Mediterranean Diet

Despite its name it is not typical of all Mediterranean cuisine, although this diet was a very popular recommendation in the 1990s. Lard, butter and olive oil are commonly used in Northern Italy for cooking, but in North Africa, besides olive oil, sheeps tail fat and rendered fat (samna) are traditional staple fats, while wine is, for instance, avoided by Muslims. This diet includes high consumption of olive oil, legumes, fruits, unrefined cereals and vegetables, wine, fish, moderate consumption of dairy products and low consumption of meat products. But the best representative of this diet is olive oil. It is very nutritious and contains high levels of monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid, which reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Antioxidants in olive oil also help for cholesterol regulation and lowering the LDL cholesterol. Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University said this diet is based on "food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s", and along regular physical activity, stresses out "abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts".

The Mediterranean diet was only until the 1990s that it widely recognized, though being first introduced in 1945 by an American doctor named Ancel Keys. It is often stated that it has low levels of saturated fat, and high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fibers. Foods that are specific for this region like olives, cheeses, capers, anchovies and salads all have high amounts of salt.

A study has showed that people who have followed this diet were less likely to suffer from depression. It is thought that one of the main reasons for this is also the consumption of red wine, which contains flavonoids that have antioxidant properties. Another factor for this is seen in small portions, regular exercise, and the emphasis of freshness and balance in food. Studies have shown that this diet lowers the death rates from cardiovascular diseases and cancer, especially skin cancer, which is believed to be caused by too much exposure to solar UV radiation, which should be high in the Mediterranean region, but something in the diet prevents that.

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