The French would be unable to decipher a nutritional label and, failing that, would prefer to rely on the words “local” or “natural” …
Foodies, yes. But dieticians, far from it … The French understand nothing about the subtle art of nutrition, according to the Allegnutri study, presented this Tuesday by Mohamed Merdji, the director of Lesma (Laboratory of study and research in strategy and markets of agrifood products) and reported by 20 minutes.
“Red meat contains fiber …”
Calories, lipids, saturated fats… Chinese for the inhabitants of the Hexagon, whose meal has however been classified in the intangible heritage of Unesco. “Across the Atlantic, you may hear ‘I’m very hungry for protein’, explains Mohamed Merdji. In France, it is impossible. The consumer pays much more attention to taste, to the origin of the product, to brands, labels… ”.
Thus, among those surveyed, most were unable to associate nutrients (vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants, etc.) with foods that contain them. Some of them felt that olive oil was necessarily less fatty than peanut oil. Another group bluntly claimed that red meat contains fiber.
Organic and farmer, very popular
Failing to understand the labels, consumers therefore rely on the words “terroir”, “local”, “natural”, “freshness”, “quality”. On the other hand, they flee like the plague foods that have been “reworked” too much by man. “The correlation between health value and naturalness value is very strong for us,” analyzes Mohamed Merdji. As soon as the consumer suspects an industrial operation which transforms the product, he is suspicious ”. This is why “low-fat” or “fortified” foods are not really popular, unlike “organic” and “farm” products.
But there are exceptions to the rule, foods “having a special status in the food and culinary repertoire of the French, for which the consumer accepts modifications more easily”, continues Mohamed Merdji.
These are cereals and yogurts. Parents perceive the former as a “fuel” to give energy to children. As for dairy products, they see in them “natural foods” for which the addition of calcium is well perceived.
Taste-based pedagogy, effective
However, despite a few inconsistencies and big gaps, the French do not seem to be on the wrong track. As evidenced by the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the population, among the lowest in Europe – even if this rate tends to increase, especially among the youngest.
In addition, enhancing the taste seems to be an effective strategy to introduce the ignorant to nutritional science. Mohamed Merdji, is counting on future generations: “We must not offer them an education in nutrition, which is perceived by the youngest as mathematics, he professes. We must focus on cooking workshops, awakening to taste, factory visits… ”. Thus, in the group tested by the researchers, this method led the children to eat more vegetables than the average. Like what, we can eat healthy without knowing the meaning of the word carbohydrate …
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