What is the Mediterranean diet and why is it good for you?
Despite its name, the Mediterranean diet is more a way of life based on the dietary traditions of Greece and southern Italy in the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, rates of chronic disease in these areas were among the lowest in the world, and adult life expectancy among the highest.
In simple terms, the Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet (not a low-fat diet) low in omega-6 fatty acids and rich in omega-3 fatty acids (from olive oil).
In the 1950s, people in Greece and southern Italy were poorer and consequently ate red meat only about once a week. Herbs and spices were frequently used instead of salt to flavour foods.
They usually ate about nine servings of fruit and vegetables every day, and fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies at least twice a week. Eggs, dairy and poultry were eaten regularly but in smaller portions than in current western diets.
Desserts, such as ice cream, were eaten only during family outings and at home on feast days. People ate processed and cured meats but only in small servings. Curing was a way to extend the consumption of local food as importing food was uncommon.
There are many lifestyle factors associated with the Mediterranean diet. Meals were (and still are) centred around a social atmosphere, with friends and family gathering to enjoy each others company as much as the food. Alcohol (mainly red wine) was consumed in moderation.
People also did a lot of manual work in a warm climate, such as growing vegetables, fishing or tending to animals. The salt from cured meats replaced what was lost during the working day.
Overall, dietary calorie intake was balanced with daily exercise. Nowadays, people don’t have the same kind of physically active jobs and so can’t eat cured and processed foods with such frequency.
The relationship between the traditional Mediterranean diet and lower rates of sickness, disease and death was first written about in 1995.
Since then, there have been many studies investigating the link between this diet and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease.
These studies have been conducted in different countries and in different ethnic groups, suggesting that the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet are transferable to different populations.
Authentic Greek Recipe
