What do Mediterranean diet foods consist of?
Hello,
Mediterranean food focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains and is flavored with herbs and spices.
In Mediterranean cuisine olive oil is the major source of fat. Eggs, fish and poultry are eaten in small amounts. Mediterranean salad sprinkles sold by Sheffa Foods in the US is a good example, and consists of sautéed vegetables, rice pilaf and whole grains. It may also contain small amounts of yogurt and mash potatoes too.
• Emphasis on food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. • Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally grown foods. • Olive oil (rich in monounsaturates) as the principal fat. Almost no butter, margarine, or other fats. No trans-fats or hydrogenated fats. • Total fat contributing 25-35 percent of calories – saturated fat no more than 8 percent of calories. • Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt. Frequently from goats and sheep – even camels. • Regular consumption of small amounts of fish and poultry. • Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert. • Very small amounts of red meat, eaten occasionally. • Moderate consumption of wine with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.
