How to Eat Mediterranean2022-05-29T15:32:01-04:00

Learning about the Mediterranean Diet

The Secret Powerhouse of the Mediterranean Diet

Back in my “eating like crap” stage of life I would have never thought that one day I would become addicted to eating bitter greens and potatoes simmered in olive oil with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Having been brought up on a steady diet of over-cooked frozen and canned spinach, peas, and broccoli slathered in slightly melted tub margarine, I only understood vegetables to be something to plow through in order to get to the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Tuna Helper. As an adult I learned to steam and stir fry vegetables and grew to appreciate the flavor of local produce. It wasn’t until I went to the Island of Crete, though, that I really began to crave bitter greens.

Health Benefits of Basil

Basil, like all members of the mint family, has a rich and delicious aroma, and a peppery and sweet flavor profile that clearly defines summer. Most people can appreciate a savory batch of fresh pesto on a hot August evening. But, did you know that while you’re enjoying that favorite summer meal, you’re also benefiting from basil’s many health qualities?

Health Benefits of Thyme

Thyme’s revitalizing qualities can promote healing, in the case of sprains and other injuries. If you brew it as a tea, and use it as a hot soak or compress, it will increase blood flow to the affected area, which speeds the healing process. Thyme is great for the immune system because it stimulates the thymus, a major gland of the immune system. And, it supports the body’s natural defenses.

7 Secrets to Eating the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is one of the most researched (and tastiest) diets in the world.  A study came out recently that was on the front cover of the New York Times, the Boston Globe and was featured on the Today show.  The study was from the New England Journal of Medicine.  It showed that participants from Spain (who already eat Mediterranean) followed a more traditional Mediterranean Diet meal plan were 30% less likely to have cardiovascular disease.  The study was so revolutionary that they had to stop it so because it was deemed unethical to continue it.  In other words, they needed to tell the other people who were in the study because they were getting so much sicker than the people in the traditional Mediterranean group!

U.S. News and World Report votes the Mediterranean Diet the #1 Plant Based Diet!

It seems strange to compare the Mediterranean Diet to other diets such as Weight Watchers and the Biggest Loser.  The Mediterranean Diet is much more of a lifestyle and permanent way of eating than an actual "diet".  It has been around for thousands of years with proven rates of high longevity and low disease rates.

A Traditional One Week Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

The traditional Mediterranean Diet has been shown to be one of the healthiest ways of eating in the world.  The problem is that many Mediterranean recipes found in cookbooks or on the web are not traditional.  We interviewed the Mother of a local restaurant owner on the Island of Crete to find out what a typical week of eating would have looked like 30 years ago.  This is a true Mediterranean Diet meal plan from the island.  There were no fancy kitchens and people ate mostly off their own land.  Dishes were simple and delicious peasant foods.

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