 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
There is wide-spread scientific consensus that the Mediterranean diet really does help protect against many chronic illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's, and to prolong life - as reported, for example, in a recent edition of the highly authorative British Medical Journal. In the USA, the diet is now recommended for patients who have had previous heart disease.
The traditional Mediterranean diet combines local seasonal foods in mostly simple - but extremely tasty - ways. The main types of foods used are
fruits and vegetables - and lots of them! with a wide variety including beans and a wide range of aromatic herbs. They are mostly grown locally. Wild greens are still collected and these are often used in salads. For instance, at Easter in Languedoc the countryside is full of people bent over with trowels collecting the wild asparagus which is then cooked in an omlette. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are not only tastier, but they also contain increased levels of beneficial substances (micronutrients and anti-oxidants).
cereals - these tend to be only partially refined such as brown, rather than white, bread.
olive oil is used as the main source of fat when cooking or for raw foods.
wine - but it is only drunk in moderation and almost always with meals. This means 1-2 glasses per day for men and 1 glass for women (except during pregnancy).
cheese - the most commonly eaten are made from goat's and sheep's milk.
fish and poultry are eaten but red meat is eaten less frequently and is often consumed as a side dish, for example in salamis, rather than as the main component of a meal.
The mediterranean attitude to food is about far more than just the food on the plate. This goes from careful selection of the food from knowledgeable producers, through to eating the meal in convivial surroundings. Food is there to be appreciated both as part of a socially significant part of the day, and for its taste and hedonistic properties!
Here are a few suggestions on how best to reap the benefits of Mediterranean food.
1. Eat a mixture of fruit and vegetables
There is now a lot of evidence to show that anti-oxidants work best when several are eaten together. So it is better to eat a mixture of fruits and vegetables - which will contain dozens of different anti-oxidants - rather than swallowing a pill containing the latest "wonder" compound. (And it's more enjoyable!)
2. Buy seasonal, sun-ripened fruit and vegetables
Mediterranean fruit and vegetables develop their maximum flavour and plant nutrients (phytochemicals) when they have been ripened naturally. Non-seasonal imported fruit and vegetables are often picked unripe and they are ripened artificialy in transit. Often this is at the cost of both flavour and nutrients.
3. Don't peel your vegetables
The brightly coloured pigments in tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes all work as anti-oxidants. Plants need to produce these pigments to protect themselves from the sun. Hence the pigments tend to be concentrated in the skins of the plants since these are the part of the plant most exposed to sunlight. So in order to eat the highest amounts of anti-oxidants, and to best protect yourself against cancer and heart disease, it is better not to peel your vegetables.
4. Eat organic
Pesticides may have been sprayed on the skins of fruit and vegetables to increase shelf life. In order to benefit from the rich source of phytochemicals in the skin without the health risks of pesticides, eat organic. In addition, there is mounting evidence that organically grown produce contain higher levels of phytochemicals, and this will mean that not only is organic produce better for you but it will taste better as well. All the ingredients in the cookery lesson on the Taste for Life course are organic.
5. Eat vegetables with olive oil
Many anti-oxidants are soluble in fat and eating vegetables with olive oil makes the anti-oxidants more readily absorbed by the body. A nice olive oil dressing for a salad draws out the flavour molecules for us to enjoy, and enhances their uptake by the body. And cooking vegetables isn't necessarily a bad thing. Although some vitamins get broken down during cooking, many of the anti-oxidants in vegetables are quite heat stable. The cooking oil will not only draw out the phytochemicals, but in addition, cooking breaks down plants cell walls and releases the anti-oxidants making them more readily absorbed by the body.
6. Do not over-cook garlic
One group of nutrients that are destroyed by heat are those found in garlic. So add garlic towards the end of cooking, or try one of the wonderful Mediterranean dipping sauces and spreads made with raw garlic such as tapenade, anchoiade or aiolli. Best not to eat raw garlic on it's own though as it can upset the stomach.
7. Enjoy!
This is the essence of Mediterranean eating. Eating in a relaxed and convivial manner is better for your digestion, and - we believe - may help the body make best use of the food. Certainly, food is one of life's great pleasures!
