1

A diet that provides health and longevity

The Mediterranean diet reflects the typical eating habits of the Mediterranean people.
Based on simple preparation, delicious dishes are created, thanks to the wide range of products
produced in these countries. At the same time, the recipes can easily be adapted to personal
tastes of each person. The Greek version of the Mediterranean diet consists of products
produced in Greece and formed the eating habits of the Greeks from ancient times until today.
In the last fifty years, studies have appeared on the world stage and unanimous international
scientific views show that the traditional diet of the Mediterranean countries are healthier than
Western or any other diets in the world. These studies are reliable because the results are the
work of researchers from all parts of the world and are not dependent on industrial interest or
any country.

What exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits and vegetables and includes pasta, bread, cereal,
rice and potatoes, poultry and fish, dairy products, some very little processed food and seasonal
minimum meat. This diet includes two basic components: oil, which is the main fat source, and
wine. The daily intake of milk is mainly in the form of cheese or yoghurt. The most common
dessert is fruit, which exist in every season. Desserts are consumed few times a week, and
most often sugar is replaced with honey. Red meat is almost forbidden but consumed a few
times a month and in small quantities, unlike chicken and fish, which are consumed each week.
Finally, very common is the consumption of wine (one or two glasses of wine every day).

The pyramid of the Mediterranean Diet

The main characteristics of the Mediterranean Diet illustrated schematically with the
corresponding food pyramid. This is a graphical representation of the quantities of the various
components of the diet.

H value of the Mediterranean diet

In the early 60s, a survey was launched by the World Health Organization to study the
eating habits of people from seven different countries (Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia, Holland,
Finland, USA and Japan). It lasted 30 years and about 13,000 people took place, from the age
of 40 to 59 years old. The results of this study showed that people living in Mediterranean
countries, and mainly in Greece, presented the lowest cancer mortality and heart disease and
had the highest average of life expectancy, compared with residents of other countries. While,
scientists were trying to discover the secret, they were led to the conclusion that the particular
and natural way of life (working outdoors, increased physical activity) and the simple diet, which
became internationally known as the Mediterranean diet, was the cause this phenomenon. A
recent major study of the Medical School of Athens University and the Harvard School of Public
Health, published a year ago in the journal New England Journal of Medicine, confirms that the
Mediterranean diet prolongs life and protects against heart disease and cancer.

Mediterranean diet and Health

The Mediterranean diet significantly decreases the chance of cardiovascular disease and
consequently heart disease, since fat is derived mainly from olive oil and fish. Researchers have
announced that the appropriate diet for people, who have suffered a heart attack or other
cardiac problems, is the Mediterranean Diet. This diet reduces the risk of arteriosclerosis, since
it reduces the concentration of glucose, insulin and bad cholesterol. Olive oil, a basic ingredient
of the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial effect on certain types of cancer, such as breast and

prostate. Studies by the University of Oxford demonstrates that olive oil reduces the risk of
colon cancer. The positive effect of fat from olive oil and fish can be used for the control of body
weight, provided that will reduce total daily caloric intake. The Mediterranean diet protects
against the decline of brain function, memory loss and diseases associated with aging.

Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet, the positive impact on health and longevity, the
constant references to the world press about this and the reputation gained worldwide caused
an increase in demand for Mediterranean products in all countries. The benefits to human
health from the Mediterranean Diet come as a whole, rather than a single component. What
makes the Mediterranean diet so beneficial is the combination of food and chemical interactions
of the ingredients. These products are highly selected, healthy agricultural products and can
support a comprehensive proposal Mediterranean diet, including oils, olives, cheeses, fruits,
vegetables, fresh and dried legumes, chicken, tomato sauces, salads, vegetables and
delicacies from olive and tomato, wine and honey.

Kiki Kaffes