Pasta on the table
A salad, a glass of wine, and saucy noodles. Too much to ask?
Happy Friday, perplexed cook!
An article published yesterday in The Atlantic asks: “Is Moderate Drinking Okay?” In it, the writer, Derek Thompson, dives into the studies that led the U.S. Surgeon General to recommend that liquor companies include cancer warnings on their labels.
I highly recommend the article (you’ll hit a paywall and be offered a free trial if you’re not a subscriber). In case you don’t read it, my takeaways were these: The studies around moderate drinking have been deeply flawed. Experts agree alcohol is not good for you, but there’s also a health harm in the pleasure that’s lost by not enjoying a glass of wine with dinner, at a party with friends or while you’re cooking. Meanwhile, the harm caused by a glass of wine might even be cancelled out if you take an extra walk or quick jog.
Thompson’s article also touches on the Mediterranean Diet and the French paradox — ways of eating and drinking that were very much in play when I was coming up as a cook.
Thinking about all this reminds me that over time, studies about food, drink and health often contradict each other. When there’s official certainty around dietary recommendations, the experts often wind up reversing their collective proclamations years later. Attitudes, health recommendations and evolve.
Probably all of it should be taken with a giant flake of Maldon salt.
And yet, as I step back and reflect, I realize I’ve usually been an early adopter, keen to suck up the current thinking — as long at it seemed seriously science-based. When Dr. Nathan Pritikin told us way back in the early 80s that fat was bad and carbs good, I gleefully complied. (Pasta!) In 2013 when Dr. Robert Lustig warned us that white flour and sugar were health’s enemies, I severely curtailed consumption of them (I was a restaurant critic at the time, and had to taste lots of things he was warning against). Pasta — one of my favorite things on earth — was relegated, for more than a decade, to special-treat status. Bread-wise, I rarely purchased anything other than whole-grain loaves. Sweet potatoes replaced Yukon Golds.
The one trend I never embraced was anything Atkins-ish. Even if experts condoned it, eating a lot of meat never felt right to me. Intuitively it doesn’t seem healthy, and it doesn’t make me feel good. I live in Texas but couldn’t care less about barbecue. Sure, I love a great steak, but only once in a blue moon.
All these decades later, I feel like a rag-doll being pulled apart by two dogs — neither of whom has my enjoyment of life and holistic wellbeing in mind. Last weekend, I ate a big bowl of pho. It made me so happy.
So here’s what I’m thinking: balance. Maybe I’ll just eat and drink what feels right. Be guided by moderation. Live a little! Find joy!
