Olive Oil Fruits Vegetables Fish Wine Legumes Bread and Mozzarella
The Mediterranean Diet
is not a specific dietary program but a compendium of the eating habits followed
by those that live in the 16 nations along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea,
taking into account cultural, ethnic and religious factors. Some food and
cultural characteristics are:
High consumption of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, bread and cereals
Use of olive oil to cook and as a condiment
Moderate quantities of fish, little meat
Small/moderate quantities of rich cheese and whole yogurt
Moderate wine consumption, usually with meals
Use of local, seasonal and fresh products
An active lifestyle
The Ingredients
of the Mediterranean Diet
Olive Oil is especially important as an alternative to
butter, margarine and other fats. It is a valuable source of mono unsaturated
fats that protect against heart disease, as well as a source of antioxidants such
as Vitamin E. It is used to prepare vegetables, tomato sauce, salads and to fry
fish.
History the Phoenicians planted the first olive trees
around the XVI century BC, first on the island of Cyprus then in Asia Minor.
Its greatest success was achieved in Greece where the myth was that the goddess
Athena, in competition with the other gods, was declared the winner of a
contest by Zeus by creating the olive tree.
Plato's Olive Tree was Planted near
Athens some 2500 years ago
The species was prevalent in
Italy since the days of the Roman Republic, especially in the southern part of
the country. Today, it is cultivated everywhere with many DOP and IGP
denominations. As one of the pillars of the Mediterranean Diet, extra-virgin
olive oil is present in virtually all food recipes. Among its benefits is the
lack of physical and chemical manipulations as it is simply extracted by
pressing the olives.
The Only Oil Produced by a Fruit
as Opposed to a Seed
Olive oil should be the only fat
in cooking as it is the only one that is not subject to degrading when exposed
to heat. Culturally speaking, olive oil represents the Southern crudeness as
opposed to butter cooked foods prevalent in Northern foods.
Therapeutic Aspects the liquid gold referred to by Homer has over
time had a therapeutic function as well; it reduces the impact of heat while at
the same time acting as a blood cleanser. It is both a nutrient and a medicine.
Dishes containing olive oil are easier to digest, with an excellent gastric and
intestinal tolerance as well as a protecting effect on the arteries, stomach
and liver.
Fruits and Vegetables a
high consumption of fruits and vegetables leads to protective action to prevent
cancer and heart disease, probably because of the antioxidants present in these
food items. This is especially true of tomatoes, an important source of
antioxidants particularly when heated to make a tomato sauce.
Fish such as sardines with its omega 3 polyunsaturated
fats have a healthy fat content. Fish consumption is also important for its
anti-inflammatory properties to prevent heart disease and regulate blood
circulation.
Wine there is no such
thing as biological wine, only biological grapes. By its very nature, wine is
the opposite of an industrial product that never varies; grapes vary from area to
area depending on climactic conditions. They also evolve, mature and decline
over time. In all Mediterranean countries wine is consumed in moderation,
usually with meals. Red wine contains
a number of vegetable composts with beneficial properties and powerful
antioxidants such as polyphenols that protect against oxidation.
Legumes during the middle ages, all of Europe risked high mortality rates due to
a series of epidemics. Unable to procure high protein foods such as meat, the
poorer classes were especially malnourished. Legumes were introduced
only from the 10th Century, thereby making a gradual contribution to
the welfare of the population, increasing resistance to disease and aiding in
the repopulation of the continent. Later, with the discovery of the Americas
and the importation of agricultural products, beans emerged as a basic staple
without which the population could not have doubled in size in just a few
centuries.
Legumes are Richest in Protein
and Protein Quality among All Vegetables
They may be consumed fresh or
dry, with the former having a higher water content - 60-90% versus 10-13% -
hence, given the same weight, a lower caloric, protein and glycine content. In
Italy, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas and fava beans are the most common
staples. Some are canned and are therefore available off season and in areas
where they are not cultivated. Both fresh and dry, they are a key component of
Italian cuisine in general and especially in the cucina povera. Studies confirm a high energy content, a high
vitamin B content, as well as iron and calcium.
The Protein Value is 6-7% in
Fresh and 20-25% in Dry Legumes
Especially in dry form, legume
seeds contain a respectable quantity of phosphorus, calcium and iron. They
should be cooked at length as they contain anti-digestive elements in its crude
form. The heat from cooking eliminates these negative characteristics. Dry
legumes should be left over night in water before cooking. Lentils do not
require this treatment.
