Mediterranean Cuisine:

The Cuisine of the Mediterranean Diet

by Anne Berline

There's been a good deal of attention focused on Mediterranean cuisine thanks to the health benefits discovered by research. Alas, there's been far less written on one simple fact about the Mediterranean diet: quite simply, it is delicious.

According to a study released by the Harvard Medical School in the 1990s, older adults living in Mediterranean countries - southern parts of Italy, Sardinia, Greece, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, mostly - had a notably low incidence of heart disease and other age-related ailments. After evaluating all the various factors, researchers concluded that it was diet and activity level that made the difference in health.

Unfortunately, there was no room in their findings to discuss the tang of a fresh tomato topped with a slice of fresh goat cheese and drizzled with basil steeped in olive oil. But the fact remains: the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on fresh vegetables, fresh pasta and bread, olive oil and spices, is delicious. It's the kind of meals that leave you not only full, but completely satisfied.

So how do the nutritional findings translate to one of the most delightful treats for the tongue and appetite ever created? The findings, as quoted by the American Heart Association are:

• high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds
• olive oil is an important monounsaturated fat source
• dairy products, fish and poultry are consumed in low to moderate amounts, and little red meat is in the diet
• eggs are consumed zero to four times a week
• wine is consumed in low to moderate amounts

For breakfast, slice a fresh peach over kasha or oatmeal, drizzle with honey or stir in a tablespoon of yogurt. Another day, slice fresh berries into a little dish of yogurt and sprinkle with wheat germ or crushed walnuts or almonds.

At lunch, try bouillabaisse, rich with seafood and potatoes, or a thick slice of bread with sliced tomatoes and olives and a thin slice of goat cheese. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for crunch and added flavor.

Fresh spinach and onions, barely wilted in olive oil over a high fire, topped with a tablespoon of yogurt blends acrid, sweet, and creamy flavors and textures into a side dish that cools the palate even as it warms the stomach. It's that unusual spark that makes Mediterranean cuisine so deliciously different than what we imagine. For Italy, we think pasta - yet there is bulgar, couscous, rice and brown rice, kasha, polenta, and hummus. Grapes and strawberries, figs and dates, olives and tomatoes are all staples of the Mediterranean diet.

If you've decided that your health is important, and Mediterranean cuisine is right for you, step beyond the pasta pages of your cookbook and look into the cuisine of nearby countries. You'll find a whole new world of flavor to savor along with the knowledge that it's all good for you.

Editor's note: Every week we feature three brand new recipes. Please click here to check out these free healthy recipes.