The Mediterranean Diet
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The Heart Information Network calls the Mediterranean
Diet "healthier than the American Diet". The Mediterranean diet has
been attributed to lowering ones risk of heart disease and cancer,
lower your cholesterol and increase life expectancy.
Understanding the "Mediterranean diet" is not easy, the
traditional diets from people living in the 1960's in countries like
Greece and Southern Italy have been studied extensively over the
past few years. This is due to the notably low incidence of chronic
diseases and high life-expectancy rates attributed to these
populations who ate traditional 'Mediterranean diet' foods.
Since the 1950s, health professionals such as Ancel Keys
have been studying the diets of the people of the Mediterranean. The
people of Greece, particularly Crete, had the longest life
expectancy in the world until the 1960s, followed by Southern Italy,
Spain, and France. The important aspects of the Mediterranean diet
are high intakes of cereals, grains, vegetables, dried beans, olive
oil, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood, and fruit. Wine is taken with
food in moderation. Meat and poultry are also eaten in moderation,
with poultry more frequently served than red meat. Animal fats in
the form of butter, cream and lard are sparingly used in the diet.
Much of the Mediterranean food and cooking found today can
be traced back to times of antiquity. The area that compromises the
Mediterranean consists of three continents and more than 15
countries. Some of the countries that influence the Mediterranean
diet are: Portugal, southern Spain, southern France, southern Italy,
Greece, Crete, southern Turkey, western Syria, western Lebanon,
western Israel, northern Egypt, northern Libya, northern Algeria and
northern Morocco. It was on the shores of the Mediterranean that
Western Civilization had its beginnings. The olive vine, wheat,
seafood, and meats were enhanced by Arab spices from the East. The
Arabs were said to have the greatest influence on the Mediterranean
Diet, bringing nuts, saffron, rice, spinach, sugar cane, and oranges
into the region.
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