In October my diet consisted of trying out a new kind of meat: the Iberiam ham.
I spent a week in Spain for fall break and one food I tried that I did not necessarily like was iberian ham. For my taste, I don not really like raw and cold meat unless it is beef jerky. The first time I tasted Iberian ham was when I ordered tapas in Madrid. It was served alone with cheese and Sangria. The second time I ate it was not because I wanted to but because when I ordered ham with eggs I thought I will get the regular ham I know back home in the United States. However, I soon realized this is the popular ham eaten in Spain. It is served everywhere and everytime you order something with ham such as a ham and cheese sandwich.
In my research about the iberian ham I learned that the “jamón ibérico is priced upwards of $52 a pound making these hams some of the most expensive in the world”( Barrenechea). Also, Until 2007, jamón ibérico was not available in the United States.
Even in Spain ham is quite expensive and studies show that “traditional consumption is changing as a result of the country’s economic crisis and the new structure of households”. It is predicted that there will be an “increased demand for chicken meat, which will displace beef and veal as the meat of most importance in a Spanish household’s shopping basket”. (Chamorro, 2012) In addition more people are requesting certified meat.
In the United States aggregate consumption data show per capita consumption of red meat and poultry to be near historic highs; the aggregate data show a significant shift in the types of meat consumed since the 1970s, specifically a decrease in per capita beef and veal consumption, relatively steady per capita pork consumption, and an overall increase in per capita poultry consumption (Guenther, 2005)
The explanation for the shift is complex and includes factors affecting the demand for meat (such as changing preferences, health concerns, and relative prices; increasing demand for convenience in preparation and eating), as well as factors impacting the supply of meat (such as changes in technology of production and distribution)
In regards to health effects from meat consumption, a study in Spain, was conducted on the relationship between the consumption of meat and the likelihood of getting lung cancer. It was found that consumption of meat seems to reduce the risk of lung cancer, whereas consumption of fish could exert an influence by increasing the risk of this disease. (Dosil-Diaz).
In another article it was found that Red meat consumption contributes to diabetes more than fish consumption. Fish consumption is closer to the recommendations and should be maintained. It can be suggested to keep a balance of consumption between both foods.
Furthermore, meat and meat product consumption was higher than the recommended. Overall food consumption in Spain has changed in the last 40 years differing remarkably from the health and traditional Mediterranean diet. (Valeira)
In the Food of France book there is a similar ham found in the Basque region of France; The jambon de Bayonne. Interesting enough, the Basque region borders Spain.
Just like the Spanish iberian ham, the “ham is raw, and is so often so eaten” (Waverley Root, p.417). In addition the Bayonne ham goes “particularly well with various egg dishes”. One egg dish popular in the Basque country is Oeufs frits a la bayonnaise and oeufs sur le plat a la bayonnaise. The oeufs frits are eggs fried in oil piled on a piece of oil fried bread and alternate slices of fried Bayonne ham. The oeufs sur le plat are simply Bayonne ham and eggs cooked in the oven. The plate looks similar to the Spanish dish shown above of ham and eggs.
Other Bayonne ham dishes are canapes a la bayonnaise, which are slices of “bread spread with butter mixed with herb, with a thin slice of Bayonne ham on top”. The Bayonne ham a la basuaise is typically served with “cepes sauteed, potatoes cut into regular cylinders and cookied in butter in the oven” (Waverley Root, p.416)
When I asked the students in the study abroad progam How many times a week they ate meat back in the United States 73% said 4 to 7 times a week. 18% said greater than 7 times a week and only 9% said none.
When I asked how many times a week they eat meat in France? 64% said 1-3 times a week , 18% said 4-7 times a week, 9% said none and 9% said greater than 7 times per week.
The third and final question was: What kind of meat do you consume the most?
The majority (45%) said beef, followed by poultry (28%) , fish (18%) and pig (9%)
To summarize, in France the students mostly eat between 1 to 3 times a week, which is close to the recommended consumption of meat (twice a week) for a heart healthy diet according to the Nutrition Research Institute ( Rebollo, 1998). Also, the students consume more beef meat than fish or poultry.
Citations
Barrenechea, Teresa. The Cuisines of Spain. Ten Speed Press, 2005.
Chamorro, Antonio, et al. “Innovations And Trends In Meat Consumption: An Application Of The Delphi Method In Spain.” Meat Science 92.(2012): 816-822. ScienceDirect. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Dosil-Díaz, O., et al. “Meat And Fish Consumption And Risk Of Lung Cancer: A Case–Control Study In Galicia, Spain.” Cancer Letters 252.(2007): 115-122. ScienceDirect. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Guenther, Patricia M., et al. “Research: Sociodemographic, Knowledge, And Attitudinal Factors Related To Meat Consumption In The United States.” Journal Of The American Dietetic Association 105.(2005): 1266-1274. ScienceDirect. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Rebollo, A.J.García, et al. “Animal Study: Effects Of Consumption Of Meat Product Rich In Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (The Ham From The Iberian Pig) On Plasma Lipids.” Nutrition Research 18.(1998): 743-750. ScienceDirect. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Root, Waverly. The Food of France. N.p.: Alfred A. Knopf, 1958. Print.
Sotos Prieto, M, et al. “[Meat And Fish Consumption In A High Cardiovascular Risk Spanish Mediterranean Population].” Nutrición Hospitalaria 26.5 (2011): 1033-1040. MEDLINE. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Varela-Moreiras, G., et al. “Evaluation Of Food Consumption And Dietary Patterns In Spain By The Food Consumption Survey: Updated Information.” European Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 64.(2010): S37-S43. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Fernández, Domingo, et al. “Fatty Acid Profile Of Two Cured Meat Products: Dry-Cured Ham And Cecina.” Nutrición Hospitalaria 32.1 (2015): 367-372. MEDLINE. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Escudero, Elizabeth, et al. “Antihypertensive Effect And Antioxidant Activity Of Peptide Fractions Extracted From Spanish Dry-Cured Ham.” Meat Science 91.(2012): 306-311. ScienceDirect. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.