Eating Mediterranean Style

Does the mere mention of the Mediterranean Diet make you think of sipping red wine while enjoying a bowl of pasta? Though the phrase “Mediterranean Diet” has conjured up quite the buzz, there really isn’t one specific diet for the Mediterranean region of the world. Each country has slight differences in food and culture. In general though, the Mediterranean Diet includes:   

• an emphasis on fruits and vegetables
• serving bread, pasta, potatoes and beans
• cooking with monounsaturated fats such as olive oil
• fatty fish that are rich in heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids
• enjoying nuts and seeds
• using little red meat and regularly consuming fish

The Mediterranean Diet has a fairly high percentage of calories from fat. But the majority of the fat is from monounsaturated fats like olive oil, which along with polyunsaturated fats have actually been shown to help lower “bad” cholesterol levels.

Will the Mediterranean Diet help you live longer? Results from a recently released study suggest it might. When comparing the diets of women and men ages 50 to 71 who were participating in a National Institutes of Health AARP Diet and Health Study, there was a decrease in death rates (from all causes) over a 5-year period for those who most closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet. 

Though the amount of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States, diet as well as other lifestyle factors should be considered. Remember, the American Heart Association advises to look at the whole picture. So eat a healthy diet keeping moderation in mind (fat such as olive oil that is heart-healthy, is still fat), develop good stress management techniques and get plenty of physical activity
 
Potential Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

• The diet recommends choosing healthier monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids instead of saturated fats and hydrogenated oils.
• The generous amount of fruits and vegetables in this diet contribute antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They offer many health benefits, including potential cancer-prevention.
• Grains common to this diet are low in unhealthy trans fats. And the bread eaten by those in Mediterranean regions is consumed without the extra fat of butter or margarine.

 

 Spicy Salmon

Prep time: 3 minutes*

*Chill time extra

Cook time: 12 minutes

 

2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 (4-oz.) salmon fillets

Juice of 1 lemon

 

1. In small bowl, mix black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and oil until paste is formed.  Rub tops of salmon fillets with paste; cover and refrigerate about 4 hours.

2. When ready to cook, scrape most of spice paste off fish and set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat; place fish in skillet and cook 3 minutes.

3. Turn fillets over and cook 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.  Transfer to platter; keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, return reserved spice paste to hot skillet and add lemon juice; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Pour over fish.

 

Serves 4

Per serving: 209 calories, 3g carbohydrate, 25g protein, 1g fiber, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 51mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium