The mediterranean diet
It has been found that people living in mediterranean countries such as Southern France, Spain and Italy live longer than people in other parts of the world. Why is this? It’s what they eat and how the mediterranean’s cook their food that makes all the difference. From Mediterranean Country to Mediterranean Country, the way the food is cooked may differ so although the flavours are varied, the foods used are the same.
What is the mediterranean diet?
The
diet is mainly foods that come from plants; grains, vegetables especially green leafy vegetables, fruits, beans legumes, nuts, and olive oil. So the foods that are common in the Mediterranean countries are olives, grapes, wheat and what can be made from these foodstuffs. Added advantages of these foods are their nutritional value; they provide antioxidants, fibre,
vitamins and minerals. The
Mediterranean dDiet can help people avoid what is called the ‘
diseases of affluence.’ These diseases are common in Westernised, industrialised nations and include
heart disease, obesity,
Type 2 diabetes and some
cancers.
Isn’t olive oil a fat and fats are bad for us?
Yes olive oil is a
fat, but it’s a good fat. The body needs good fat.
- Good fat is monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
- Bad fats are saturated fats.
Fats are found in meat and dairy products and some vegetable oils. The body needs a certain amount of fat to be sure everything is working properly. But there are two kinds of fat that we get from our food.
Saturated fat causes the fat to settle on the inside walls of the Arteries. The fat in the arteries is called
cholesterol. It’s the cholesterol that makes
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