The Mediterranean diet (MD) has its roots with our Greek and Roman ancestors, inhabitants of the Mediterranean region that was the birthplace of modern civilization. The well-known staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil, was used by the Ancient Greeks as a substitute for animal fat, a food they deemed unhealthy.
During the last few decades, components of the traditional MD have been adopted around the world. Based on the diets of people living in Greece, southern Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, and Turkey, the MD has become popular worldwide due to the health benefits associated with following such a diet. Researchers’ initial realization that heart disease was less prevalent in the Mediterranean region led to decades of scientific studies on the MD’s relationship with health and longevity.
Recently, a peer-reviewed study was conducted by Dr. Perez-Lopez and his team from the University of Zaragoza, Spain, in order to determine what the existing scientific literature concludes about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet [1]. Their examination found that the MD is in fact associated with numerous health benefits, including lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline associated with age. These health benefits also appear to translate into a longer lifespan for individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet.
Mediterranean Diet Protects Against Cancer
Studies have shown that lycopene, a major component in tomatoes, may have protective properties against cancer [2]. Fish consumption has also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer [3].
The MD is rich in both tomatoes and fish as well as other foods, like fruit, vegetables, and olive oil, which may provide nutrients that can help lower risk of cancer. This was supported by a large study of over 25,000 individuals, in which a correlation was found between adherence to the traditional MD and incidence of cancer. Study participants’ adherence to the MD was assessed on a scale of 0 to 9.
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Eating western is leading to increase diseases
The Mediterranean cuisine is a philosophy:
Life has to be savored. Foods are made to live better
The Mediterranean is the cuisine of the areas around the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s characterized by flexibility, range of ingredients and many regional variations.
Today it’s important to understand its basics because its associated with an over all increasing of health benefits.
The Mediterranean cuisine today
The popularization of the Mediterranean diet has created a real business around it.
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Pizza or Pasta?
Last day during my daily news hunting, I’ve found this article about the real healthy effects of the menu of 2 of the best Italian restaurants in America: Romano’s Macaroni Grill and the Olive Garden
A report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest suggests that maybe eating Italian is not so healthy.
They say that recipes like Spaghetti, Lasagna, meatballs, etc…are high in calories and full of saturated fat.
Generally most people believe the Mediterranean diet is eating like the countries of the Mediterranean cuisine. But it’s not so.
There are thousand of recipes, those healthy, those tasty and those fatty. It’s normal!
The Mediterranean diet is based on:
- Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Wine
- Pasta
- Etc..
But It doesn’t mean that all recipes that contains these foods are healthy.
I think that it’s a responsibility of the e restaurants to inform the consumer about the calories and provide a food chart in their menu.
The risk is that the consumer could believe all Italian recipes are healthy.
I’d like also to clarify some things:
- I’m Italian and I think that these restaurants haven’t nothing of Italian. They are managed as business…and everybody of us know that Money=Unhealthy.
- A typical Italian restaurant should be family managed and of little dimensions. I had a look on the websites of these chains and I saw also “Franchising”….what?!
- How can they “sell” the Italian cuisine? Who guarantee you that the ower is another Italian?
- Another thing to consider is that today the Italian cuisine in America is an evolution of the tradition. So most foods don’t come from Italy and recipes have been modified.
Try to cook the Pasta with the Italian water instead of the American one and feel the difference!
