But these days, as obesity rates continue to climb in Italy, France, and other European countries once praised for their healthy, slow food eating style and mastery of proper portion control, the so-called “Mediterranean diet” is becoming a largely theoretical concept.
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While there is no official, agreed-upon definition for the Mediterranean diet, those in the health world use the phrase to describe an eating pattern based on the foods traditionally consumed by people in Greece, Spain, southern Italy, and other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea: Plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, and — of course — olive oil. It also includes moderate amounts of fish, chicken and other poultry, eggs, and dairy, while limiting red meat, sweets, and refined grains.
The Mediterranean Diet in Decline
Unfortunately, modern societies in these regions aren’t eating like their ancestors did. They have adopted many of the same habits that have contributed to soaring obesity rates here in the United States. Europeans are eating more fast food and processed foods and becoming more sedentary — the perfect recipe, as we know all too well, for a continent-wide health crisis. Europeans today are also consuming more calories from foods that their predecessors ate infrequently, including red meat, cheese, sweets, and sugary drinks. Sound familiar?
While European obesity rates may lag behind U.S. numbers, they’re steadily creeping up, and don’t show signs of plateauing in most countries. In Western Europe as a whole, an estimated 61 percent of adult men and 48 percent of adult women are currently overweight or obese, compared to 71 percent of men and 62 percent of women in the United States. Greece, one of the most iconic Mediterranean nations, has one of the highest male obesity rates in Europe. And, according to a 2014 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Greece and Italy actually have a greater proportion of overweight children than the United States.
Given the dramatic shift in Europe’s eating habits, it’s no wonder that there’s confusion about what constitutes a healthy, Mediterranean-style eating pattern. It’s certainly not a diet of cheese-laden pizza, gelato, white pasta, and lamb, despite the fact that these foods are the ones we often associate with the region.
Eat Like an Old-School Mediterranean
In reality, the definition that researchers use for the Mediterranean diet is not all that different from current general recommendations for an overall healthy diet. It may not be completely historically accurate or representative of all Mediterranean countries, and it certainly doesn’t reflect current eating habits in the region, but following this eating style can help reduce your risk for a number of lifestyle-related health conditions. Here are the major themes:
The overarching goal is to eat a primarily plant-based diet. Make half your plate vegetables and fruits at every meal, and aim to eat more vegetarian meals that include beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds for protein.
Don’t skimp on fat, but do choose the healthiest sources the majority of the time: olive and other plant oils for cooking, along with nuts, seeds, and avocado.
Eat fish at least twice a week. You can also include moderate amounts of dairy (1 to 2 servings a day), chicken and poultry (a few times a week), and eggs (up to 7 per week).
Make the majority of your grains whole. Whole-wheat bread and pasta are good, convenient choices, but try to mix in some whole kernel grains, like brown rice, oats, bulgur, farro, quinoa, whole corn (such as popcorn), and barley.
Enjoy wine in moderation, if you so choose.
Limit red meat, sweets, and sugary drinks. Snack on whole and minimally processed foods (including nuts, fruit, vegetables, and yogurt) rather than packaged foods.
By Johannah Sakimura (www.everydayhealth.com/)
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