Dispelling the Diet Myths: My Big Fat Greek Dinner

Lately, we've been bombarded with information about how healthy Greek food is. Surprisingly, in most cases, it really is - The Mediterranean diets are often rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and rely on protein from nuts and fish. They usually avoid eating a lot of red meat and they tend to use healthier oils, such as olive or canola oil. This makes for a very heart-healthy diet.

However, not all Greek foods are healthy. Some of them, in fact, can pack as many calories as some of the worst fast food fares. The worst part about this is that, while the media is promoting how healthy the Mediterranean diet is, the Greek food that many people gravitate towards is filled with artery-clogging fats and high levels of sodium.

6 Unhealthy Greek Foods To Avoid

If you're concerned with watching your waistline and eating heart-smart, either share these Greek dishes with a friend or avoid them altogether:

Gyro: The Greek equivalent of fast food, the gyro is certainly not what anyone would want to claim as a healthy Greek food. Packing nearly 800 calories and a stunning 2,000+ mg of sodium, it may be delicious but it's anything BUT heart healthy. Don't mind the whimpering in the corner - that's just my heart breaking.

Moussaka: A popular Greek dish, Moussaka is a casserole made with either ground beef or lamb, layered with fried eggplant and a rich béchamel sauce, comprised of butter, milk and egg yolks. While it may be a delight to the taste buds, it's certainly not heart-friendly. Between the fried foods, the fat and nearly a full day's portion of sodium, it's a dish you should either split with friends or avoid like the plague.

Stuffed Grape Leaves: Stuffed grape leaves are a common favorite on most Greek restaurant menus and for good reason - If you're a fan of cabbage rolls, you'll love this delicious dinner. Also known as dolmades, they average about 550 calories per serving, which isn't too bad. Unfortunately, most grape leaves are stored in a salty brine and, even if they are rinsed off, they can still manage to soak up about nearly a day's worth of sodium.

Spanakopita: More commonly known as spinach pie, Spanakopita is comprised of many layers of paper thin phyllo dough. With every layer brushed with butter and then filled with feta cheese, egg and oil (as well as spinach), it's packed with artery-clogging saturated and trans fats. As a spinach pie lover, this knowledge makes me cry regularly.

Baklava: With each paper-thin layer of phyllo dough brushed with butter, one has to know this is going to be a rich and decadent dessert. Add to it chopped nuts, sugar and a sticky syrupy sauce poured over the top and you're sure to have a dangerous dessert, right? Wrong. While it does pack a punch, averaging about 500 calories, the good news is that baklava is made with honey and is comparable to average desserts that you'll find in any American restaurant. Just the same, if you are trying to count calories, a great way to do this is share your dessert with a friend.

Greek Salads: What? How can a salad be unhealthy? Believe it or not, Greek salads can really pack a caloric punch when one figures in the handful of fatty feta cheese and the high-sodium pickled peppers and olives. Fortunately, you can ask them to go light on these unhealthy additives and make your salad heart-smart once again.

Eating a Healthy Mediterranean Diet

As with any diet, the trick to eating healthy Greek food is watching what goes into your meals and eating a healthy portion. In most cases, Greek restaurants tend to serve generous portions that can easily be split between friends. Lower your calorie count as well as your bill by getting an extra plate and splitting your portion. That way, you can both enjoy the delicious dinner and not have to suffer the consequences. For an even better option, learn how to prepare your favorite Greek dishes and make them at home. Chances are, with a little experimentation, you can find healthier alternatives and really dress up your dinners for when you're dining in!

Sources:

http://intl-food.com/blog/spokane-food-greek-yogurt-vs-american-yogurt/ - The difference between yogurts

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/11_00/greekfood.html - Healthy vs. unhealthy Greek foods.