The Mediterranean Diet is now recognized as one of the healthiest in the world consisting as it does of large amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, salads, nuts, seeds, omega-3 rich oily fish, olives, and olive oil and being comparitively low in dairy products and red meats.
The people of the Mediterranean region, particuarly Greece and Spain, are very fortunate to live in an area where naturally healthy food is readily and cheaply available. The incidence of heart disease and cancer are lower here than anywhere else in the western world and experts now believe this is due in great part to what has become known as the Mediterranean diet.
Modern farming techniques and world wide transport has changed most peoples diets dramatically in the past centuary and it is now widely believed that such changes have had an exteremely detrimental effect on our health. Fortunately the impact of these developments has not had such a catastrophic effect in Mediterranean regions where to a large extent traditional diets are still followed. Of course with the advent of Globalization and MacDonald's! this is sadly changing. However we can all learn alot form what has become known as the Mediterranean diet and by adopting it,vastly improve our health and longevity.
The foods that grow naturally and abundantly in that region and have always formed a part of the local diet are as follows:
Olives, avocados, oranges, lemons, garlic, wild asparagus, walnuts, almonds,tomatoes, artichokes, figs, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums, spinach, broad beans, peppers along with many other of the more common fruits and vegetables.
These provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fibre along with a wide variety of antioxidants and phytochemicals, the importance of which scientists are only now beginning to recognize as they discover more and more healthful benefits of including these elements in our diet.
Historically alot of the milk was produced from goats and cheese made from goats and ewes milk. Very little red meat is eaten and a large majority of the protein is supplied by oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, sword fish, boquerones and anchovies.
The main oil used is olive, traditionally cold pressed virgin, and this is used not only for cooking and in salads but also for putting on bread in place of butter.
All these foods provide a wide variety of nutriments which have an astonishing array of claims for improving our health such as lowering cholesterol, improving our immune system which thus not only fights infections but also helps to prevent cancer, increasing our metabolism, improving insulin sensitivity and thus lessening the risk of diabetes. It really has never been so true that you are what you eat. Certainly since moving to Andalucia and adopting the Mediteranean diet myself I have never been so healthy or managed to maintain my ideal weight so easily.
Of coures in addition to all the healthy components of this diet there is the added fact that honey is often used in place of sugar and little refined carbohydrates are eaten.
All in all most experts now agree that the Mediterranean diet is the optimum diet
Article submitted by Ruth Polak the owner of http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com a web site that specializes in holiday properties on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. In addition you will find lots of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular.
elite cleaning services Des Plaines ..There are a lot of very good reasons to eat... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
Apart from eating many of the wonderful vegetables and fruits... Read More
Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic... Read More
One must always keep in mind that copper is not... Read More
Having a large amount of such "visceral fat" is associated... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
How many times have you tried to diet/lose weight in... Read More
What is Cholesterol?Before we go into how to reduce your... Read More
Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More
The best weight training and cardio workouts will do very... Read More
With summer comes more sun and with more sun comes... Read More
When I hear the word fat I usually think of... Read More
Every where you look you see articles or news or... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
Wow! Is it just me or? Wait! Let me start... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
The Health and Nutrition Industry has come about as peoples... Read More
For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance... Read More
Approximately 30 years ago, food manufacturers were competing against the... Read More
I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More
Nails are a protective horn at the end of our... Read More
Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More
eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..Fire ElementAccording to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are five... Read More
You know about Vitamins A,C, D, E ,and the B's... Read More
Beans. Legumes. Pulses. Whatever you call this plant group, they... Read More
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
There are a number of common food mistakes that costs... Read More
Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in... Read More
The story of creation begins with water. Water is an... Read More
What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on... Read More
High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More
They're not only good for you, but they taste good,... Read More
What is your brain made ofOver 50% of your brain... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
My name is Mildred Shears. I'm retired and I live... Read More
In order for a person to actually have a healthy... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
Coke, more commonly known as cocaine is a highly addictive... Read More
Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More
Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet... Read More
Liquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a... Read More
Random thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts... Read More
Nutrition |