Posts Tagged ‘Mediterranean’

Buy Mediterranean Diet

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There’s a popular book out right now that explores the reasons why ‘French women don’t get fat’. It’s certainly not for lack of eating delicious food! The same might be said for the Mediterranean diet – the traditional foods that are prepared and eaten around the Mediterranean region of Europe. The people there may not be model-skinny, but here are few if any seriously overweight people who live the traditional lifestyle and eat traditional Mediterranean foods.

It all comes down to great tasting, natural food. Forget what you think you know about Italian cuisine, for a start -yes, pizza and pasta do figure heavily in some regions of Italy, but not in the Mediterranean region. By the sea, people subsist on what they can catch from the sea and grow in their gardens. The result is natural, delicious food that is a pleasure to prepare and an even greater pleasure to eat.

Of course, we all naturally think of tomatoes – and it’s a fact that tomatoes grown in the Mediterranean sun are far superior to any that we might find elsewhere in the world. The Mediterranean basin is the home of the tomato, and the place where it grows best. But that’s just the beginning. There are a variety of other vegetables that the Mediterranean kitchen abounds with, and many of them happen to be dark green, red or orange in color. Believe it or not, that does matter – quite a bit, in fact. Studies have shown that dark green, red and orange vegetables have a higher concentration of anti-oxidants, making them powerful cancer fighters. Also, these tend to be more flavorful and satisfying than many other vegetables – especially when prepared according to Mediterranean recipes – and that means that you are more likely to fill up on vegetables. And that, of course, is one of the best things you can possibly do for maximum weight loss.

Meat is part of the diet, but it’s served rather sparingly. Fish is much more common, given that the Mediterranean life is oriented around the sea. Fish are grilled, or prepared as part of various cooked dishes that also contain vegetables. Forget the batter-covered English style fish and chips, though – Europeans living in the Mediterranean regions have much better things to do with their fish, with greatly superior results! Fish is often quite low in fat, as well as being an excellent source of protein. Even when the fat content is a little higher, however, don’t worry – fat that comes from fish is ‘good’ fat, healthy for your heart and bones.

Speaking of ‘good’ fat, you can’t get much better than olive oil for cooking, drizzling on salads, or as a condiment of sorts. Olive oil has none of the harmful effects that some oils have when they are heated – it’s a good, clean oil that adds flavor, and if you’re using good quality olive oil, a little goes a long way! Try to buy cold pressed extra virgin olive oil from Italy, Greece or Spain, or maybe from a lesser known olive oil producer such as Croatia or Albania. In all of these countries, olive groves that are sometimes up to a thousand years old continue to produce olives for eating and oil production. Olives and olive oil are as much a part of the culture as any other aspect of Mediterranean cuisine.

As you can see, the Mediterranean diet is not necessarily a low calorie one, though it certainly can be – you can adjust the calorie content without sacrificing taste, because natural ingredients make up so much of the diet. If you are interested in eating healthily but not necessarily in losing weight, you can add in some of the ‘extras’ – red wine, some cheese and home baked bread, or the occasional dessert. Even without those extras, though, the Mediterranean diet is easy to follow and stick to because it simply tastes great.

Assuming that you are not living in a Mediterranean country (in which case you would probably be eating like this already), find a quality source of tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables in your community. Try to find Greek or Italian grocery store, too, for more obscure ingredients. The Mediterranean diet is good eating for life, as well as being relatively easy and fun to follow.

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After all, vegans often claim that there are lots of hormones and things like that in Milk.

Also, how can I make sure that I’m getting all the nutrients I need?

