a real challenge for Vegans, how do they cope? I've never seen so much ham.

 

[greenratty]

I found the same, have IBS, gluten intolerance, mainly vegetarian and prefer cooking vegan food at home. I sometimes had to just eat what was on offer, but was in more and more pain. I felt pressured to just do what the Romans do eventually, as well as being so hungry. Wasn't much catering for vegetarian/vegan on the whole in passing nearby. It must be a real challenge for Vegans, how do they cope? I've never seen so much ham.

A very familiar story with me, I'm vegetarian and found finding healthy food with lots of vegetables difficult. I've never eaten so much bread, tortilla and omelette in my entire life!
I found I was craving salads and stews and soups so when the opportunity did arise it made it all the more delicious.

 

[greenratty]

Having just completed my first Camino (northern route) these are my favourite vegetarian discoveries I wish I'd known:

Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup)
Vegetal sandwich often contains tuna
Some of the crisps look like crisps but they are pork scratchings
It's possible to make vegetables with pasta in a microwave
I always carried apples and cereal bars in my bag for when food opportunities were slim (also a carrot or 2 to feed donkeys/horses - I'm sure this is not advised but they seem to like it)

 

[Pelegrin]

In menu del dia in Galicia, there is often caldo galego included, that has healthy vegetables (berza or grelo).

 

[Telboyo]

Oxygen is a killer, everyone who has ever died has been a habitual oxygen user. Time to ban food and oxygen from restaurants as is the case with smoking, we will all live for ever.

 

[Geodoc]

Oxygen is a killer, everyone who has ever died has been a habitual oxygen user. Time to ban food and oxygen from restaurants as is the case with smoking, we will all live for ever.

As is dihydrogen monoxide. Too much, you die. Too little, you die.

 

[Geodoc]

I found the same, have IBS, gluten intolerance, mainly vegetarian and prefer cooking vegan food at home. I sometimes had to just eat what was on offer, but was in more and more pain. I felt pressured to just do what the Romans do eventually, as well as being so hungry. Wasn't much catering for vegetarian/vegan on the whole in passing nearby. It must be a real challenge for Vegans, how do they cope? I've never seen so much ham.

One adapts as a Vegan. In my case, I developed a series of single servings for stove-top and microwave that I'll be using on my upcoming camino. I'll also be providing the cookbook in ebook format to anyone on the forum that wants one (starting in about 2 weeks).

On my past camino, I didn't eat any of the meat, but I did eat a lot of the rest of the Menu de Peregrino and the Menu del dia.