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.
custom home cleaning Wilmette ..How Can... Read More
The typical American diet already provides plenty of protein and... Read More
ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits... Read More
How is it that we can't seem to think that... Read More
The topic of nutrition is one that is always present... Read More
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More
When Helen Boardman was still a girlish 99, she fell... Read More
Each and every person living in the UK is... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
Why does disease begin in the digestive tract? Your digestive... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
Here's a conundrum: While experts agree that high cholesterol and... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a... Read More
Magnesium is an important mineral that serves numerous essential functions... Read More
Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More
OK, no more excuses. Here's how to stop making everyone... Read More
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more... Read More
The word 'homeostasis' is made up of two Greek words:... Read More
Mannatech's patent-pending glyconutrients complex, Ambrotose, is perhaps the greatest wellness... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage... Read More
"What exercises can I do to ?? As fitness professional... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed,... Read More
same day cleaning service Morton Grove ..Can the colors on your plate tell you what health... Read More
When was the last time you consumed soda? Most likely,... Read More
Fibromyalgia is a chronic and potentially life-altering disorder with symptoms... Read More
Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc)... Read More
While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More
With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More
Many people avoid avocados thinking them to be fattening, but... Read More
Water is the most abundant substance in the human body.... Read More
Many of us sprinkle oregano on our pizza and stews... Read More
During the Second World War, the Germans used fluoride as... Read More
This free list of fat burning foods will help you... Read More
Your healthOrganically grown fruit and vegetables are not covered in... Read More
Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in... Read More
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can... Read More
For a considerable amount of time, nutrition has not played... Read More
Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement... Read More
Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on... Read More
It is often taken as a given fact that soy... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
Essential fatty acids are the number one recommendation for anyone... Read More
Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A... Read More
Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
Before we get to honey we have a question from... Read More
Nutrition |