In the 1960s, Britons stayed slim by eating bacon, roast beef, tinned vegetables and lard. A recent experiment by writer Lucy Denyer reveals the secrets of the diet of that period, highlighting what we can learn from their eating habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steak and Toast: A Healthy Diet? <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The British diet of the 1960s may seem unusual by modern standards. It included foods like bacon, roast beef, potatoes, and lard, and fresh vegetables were rarely on the plate. However, something was working: only 1% of men and 2% of women in England were considered obese, compared to today’s rates of 25.2% and 26%, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Small Portions and Physical Activity In addition to eating, physical activity levels were much higher during that time. \u201cAs a housewife, I would have been on my feet shopping, cooking, or cleaning most of the day, and I would have traveled by foot or bus rather than car,\u201d the writer explains. In 1967, more than three-quarters of adults walked at least half an hour every day, compared to just 42% in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Big Differences Between Then and Now The staple food list of that period included red meat, canned vegetables, and processed meat products. Fresh vegetables were rare and came either from one’s own household or from local vegetable growers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lessons for the Future <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The 1960s diet reminds us of the importance of small portions and an active lifestyle. While many aspects of that era are not applicable today, there are valuable elements that we can integrate into our modern lives. A smaller portion size and fewer processed foods can be simple but effective steps towards a healthier lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Lucy Denyer concludes, “My children would be delighted to continue with the daily pudding ritual. But I’m very glad I have a fridge and access to a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the 1960s, Britons stayed slim by eating bacon, roast beef, tinned vegetables and lard. A recent experiment by writer Lucy Denyer reveals the secrets of the diet of that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-and-tricks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19553"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19555,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19553\/revisions\/19555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garden-tricks.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/strong>\u201cI\u2019ve just spent seven days eating like it was the 1960s \u2013 steak, tinned vegetables and all \u2013 in an attempt to see what the health benefits might be,\u201d says Lucy Denyer, the author of the experiment described in an article published by The Telegraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>A key aspect of the 1960s diet was portion size. \u201cThe average plate size was 9 inches, and bowls were modest in diameter,\u201d notes Denyer. A serving of meat weighed about 3.5 ounces, and starchy carbohydrates\u2014potatoes, bread, and tallow pudding\u2014were ubiquitous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>The biggest difference between the diet of the 1960s and today is the type and quantity of food consumed. Although sugar consumption was higher \u2013 503g per week per person, compared to 1.8kg per year today \u2013 processed foods were almost non-existent. Today, 57% of our calories come from ultra-processed foods, while in the 1960s their intake was negligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Although Lucy Denyer didn’t lose any significant weight during the experiment, it did teach her some valuable lessons. “There are a few things I’ll take with me: smaller portions (…). A box of Nescaf\u00e9 with milk is a perfectly respectable (and much cheaper) alternative to a calorie-laden latte for everyday consumption, and a glass of wine is better as an occasional treat,” the author says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n