Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean diet

The traditional Mediterranean Diet, after many studies in our country and in other places, has been proved the healthiest one. Mediterranean diet is characterized by the diet habits that the residents of Crete and Southern Italy had in the beginning of the 6th decade ( in 1960). It is well known for its beneficial results as it protects from myocardial infarctions and from various forms of cancer. The Mediterranean diet is poor in calories, it stimulates the organism, it helps the intestine. This kind of diet gains more and more place in the last few year, as the results of many inquiries show that the residents of Mediterranean regions live more, while in contrast to the American and Northern-Europeans they much more seldom suffer from cancer of intestine and breast or heart diseases. The menu is simple and is supported by a frugal diet: vegetables, fruits, legumes, vegetables, pure cheese, home-made multigrain bread, uncooked olive oil, dry fruits, little home-made wine and fishes! These basic characteristics of Mediterranean diet (the high consumption of fruits and vegetables ), protect after all the skin from the marks of time, that is to say the wrinkles. In combination with daily physical exercise (e.g. walking, dance, etc) the Mediterranean diet menu can show us the way to longevity, health and beauty.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET:

The characteristics of the Mediterranean diet are following: Abundance of vegetarian meals, as fruits, vegetables, potatoes, cereals and legumes. Olive oil as basic oil, that replaces all the other fat and oils as butter, margarine etc. Daily servings of small quantities of dairy products, as cheese and yoghurt. Consumption of fish and poultry in weekly base (no daily). Eggs maximum up to 4 per week (in this number are included the eggs used in cooking).Consumption of sugar (it can be found in sweets) in weekly base (no daily). “Red” meat (veal, pork etc) only few times every month. Natural activity (walking, generally to exercise) in the level that maintains the sense of daily health and well-being. Reasonable consumption of wine (usually with the meals we can drink 1-2 glasses of wine) The basic characteristics of this diet are shown schematically in the Food-Guide Pyramid. It is a graphic representation of quantities of various food of the Mediterranean diet with the form of pyramid.