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In the early 1990’s two of my best friends died at very young ages. Crushed and bewildered by these unexpected losses, I delved into the reasons for their illnesses and subsequent deaths. Soon it became clear to me that modern medicine does not have all the answers and that unless we take control of our bodies and practice prevention, we might not reach old age. Or even if we do, we might not enjoy the best possible health. My research also helped me realize the remarkable benefits of the diet and lifestyle of my native Spain. It is a fact that people living in Mediterranean countries are healthier than Americans and that they have almost half as many deaths from cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity as Americans. So, if the Mediterranean diet has worked for its people for centuries in warding them from many of the chronic diseases that plague us now, why not copying it? There is no need to reinvent the wheel. The good news is that if you start emulating the lifestyle of the Mediterranean world now, you will attain newfound health by nourishing the whole person through changes to both your diet and your lifestyle. Here’s how.How Mediterraneans Have Kept a Healthy Heart for Centuries1. Watch what type of fuel you feed your body Why do many people buy Super gasoline even though it’s more expensive? If they bought the least expensive gas they could save a lot of money. Well, only in the short run. Car engines run more efficiently with high-quality fuels and the parts deteriorate much faster when you use cheap fluids.Like your car, your body is comprised of different parts and your heart is the engine. The fuel you use to keep your heart and other body parts running makes a difference in your performance, whether you’re at work, at school, with your family or anywhere else. It will also affect the speed at which your parts deteriorate. Nowadays, nutrition experts all over the world are making an effort to introduce the principles of the Mediterranean diet because centuries of experience have proved that it is the best “fuel” available to keep our “parts” running well until old age. Even the European community is recommending this healthy diet to all its members.2. Cut down on processed foods and load up with fruits and vegetablesTo have a healthy heart like the Mediterraneans and maintain normal blood pressure, your diet should be five times higher in potassium than in sodium -the part of salt that is bad for us. Unfortunately, in the typical American diet, the amount of sodium is five times higher than potassium. Why do we have it so backwards? Because seventy-five percent of the salt we eat every day comes from processed foods, most of which is added by manufacturers and restaurants. Because the American public consumes about 4,000mg per day of sodium, far more than what is needed, the American Public Health Association recently called for a 50 percent sodium reduction in our nation’s food supply over the next ten years. It’s estimated that such a reduction would save at least 150,000 lives annually.Fruits and vegetables are low in sodium and high in potassium. By eating fruits and vegetables, you are also replacing other foods in your meals that may be high in sodium. Plus fruits and vegetables contribute good amounts of calcium and magnesium, two minerals that you need for a normal heart beating and to maintain low blood pressure. 3. Give yourself a daily dose of olive oilReplace saturated fat with extra virgin olive oil. Butter is rarely consumed in the traditional Mediterranean diet and margarine was completely unknown in the area until recently. People in the Mediterranean countries use extra virgin olive oil, one of the best sources of monounsaturated fat, the kind of fat that does not stick to your arteries. Extra virgin olive oil is also an excellent source of many antioxidants such as vitamin E. If you are considering taking vitamin E in capsules, be aware that you won’t get the same results as ingesting extra virgin olive oil. Researchers for the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study found that people who received 265 milligrams of vitamin E daily in the form of supplements did not have fewer hospitalizations for heart failure or chest pain when compared to those who received a placebo, a faked pill. That’s why nutrition authorities recommend 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day as prevention. So use olive oil and avoid other fat sources such as butter and margarine. 4. Eat more legumesBy legumes, I mean dry beans, lentils, chickpeas and garbanzo beans. Legumes have been a staple food in the Mediterranean diet for centuries. They are packed with minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, potassium, folic acid and some of the B-complex vitamins. They are low in fat and sodium. Legumes are also very high in soluble fiber, which takes cholesterol out of your body through the feces. And to top it all, legumes can help balance your budget because they are very inexpensive. If legumes are not part of your regular diet, you are missing an almost perfect food.5. Eat more aromatic herbs, garlic and onions To add the Mediterranean flavor to your meals, replace salt with garlic and aromatic herbs. Garlic is a truly wonder of nature; it has been used for thousands of years as both food and medicine. People around the world, especially those who enjoy few chronic heart diseases, use it extensively in their daily diets. Why? Because more than 200 chemical compounds that might protect our bodies have been found in garlic. Recent studies have shown that garlic can significantly reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, lower blood pressure and prevent the formation of blood clots. It can also protect our bodies through its antioxidant properties.Onions and other aromatic herbs work very similar to garlic. They contain about 25 active compounds that appear to help combat heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Mediterranean Diet Closing ThoughtsScientific studies have associated good health not only with the ingestion of healthy foods, but also with a lifestyle linked to family life, leisure time, regular physical activity and traditional habits such as taking a nap. Your nap doesn’t have to be two hours long. As a matter of fact, if you take a nap longer than 20 minutes, you may wake up with a headache and general feeling of discomfort. A 10 to 15 minute nap at midday will help keep stress at bay. So why not take 15 minutes after you’re done eating and have a snooze?Follow my tips and you will live longer and stronger without heart disease.

