Spain Vs.

America

By: Michael Rivero

Collage of S.A.D
High in unhealthy fats such as saturated and hydrogenated Low in fiber High in processed foods Low in complex carbohydrates Low in plant based foods The Standard American Diet is heinous which is why we are at high risk for cancer and coronary artery disease.

Traditional American Diet

Collage of Spanish Traditional Diet

Spain is one of the countries near the Mediterranean Sea, which makes in inevitable to fall under the Mediterranean Diet. High in antioxidants Monosaturated fats as opposed to toxic fats Foods rich in omega-3 oils to reduce heart disease risk

Mediterranean Diet

Food in Spain T.D

Extra-virgin olive oil Ripe tomatoes and sweet peppers salad greens Heart-healthy garlic and onions Fresh seafood Legumes (especially chickpeas) Rice & bread Red wines

America vs. Spain

Compared to Spain, America has a high amount of processed food consumption and has taken a step back from nature where as Spain embraces its resources and uses food as medicine as opposed to how America eats whatever they want and questions why afterwards. Spaniards eat a small breakfast in the morning. Their main meal is during lunch. Then they will eat a small dinner later, around 9 or 10 pm. They will eat a fresh baked bar of bread every day. They also don't really eat dessert like Americans do. A very typical "dessert" in Spain would be that after the meal, everyone relaxes and talks while eating a fresh piece of fruit.

Diseases
Older U.S. adults were twice as likely as older European adults to have heart disease. Older U.S. adults were more than twice as likely as older European adults to have arthritis 12.2% of older U.S. adults had cancer, compared with 5.4% of older European adults 16% of older U.S. adults had diabetes, compared with 11% of older European adults 33.1% of older U.S. adults were classified as obese, compared with 17.1% of older European adults 53% of older U.S. adults were active or former smokers, compared with 43% of older European adults.

Winner Winner Fish Dinner?

The American diet contains a high concentration of meat, processed foods, dairy and a low amount of fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. One of the worlds healthiest diets, the Spanish Mediterranean diet has a focus on complex carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, plenty of seafood, very little meat, wine as an adjunct to a healthy meal, and olive oil as the principal fat. Mediterranean people can be traced directly to this diet, which is abundant in antioxidants and other phytochemicals, full of plenty of fiber from beans and complex carbohydrates, while very low in saturated fat from meat and dairy products, but high in good monounsaturated fats from olive oil and Omega-3 fatty acids from seafood. The Spanish Mediterranean Diet is overall better because it is linked closer to nature, and has many more benefitting factors such as good fats, antioxidants and high fiber levels. America needs to cut down on the saturated and trans fats in addition to their red meat intake to be healthier.