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Mediterranean Cuisines
Mediterranean Regional Cuisine Healthy and Delicious
While there’s been a good deal of attention focused on Mediterranean
cuisine thanks to the health benefits discovered by research, there’s
been far less written on one simple fact about the Mediterranean diet.
It is, quite simply, delicious.
According to a study released by the Harvard Medical School back in the
1990s, older adults living in ‘Mediterranean’ countries – the southern
parts of Italy, Sardinia and Greece, Northern Africa and the Middle
East, mostly – had a notably low incidence of heart disease and other
age-related diseases. After evaluating all the various factors,
researchers concluded that it was diet and activity level that made the
difference in health.
There was no room in their findings to discuss the tang of a fresh
tomato topped with a slice of fresh goat cheese and drizzled with basil
steeped in olive oil. But the pure fact of the matter is that the
Mediterranean diet, with its focus on fresh vegetables, fresh pasta and
bread, olive oil and spices, is far more than a way to combat the
effects of aging. It’s a step toward healthy gourmet eating – the kind
of meals that leave you not only full, but completely satisfied.
So how do the nutritional findings translate to one of the most
delightful treats for the taste buds ever created? The findings, as
quoted by the American Heart Association are:
- high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds.
- olive oil is an important monounsaturated fat source dairy
products, fish and poultry are consumed in low to moderate amounts, and
little red meat is eaten.
- eggs are consumed zero to four times a week
- wine is consumed in low to moderate amounts
- Allow me to translate, piece by piece:
For breakfast one day, slice a fresh peach over kasha or oatmeal,
drizzle with honey or stir in a tablespoon of yogurt. Another day,
slice fresh berries into a small dish of yogurt and sprinkle with wheat
germ or crushed walnuts or almonds. Slice polenta (leftover from last
night) and grill, then top with syrup made from fresh fruit and serve
with a slice of cheese.
At lunch, try bouillabaisse, rich with seafood and potatoes, or a thick
slice of bread topped with sliced tomatoes and olives and a thin slice
of goat cheese. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for crunch and added flavor.
Fresh spinach and onions, barely wilted in olive oil over a high fire,
topped with a tablespoon of yogurt blends acrid, sweet and creamy
flavors and textures into a side dish that cools the palate even as it
warms the heart. It’s the spark of the unusual that makes Mediterranean
cuisine so deliciously different than what we imagine. We think pasta –
yet there is couscous, bulgur, rice and brown rice, and kasha, polenta
and hummus. Grapes and strawberries, figs and dates, olives and
tomatoes – all these are delicacies to us – but staples of the
Mediterranean diet.
If you’ve decided that your health is important, and the Mediterranean
diet is right for you, step beyond the pasta pages of your cookbook and
look into the cuisine of nearby countries. You’ll find a whole new
world of flavor to savor along with the knowledge that it’s all good
for you.
Home > Cuisines > Mediterranean Cuisine
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