The Mediterranean Diet: Voted Best All-Around Diet for Any Health Condition

Say 'diet' and most people think of a 'program for losing weight.' Diet is 'foods regularly consumed for subsistence'. Diets differ amongst regions and cultures. The diet of Mediterranean people has been proclaimed healthiest for all body types and health conditions. The Mediterranean Diet has been shown effective in combating a wide array of health conditions. Americanheart.org makes the point that there is no one 'Mediterranean Diet' as sixteen countries in several continents border the Mediterranean Sea. The basic Mediterranean Diet is a distillation of the best of those cuisines. The Mediterranean Diet is condensed into a food pyramid. A pyramid diagram shows clearly which foods should form the wide base of our diet, and which foods should be eaten in much smaller quantities. Here is the Mediterranean diet pyramid.

The base of the Mediterranean Diet is food from plant sources: fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, potatoes and bread. Along the Mediterranean, pasta, rice, couscous, and polenta (corn meal mush) are favored grains.

The Mediterranean diet encourages the consumption of seasonally fresh and locally grown foods and minimally processed foods. Olives, avocados, grapes, spinach, artichokes, eggplant, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, capers, almonds, walnuts, chick peas, white beans, lentils, beans, and peanuts grow locally in regions of the Mediterranean. As in the animal kingdom, species eat what grows in their native region, that is what the Mediterranean diet emphasizes.

Olive oil is not only a local product, but an ideal fat source. As a vegetable fat, olive oil doesn't have the transfat and bad cholesterol of animal fats. Of the fat calories in olive oil, only 7 to 8 percent are saturated fat calories.

The higher we go up the pyramid, the less should be eaten. The Mediterranean diet encourages some daily consumption of cheese and yogurt. Goat's milk cheeses and yogurt are much more common in the Mediterranean area. Goat's milk is nutritionally closer the the needs of humans than cow's milk. Yogurt contains acidopholus which fights off infection and boosts immunity to infection.

Fish is the recommended meat source. Fish is also an good source of the essential Omega-3 fatty acids. Fish from the Mediterranean Sea include shellfish, mussels, shrimp, scallops, clams, halibut, salmon, tuna, grouper and sardines.

Poultry should be consumed no more than one to two times, weekly. The Mediterranean Diet allows no more than four eggs eaten in any form per week.

At the top of the Mediterranean Diet pyramid is sweets and meat. Meat local to the Mediterranean area are veal and lamb. Sweets in the Mediterranean are commonly made with almond, nuts and honey.

Alcohol, particularly red wine, is regularly consumed with meals. Red wine is digestive aid and has some cleansing properties. The Mediterranean Diet encourages the use of herbs and spices, rather than salts and food additives. Common Mediterranean spices include garlic, cinnamon, basil, oregano, nutmeg, coriander, cumin, rosemary, fennel, anise, saffron and fenugreek.

If you are considering dietary modifications for health, nutrition or wellness reasons, the Mediterranean Diet is well worth a look. For more on ethnic and healthy foods, visit me at www.greatfood4u.blogspot.com and www.healthhelp4u.blogspot.com.