Artiko Brings the Mediterranean Diet to Your Table...

What is so great about the Mediterranean diet?


The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are recognized world-wide primarily because the populations of this region reach higher health standards in 2 critical areas:
  • They have the lowest rate in chronic diseases
  • They have the longest adult life expectancy
Nutrtional experts world-wide have studied the effects of this diet and have arrived at the following conclusions:

"This kind of diet should be followed by all people."
- Michel de Lorgeril, MD
- University of Saint-Etienne, France, who led a two-year study which found that heart attack survivors who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had a 70% lower mortality rate compared to those following a low-fat diet.
"I think what we need is to look at the Mediterranean diet to provide some possible options, some alternatives to our present diet."
- Walter Willett, MD
- Chair of the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health
"Compared to the typical American diet, the traditional Mediterranean diet included a greater abundance of vegetables and fruits throughout the day and lower consumption of saturated fat from fatty meats and rich dairy products. These traditional diets mirror the eating approach advised by the American Institute for Cancer Research."
- Karen Collins, RD - American Institute for Cancer Research

(Scientific Studies) Source: Mediterrasian.com

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The essentials of the Mediterranean diet are well known..Freshly-grown Vegetables, Olives, Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Pasta, Fresh herbs.these ingredients are simple, healthy, bursting with flavor and colorful. Fortunately, these ingredients are easy to find and easy to prepare, thus making cooking a nutritious and savory meal a relatively simple task.

The Mediterranean Diet dates back thousands of years

The countries along the Mediterranean have long benefited from superb weather conditions, fertile soil and an abundance of water. This enabled the populations of that region to grow and reap an abundance of vegetables, fruit and grains. This tradition of cooking with fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and whole grains has been passed down from generation to generation with everyone reaping the health benefits.

Olive Oil: "The gold of the Mediterranean"

Olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet. In addition to containing essential vitamins, olive oil contains mono-saturated fats which are beneficial to one's health. Another significant advantage of olive oil is that it can be used cold in a salad dressing and hot for sautéing or baking.

Fresh, Lean and Varied

As the pyramid on the right illustrates, the main components of the Mediterranean diet are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. An abundance of varieties of these 3 elements grown in the region are a key attribute of the Mediterranean diet. This diet also recommends moderate servings of protein, with a clear preference given to fish. Intake of other proteins such as skinless poultry and lean beef should be limited.

source: oldwayspt.org