Tuesday, May 8, 2012

May is Mediterranean Diet Month!

May is Mediterranean Diet Month! This fourth annual month-long celebration was created by Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance. It generates excitement and awareness about the delicious foods and amazing health benefits associated with this vibrant lifestyle. Each year, more people discover the fabulous flavors and accessible, affordable foods that make up this remarkable way of eating. Check out my interview with Georgia Orcutt, the Program Manager for Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, about the Mediterranean Diet and its many benefits. Also, be sure to visit the Oldways website, at http://www.oldwayspt.org/, for lots of valuable information about the diet and the organization.


Q. Can you explain the Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid?

A. Oldways, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the European Office of the World Health Organization introduced the classic Mediterranean Diet in 1993 at a conference in Cambridge, MA, along with a Mediterranean Diet Pyramid graphic to represent it. This pyramid, a useful tool for illustrating the importance of this remarkable healthy total diet and lifestyle, was based on the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece and southern Italy circa 1960 at a time when the rates of chronic disease among populations there were among the lowest in the world, and adult life expectancy was among the highest.

Here’s how to follow this visual guide to the Mediterranean Diet, from the bottom to the top:

• Look for ways to become more active. Good food alone isn’t enough to support a healthy life. Cooking and enjoying the pleasures of the table with family and friends contribute to good health.

• Every day eat mostly vegetables, beans, whole grains, herbs, spices, nuts and peanuts, fruits, and include some healthy fats such as those found in olive oil. These are the core Mediterranean Diet foods.

• At least twice a week eat fish and seafood, which deliver heart-and-brain-healthy omega-3s.

• Eat moderate portions of yogurt, cheese, poultry and eggs daily to weekly.

• Red meat and sweets, at the top of the pyramid, are “sometimes” foods.

• Water and wine are typical Mediterranean Diet beverages. If you drink wine, enjoy moderate amounts: up to one glass per day for women, two for men. And drink water throughout the day.



Q. What are the scientific health benefits of the Med Diet?

A. The Mediterranean Diet has been studied and noted by scores of leading scientists as one of the healthiest diets in the world. The science behind the diet is corroborated by more than 50 years of epidemiological and experimental nutrition research. Evidence shows that the Mediterranean Diet can help you achieve weight loss and weight management goals; lower your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure; fight certain cancers and chronic diseases; reduce asthma; avoid diabetes; resist depression; and bring healthier babies into the world.



Q. How would you define the Med Diet?

A. The Mediterranean Diet reflects a way of eating that is traditional in the countries that surround the Mediterranean. It is not a diet, as in “go on a diet,” even though it is a great way to lose weight or improve your health. Rather, it is a lifestyle – including delicious, affordable, easy-to-cook foods, meals with friends and family, wine in moderation, and daily exercise.



Q. What are simple steps one can take for good health by following the Med Diet?

A. It’s easy to bring the remarkable health benefits and affordable Mediterranean style of eating to your kitchen cupboards, your refrigerator, your counter­tops, your stovetop, your oven, and your table every day. Embracing the Mediterranean Diet is all about making these simple but profound changes in the way you eat today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life.

1. Eat lots of vegetables. There are so many choices! From a simple plate of sliced fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and topped with crumbled feta cheese to stunning sal­ads, garlicky greens, fragrant soups and stews, healthy pizzas, or oven-roasted medleys, vegetables are vitally important to the fresh tastes and delicious flavors of the Med Diet. Can you fill half your plate with them at lunch and dinner?

2. Change the way you think about meat. If you eat meat, have smaller amounts. For example, add small strips of sirloin to a vegetable sauté, or garnish a dish of pasta with diced prosciutto. As a main course, have smaller portions (3 ounces or less) of chicken or lean meat.

3. Always eat breakfast. Start your day with fiber-rich foods such as fruit and whole grains that can keep you feeling pleasantly full for hours. Layer granola, yogurt, and fruit, or mash half an avocado with a fork and spread it on a slice of whole grain toast.

4. Eat seafood twice a week. Fish such as tuna, herring, salmon, and sardines are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and shellfish including mussels, oysters, and clams have similar benefits for brain and heart health.

5. Cook a vegetarian meal one night a week. Build these meals around beans, whole grains, and vegetables, and heighten the flavor with fragrant herbs and spices. When one night feels comfortable, try two nights per week.

6. Use good fats. Include sources of healthy fats in daily meals, especially extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, olives, and avocados.

7. Enjoy some dairy products. Eat Greek or plain yogurt, and try small amounts of a variety of cheeses.

8. For dessert, eat fresh fruit. Choose from a wide range of delicious fresh fruits—from fresh figs and oranges to pomegranates, grapes and apples. Instead of daily ice cream or cookies, save sweets for a special treat or celebration.



Q. What type of organization is Oldways?

 A. Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage.