Does eating and drinking cut our life expectancy?

People carry out so many different activities in one day. One thing they never forget to do, is to eat. How much time does a meal take? How often should we eat? Do we eat in a healthy way? Do we not overeat? These and many other questions come up and maybe it would be useful to try to jointly look for some answers.

The first meal of the day is breakfast. Some people say that a rich breakfast is the best way to start the day, the others prefer their breakfast to be healthy, light, and easy to digest. The majority of people eat breakfast that consists of bread, bread rolls, with butter, salami, ham, honey, cheese or jam. Those who prefer a healthy breakfast might have yoghurt, fresh fruit, or muesli with milk. Many people have their meal with tea, coffee, hot chocolate or a glass of juice.
The English are known for their full breakfast that includes fried bacon and eggs or sausages and fried tomatoes often with a toast and marmelade and a cup of tea or coffee.
In the USA breakfast is usually quick and easy meal. Many people have a bowl of cereal and milk as a quick start to the day. Others may have toast spread with butter or jam and a glass of juice or milk. Most Americans begin their day with a cup of coffee. A common saying is, “Don`t talk to me until I`ve had my cup of coffee”. During the weekends, when people have more time, families prepare a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, egg omelettes, or pancakes with maple syrup.

At about 10 a.m. it is the usual time for a small snack. It should be something light and healthy as fruits or vegetables.
On Sundays, in the USA families often enjoy going out to restaurants for a large brunch (served between breakfast and lunch) served with champagne.

At midday, it is lunchtime, usually the time for the main meal in our country. Some people eat lunch in a canteen, others at home. Lunch often consists of soup and a main course. The main course is usually cooked meat with side dishes of potatoes, rice, dumplings or pasta and maybe a vegetable salad. At lunch, people drink usually water, mineral water, cold tea, lemonade or juice.
In England lunch is not the main meal of the day. It is a quick meal such as a sandwich and tea or coffee.
In the US it is the same as in England. Lunch is a simple light meal – easy to make at home and bring to work or school in a paperbag. Tuna, salami, cheese, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are eaten with a piece of fruit, some potato chips or crackers, and a bottle of juice or soda. Many schools and workplaces have a cafeteria serving lunch. Some people like to eat out at a restaurant for lunch.
At about 4:00 p.m. we have usually another snack: Sandwiches, fruits or vegetables with tea or coffee.
In the afternoon around four o`clock the English have teatime. It is an occasion for friends to meet and have a tea party or go to tearooms. The meal consists of thin slices of bread with cheese or some fish or meat paste, lettuce or tomatoes. There is a wide selection of cheese in England, the most famous is Cheddar cheese. This is followed by jam, tarts or cakes. Then there are several cups of strong tea with milk.

The last meal of the day is dinner, served between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. In many families, the menu usually consists of another warm meal. I prefer a cold dinner. It may be cheese, salami, ham, vegetables, and bread.
In the USA dinner is the large hot meal of the day served between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. The Americans like to eat a complete meal at dinner that includes a main meat or vegetarian dish, salad, cooked vegetables, and potatoes, pasta, or rice. They drink juice, water, or wine with dinner. Children usually have a glass of milk. Beef and pork used to be the most popular meat dishes served at dinner. However, as the Americans are becoming more health conscious, they often prefer white meat such as chicken and fish and try to avoid eating red meat.
A favourite pastime on summer weekends is to grill meat with family and friends in the backyard, at the park, or on the beach. These events are called barbeques and the grilled meat is served with fresh salad, garlic bread, beer or lemonade.
The Americans enjoy potluck parties. At the potluck, each guest brings a dish of food to share. All the dishes are placed on one large table and the guests serve themselves from the wide array of specialties. Favourite dishes served at potlucks are fruit salad, lasagna, pasta salad, and chilli beans.

When we talk about healthy food we do not mean only the food itself, but also the way it is prepared. It is better to eat small amounts several times a day, instead of just a few very heavy meals. Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are often considered part of a healthy diet. You shouldn`t eat only white bread, but it is very important to eat a lot of whole grain or brown bread. Eat as much fresh products as possible, fresh vegetables and fruits. A good diet is rich in minerals and vitamins. It`s good to eat in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere, as well as drink a lot of liquid, mineral water, herbal tea, and fruit juice. We shouldn`t eat many sweets and fat meat and drink to much alcohol.