Beans have been known since antiquity. Originally
from the Americas, they have been found in pre-Inca Peru and were also a
favorite with the Romans; known as the “poor man's meat”, there are over 300
varieties of beans; of these, 60 are edible. There are red, black, multicolor,
small, large, round and flat ones. They range from the Mexican bean (small,
black and round) to the Spanish one (large, white and flat). Given the
large qualities available, beans are cooked in a variety of ways: soups, minestrone,
salads and condiments.
Beans are Digested Slowly and Are
Very Filling
Lentils were among the
first foods to be cultivated and consumed by man; traces have been found in
Turkey in ruins dating back to 5500 BC as well as in Egyptian tombs from 2500
BC There are large seeds (6-9 mm), yellow or green, cultivated mostly in the
Americas, and a smaller variety (2-6 mm), orange, red or brown around the
Mediterranean, the Middle East and India. They are cooked as soup and as a side
dish to meat and other dishes. It is a well wisher during the New Year's celebrations
all over the world.
Peas are the legumes of which we have the most
information from antiquity. Probably originating in Asia, they may date back to
the stone-age. Modern techniques allow for availability year-round, canned or
frozen, fresh or dry.
Chick
Peas originally from the Orient,
the name derives from the Latin word “aries” which refers to the shape of the
seed. A major staple in the Middle East and India, it is cooked with pasta, as
soup and as a side dish.
Fava
Beans this
ancient plant, originating from Persia and Northern Africa, may have been known
in the bronze and iron ages. Possibly the first legume to be consumed by humans
as it does not require cooking.
In some parts of Southern Italy,
they are eaten as a fruit or in dry form with pasta or greens. Heavy
consumption of fresh fava beans may cause anemia in genetically predisposed
populations in the Mediterranean basin.
The Black Truffle has found a perfect habitat in the beech
woods in harmony with oak, birch
and hazel trees as well as black pine. It can be found in different areas of
central and southern Italy. It
has had its place for nearly two thousand years in the more culturally
sophisticated cuisine, and is appreciated
for its unique aroma. Found in sizes approaching that of a grapefruit, it acts
as an environmental guard as it refuses to grow in polluted terrain. Composed of water, fibers and minerals
its function is uniquely “aromatic” in this type of cuisine; the small quantities utilized contain limited
nutritional value. Nevertheless, it has its place in a variety of preparations
associated with appetizers, first and second dishes especially if accompanied
by a good olive oil.
Pasta the Romans where among
the first to mention lagane, from which lasagne is derived. Horatio and Cicero
consumed this light pasta made with flour and water. However, there is no
further historical data on pasta from 200 AD. Maccheroni originated in Sicily; the term is from the Greek
“macar” which means happy or food of the blessed ones. Pasta was seasoned with
sugar and honey besides cheese and butter. The first recipe with tomatoes dates
from the year 1839.
The Word Spaghetti Appears in a Neapolitan Cook Book from 1824
Bread
the history of bread
begins with that of man with barley and millet the preferred ingredients as
they were ideal from a nutritional standpoint; they were eventually replaced by
cereal. The
invention of bread can be attributed to the Egyptians nearly 3000 years ago.
They also developed
the first ovens and, it is believed that the workers of the pyramids were paid
in bread. Thereafter the Greeks developed at least 72 varieties of bread and
the Romans improved on certain technical features such as windmills. There were
at least 400 ovens in Imperial Rome with the first public oven dating back to
168 BC. Only with the start of the 20th
Century bread production reaches
an industrial scale.
There Were at least 400 Ovens in
Imperial Rome with the First Public Oven dating back to 168 BC
Mozzarella
the domestic water buffalo
originates from India and was also found in Persia, brought over by migrant workers
or armies. Later, Islamic soldiers brought it to Syria and Egypt. It arrived in
Italy in the year 596 during the reign of the Longobard king Aginulfo. It thrives
in warm, swampy areas, rich in water such as the Nile Delta. In Europe, it has
found fertile
ground in Puglia, Campania and the low lands along the Danube River. Mozzarella
was offered and received with great pleasure by the nobility passing through
while on the Grand Tour to Pompeii and Paestum. The word mozzarella comes from
“mozzata” or cutting.
The denomination “Mozzarella di
Bufala” was nationally recognized in 1993 with a D.O.C. label and a D.O.P. label
at the European level in 1996.
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