Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: modified mediterranean diet

Question:
Many people here have said they aim at a Mediteranean diet, the kind of diet eaten in Italy, Spain, and Greece, I presume. Epidemiology seems to show this type of diet has good health effects, and it is recommended by my experts. Tonight, while reading a glowing review of a local Italian restaurant, I realized I wouldn't want to eat a single dish that was described. Same for reports on other restaurants that say they feature the cuisine of a Mediterranean country. Just out of curiosity, has anyoe been to, or even read about, such a restaurant where someone who tries to follow a Mediterranean diet could get a meal? I suppose there is one somewhere in this country.

Answer:
First of all, you have to explain what you mean by this country since you are talking with people located all over the world. I think there are at least two levels at which people use the term, Mediterranean diet. The general term is meant to offer a contrast with the meat-and-potatoes diets of the U.S. and much of northern and eastern Europe. Olive oil is often seen as a key ingredient, with sea food and vegetables also playing an important role. A stricter sense would be exemplified by the Cretan diet of the 1960s. Quentin Grady and others have offered pointers to information about this diet in recent postings. If you want to eat that way, you have to fix your own meals and, preferably, live by the sea in a moderate climate