|
Mediterranean Diet
The idea of a Mediterranean diet is a bit of a myth. There are whole lists of countries that surround the Mediterranean and they all have their own cultures, languages and traditions. This results in each country having their own recipes. All of these Mediterranean recipes share a set of common characteristics:
- They all use large amounts of olive oil which is a source of mono-unsaturated fat
- They all consume large amounts of fruits, vegetables, bread and cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds
- Dairy products are eaten sparingly particularly red meat which is not eaten every day
- Fish and poultry are consumed in moderate amounts
- Small volumes of eggs are eaten (1 to 4 eggs a week)
The good news is that the Mediterranean diet includes wine but in low quantities ie. 1 - 3 glasses per day.
Researchers from Greece carried out a study on the health and lifestyles of 22,000 adults, aged 20 to 86, from different parts of the country. The participants were asked to answer a detailed questionnaire about their eating habits throughout the four-year study. Then they were rated on how closely they followed the key principles of the Mediterranean diet.
So are there any lessons to be learnt from the Mediterranean Diet?
People who follow the average Mediterranean diet eat less saturated fat than people who eat the average American diet. More than half of the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from mono-unsaturated fats (mainly from olive oil). Mono-unsaturated fat doesn't raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does.
Not surprisingly, the incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Death rates are lower, too.
There are, however, some scientists who feel this effect may not be entirely due to the diet. The Mediterranean lifestyle has, historically, included more physical activity and a culture of extended social family support. This may also have an effect on the results.
Although research is still going on, it would appear that the use of olive oil together with other foods found in the Mediterranean diet is a significant factor in lowering disease and death rates.
Asians also have lower disease and death rates. Although they do not use olive oil, they do traditionally follow other principles of the Mediterranean diet -- lots of produce, legumes, nuts, and minimally processed grains, with little saturated fat.
Healthy eating is not just a case of increasing consumption of olive or canola oil. If this is the only action then caloric intake will increase and many of us are already getting too many calories. What is really required to be done is to eat more fruits, vegetables, and legumes and fewer foods rich in saturated fats.
A diet lower in saturated fats and higher in monounsaturated fats, and potentially, polyunsaturates, will result in better health outcomes
|
