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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