What is a mediterranean diet?

Despite what the name indicates, the Mediterranean diet is not regularly followed by all the countries bathed by this sea, nor is it limited to the geographical area that delimits it. The Arab countries of the Mediterranean basin do not follow a Mediterranean diet in the strict sense of the same while Portugal, a totally Atlantic country, can be considered as Mediterranean in terms of its gastronomy. There are transitional gastronomies, such as the French, or developed entirely within this framework, such as the Italian. Anyone in any part of the world can follow this diet, considered by the WHO as the healthiest, following very simple rules:

• There is an almost daily consumption of vegetables, salads, red wine, fish, cereals, bread (whole), fruit and a moderate intake of milk and its derivatives as well as meat. Olive oil is practically always used to the detriment of other animal or vegetable fats, both for cooking and for seasoning.

• There is a low consumption of saturated fats such as those found in butter or meats. On the other hand, the consumption of monounsaturated fats such as olive oil is high. It is clearly demonstrated that saturated fats are harmful to the heart while monounsaturated fats are very beneficial in lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood.

• The consumption of fish with a high content of omega-3 acid (the so-called blue fish) is very high, above the species that do not carry it. Again omega-3 is an important factor in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Blue fish is recognized mainly by the shape of its tail.

Mackerel. Blue fish has its tail arrow-shaped

Hake. White fish has its tail straigh or round shaped

• The consumption of red wine carried out in a moderate way is highly recommended due to the presence of flavonoids in it,  substances useful for the fight against cancer, apart from once again favoring the beneficial effects for the heart. People who do not consume red wine obtain flavonoids from vegetables, citrus fruits, black grapes or berries, which are also very abundant in the Mediterranean diet. The consumption of vegetables, both raw in salads and cooked, provides vitamins and fiber, as well as first-rate nutritional elements.

• The relatively low consumption of dairy is offset by the intake of yogurt and cheese, so that the calcium intake is higher than other diets if we consider the amount that is also received from vegetables. Broad-leaved and intense green vegetables, such as spinach or chard, are very rich in calcium.

• The meats most consumed in the Mediterranean diet are the so-called white, which mainly comprise chicken, turkey and rabbit, as well as others that, due to the age of the animal, the chosen piece or its diet, can be classified as white, like the lamb and the pig. What there is no doubt is that red meat would correspond to cattle, horses and game meats. While both types have positive properties, it is well known that red meat has a negative impact on the incidence of cancer and coronary heart disease. Therefore red meat is rarely conumed in mediterranean diets. The consumption of meat is limited to a couple of times a week, in the case of the white ones, and a couple of times a month in the case of the red ones.

• The intake of sweets, cakes and all kinds of pastries is quite low and is concentrated in the festivities. The most common is that the dessert consists of fresh fruit. The sweet dessert is usually reserved for Sunday. The consumption of sugar in general is quite moderate.

• Mediterranean cuisine clearly derives from the fruit and vegetable products existing in the climatic zone of the same name. So only where we have vine and olive trees will this type of diet be possible. This actually occurs in a narrow strip of both hemispheres and that in the North it fully encompasses the Mediterranean Sea, the southern United States and California (other areas of the same latitude do not have a temperature regulating system such as the sea does not they have developed mild seasons like the Mediterranean). In the southern hemisphere the Mediterranean climate occurs in South Africa. The rest of the countries must access these agri-food products through trade, which increases their price and increases the emission of CO2 derived from the transport of food.

• There is also a paradox when comparing fat consumption between a country that follows the Mediterranean diet and another that does not. In many cases, consumption per person is clearly higher in Mediterranean countries, all of which is faced with lower death rates due to heart disease or cancer. This paradox is attributed to the consumption of olive oil, wine, and omega-3s, like this or in any order. This would mean that the excess fat intake is offset by the intake of mononunsaturated fats and the flavonoids in wine.

• At the gastronomic level, Mediterranean diet areas are considered those formed by Italian, Greek, Spanish, Cypriot, Portuguese, Lebanese, Moroccan, Palestinian, Maltese, French (the south coast), Turkish (the Aegean and Mediterranean coast) cuisine. , Egyptian and Sephardic, either in Israel or the Maghreb The transition zones would be all the cuisines of the Balkans, Israeli (Ashkenazi), French, California and Australian although, as has been said, Anyone can follow the indicated rules and consume the products of the area in most of the world.

• Moderated and continous exercise, done at any age, it's also very common. Is not only to go to gym, it can be as simple as to replace short trips by car by strolls.

• It's very important to take the sun during the whole year, not only in summer for cosmetic reasons. That improves a lot the generation of D vitamin besides to make feel better.

 

And an important and intangible ingredient of the Mediterranean diet is knowing how to live well, take time for yourself, foster social relationships and take advantage of the sun and life outdoors. Your mood directly affects your health, so take care of it.