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The Mediterranean diet can decrease high blood pressure because olive oil is used as the primary source of fat, lots of plant foods are incorporated into many Mediterranean meals, and Mediterranean meats are generally quite lean. Research the Mediterranean diet with information from a registered and licensed dietitian in this free video on healthy eating.

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The Mediterranean Diet is based on the diet of people living in Greece, Italy, Southern France and Spain. Mediterraneans consume about the same amount of fat as Northern Europeans and Americans yet live longer, have a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer, and lower cholesterol levels.

An American doctor called Ancel Keys was the first person to comments favourably on the Mediterranean diet, way back in 1945, but its current popularity is based on research and observations from the last twenty years. The surprising thing is that people living in the Mediterranean typically consume more fat than North European countries and the USA, but have much reduced incidence of heart disease – the exact reasons are unknown, but it is likely that the main reason is that most of the fat in the Mediterranean Diet comes from olive oil and that there is more physical labour involved in their lives.

Nevertheless, we can all use Mediterranean diet recipes in our daily lives to be more healthy.

The Mediterranean Diet is rich in olive oil, fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, fish and unrefined cereals. Mediterranean people have a moderate consumption of dairy products and wine, and a low consumption of meat, meat products and saturated fat. The typical constituents of a Mediterranean diet are:-

Olive OilPeople living in the Mediterranean use olive oil, a monounsaturated oil, instead of saturated fats. They drizzle olive oil on their bread instead of butter, they use it as a salad dressing and cook with it.Olive oil is rich in vitamins and antioxidants which help to prevent cancer, clogging of the arteries and heart disease. Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol and increases the amount of good cholesterol, keeping our arteries healthy. It helps to keep our digestive systems healthy, is good for brain development and is thought to help dissolve blood clots.Look in your recipe collection for diet recipes using olive oil and substitute olive oil for saturated fats.

FishNorthern Europeans and Americans eat a diet high in red meat, Mediterraneans eat a diet high in fish and shellfish. Red meat is a source of saturated fat which can cause heart disease whereas fish and shellfish are high in minerals and proteins, and low in fat. Oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, anchovies and swordfish are a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids which help to prevent heart disease.Browse online for free recipes and Mediterranean diet recipes to incorporate more oily fish into your diet.

Fresh Fruit and VegetablesThe Mediterranean Diet is high in fresh fruit and vegetables. Mediterranean people shop at markets and buy fresh, seasonal produce. Fruit and vegetables are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals including antioxidants and do not contain cholesterol. A diet high in fruit and vegetables helps to protect us against cancer and heart disease, and also keeps our digestive systems healthy.

WholegrainsWholegrains are rich in essential vitamins and fibre. The fibre helps to keep our digestive systems in good working order. Wholegrains help to reduce cholesterol, reduce our risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and diabetes.

LegumesLegumes are a good source of vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre. They help to reduce cholesterol, keep our digestive systems healthy and help to balance blood sugar levels. Look for diet recipes which use dried beans and pulses and add beans to stews and casseroles.

Red WineMediterraneans enjoy drinking red wine in moderate amounts. Red wine is rich in flavanoids which contain antioxidants.

It is fairly easy to find Mediterranean diet recipes to add to our recipe collection, and even easier to modify our normal recipes to include more of the above foods, so why not give it a try.

