Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Lauren Here! It has been a few weeks, but I am back and ready to discuss some nutrition. Today's topic will focus on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. For those of you that don't know, the Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2007 study conducted in the United States found that both men and women who consumed a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of death from both heart disease and cancer.

Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:

• Getting plenty of exercise and eating your meals with family and friends
• Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
• Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Eating small portions of nuts
• Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some
• Consuming very little red meat
• Eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains

The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice. For example, residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

Nuts are another part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Nuts are high in fat (approximately 80 percent of their calories come from fat), but tree nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat. Nuts are high in calories, so they should not be eaten in large amounts — generally no more than a handful a day. For the best nutrition, avoid honey-roasted or heavily salted nuts.

Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet there. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten without butter or margarines, which contain saturated or trans fats.

Healthy fats

The focus of the Mediterranean diet isn't to limit total fat consumption, but to make wise choices about the types of fat you eat.

The Mediterranean diet is similar to the American Heart Association's Step I diet, but it contains less cholesterol and has more fats. These fat sources include canola oil and nuts, particularly walnuts. Fish — another source of omega-3 fatty acids — is eaten on a regular basis in the Mediterranean diet.

Choosing oils and fats

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes using olive oil as your primary source of fat, rather than animal or dairy fats. All types of olive oil provide monounsaturated fat — a type of fat that can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels when used in place of saturated or trans fats.

Wine

Red wine reduces the blood's ability to clot, and also contains antioxidants. The Mediterranean diet typically includes some red wine, but this should be consumed only in moderation. This means no more than 5 ounces of wine daily for women (or men over age 65), and no more than 10 ounces of wine daily for men under age 65. Any more than this increases the risk of health problems, including increased risk of certain types of cancer.

I hope you all enjoyed today's topic. Now take everything that you have learned today, and create a delicious Mediterranean feast! However remember, limit yourself on that red wine!

Herbed Lamb Chops with Greek Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 pounds lamb loin chops, (about 8), trimmed of fat
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat couscous
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1. Put water on to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Combine garlic, parsley and salt in a small bowl. Press the garlic mixture into both sides of lamb chops. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops and cook to desired doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium. Keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, stir couscous into the boiling water. Return to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, feta, lemon juice and dill. Stir to combine. Serve the couscous with the lamb chops.

Enjoy!

Lauren