The way people eat in countries like Italy and Greece has had a nutritional model patterned after it. It is called the Mediterranean diet. They have been known to have a lower rate of cancer and other diseases in that area of the world, and so people have finally begun to give it some attention.
This way of eating has only recently been getting attention from Americans-- starting in the late 1990s in fact-- even though it was first developed in the 1940s by an American doctor. At least it's finally well-known. There are a fair amount of differences between the average American diet and this diet that are worth reviewing.
The Mediterranean Diet food pyramid is very different from the US Food Pyramid. It contains very little red meat, for starters. They do use red meat in their recipes, but not frequently, and in little portions. Taking up a big portion of the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid is fish. The US Food pyramid, on the other hand, groups all the different meats into one category.
In Mediterranean fare, whole grain foods make up the main staple. That includes rice, bread, couscous, potatoes, and similar foods. Fruits and vegetables are also an important part of the Mediterranean diet, as are nuts and beans, and this is one thing that the two food pyramids have in common, although the quantities that are recommended are somewhat different.
The traditional US food pyramid groups all the forms of protein into one category, which makes it hard to see what specific role each type of food ought to play in your diet. This diet food pyramid keeps them separate.
This Mediterranean way of thinking and eating has finally been getting attention, because people have discovered that those who follow this diet experience incredibly low rates of diseases and cancer.
The Mediterranean Diet includes plenty of red wine, usually very often in just about every meal. We know that red wine contains very powerful and beneficial antioxidants. You will also find a lot of olive oil in Mediterranean cooking. Like red wine, it also has some of its own antioxidant properties. If you want to live a healthy life, check out the food pyramid.