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Scientists and doctors have arrived at a new theory that may help many mothers fight their children’s allergies before they are even born. Evidence found that mothers who consumed foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and olive oil could lessen their child’s potential for developing allergies after birth.
The studies observed that a child’s diet had little impact on the prevention of allergies – however, foods the mother ate during pregnancy seemed to have a direct connection to allergy development in their children before seven years of age.
The studies conducted in the island of Menorca followed 500 mothers through six years. The studies followed both mothers who had diets rich in oil and fish and those who had poor diets. The results revealed that children born after a fish-and-oil diet during pregnancy had a 45 percent lower risk of developing most common allergies.
These studies found that mothers who ate diets rich in red meat had an opposite result. Their children’s risks for developing a range of allergies were increased.
These studies are not without controversy, and many American physicians are sceptical of their validity.
However, this diet should not be overlooked when mothers are deciding which diet to follow during pregnancy. Australian physicians and scientists are tentatively excited about the finding and many believe the theory that a mother can influence her child’s health, including potential for allergies, was entirely plausible.
Menorca, where the trials were conducted, is the second in size of the Balearic Islands. This destination is far quieter than neighboring Mallorca and offers far more family-friendly activities and attractions. The south side of the island offers plenty of beautiful beaches and resorts, while the northern parts of the island are mostly residential and consist of quiet fishing villages.
Visitors will find plenty of tourist information and a good number of centers dedicated to assisting travellers. The visitor has plenty to discover on Menorca. Annual festivals, art celebrations, sightseeing and general exploration await the curious visitor.
The island might be smaller than its neighbor Mallorca, but offers more beaches than several of the other islands combined. Menorca has been somewhat sheltered through the years and has avoided the mass commercialization that often comes with popular tourist destinations. As a result, the visitor will not be bombarded with schemes and ‘tourist traps’ as elsewhere. Menorca welcomes families and is known for providing wholesome activities and entertainment.
Many of the popular attractions in Menorca include such facilities as Es Freginal Park, known for its flower exhibits. Placa Alfons III is a plaza offering the finest in cafe culture, shops and a massive tourist information center. The Xoriguer Distillery makes several products, but is primarily known for its gin. Visitors are welcome to attend tasting events and are able to purchase the products made on Menorca.
Menorca also offers several amazing churches constructed at various times in history. Visitors are met with gorgeous Gothic architecture and intricately detailed decor that isn’t found anywhere else in the world.
And of course Menorca food offers a great Mediterranean diet!

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I’ve been reading news articles this evening about The Atkins Diet vs. a low-fat diet vs. the medieterranean diet, but can’t find any info about it. What can you eat? What is off limits? Just what the heck is it???

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The research carried out on olive oil over the last few years by respected institutions such as Harvard and Oxford Universities has had very positive results.  It has been found that the most beneficial olive oil is ‘extra-virgin’ olive oil – the oil created by the first pressing of the olives. Choosing ‘extra-virgin’ olive oil as your main source of dietary fat is a prime factor in maintaining good health as this type of oil can actually lower the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fats increase both blood pressure levels and the risk of heart disease.

This was proved by a recent study involving people suffering from ‘hypertension’ whose dietary intake of olive oil was purposely increased. After a period of 2 months, the effect that the increased intake had was significant enough to decrease their anti-hypertensive drug dosage by 50%!! Another study concluded that a person’s risk of a fatal heart attack is halved in just 2 to 4 years if they switch to a diet with a higher olive oil consumption such as the Mediterranean diet. 

Research has also found that olive oil may influence body fat distribution meaning less fat is stored around the stomach and waist. This is significant as those who store their body fat around the waist also have a higher risk of heart disease. Consumption of olive oil is also thought to lead to a reduced risk of some cancers and even diabetes. 

The most recent findings to date were reported in the ‘Daily Telegraph’ newspaper in the United Kingdom.   Scientists from the ‘Morell Chemical Senses Center’ in Philadelphia found that extra-virgin olive oil relieves pain in the same way as some ‘pain-killers’ such as Ibuprofen. They discovered that the oil contains an anti-inflammatory compound called ‘oleocanthal’ which suppresses the same pain pathway as the ‘painkillers’ do.   This is extremely important as it is the inflammation in the body that is believed to play a key role in causing some chronic diseases like cancer.

The difference between the various olive oils is in their acidity level. The acidity level affects only the taste of the olive oil that you purchase; it has virtually no impact on the nutritional content. For all cooking purposes buy a medium priced ‘extra virgin’ olive oil from either Spain or Italy. Be sure to use only low to moderate heat when cooking with olive oil.

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