Improper diet and obesity associated with him in our time becomes a global problem. Suffer from obesity not only residents developed regions, but also people in developing countries. As a dietician, said U.S. Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina: "From now suffers from obesity more people than from starvation. The transition from world hunger to defeat obesity occurred afflicted with a speed ". According to Professor Popkina worldwide over a billion people suffer from obesity, and only 800 million undernourished. And "the burden of obesity", with its attendant diseases, even in developing countries now affects not wealthy, and the poor.
The term "Mediterranean diet" has introduced an American doctor dietician Ancel Benjamin Keys in 1945. He studied the possible link between diet and features "disease of plenty", such as obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Nutrition noted that the farther from the Mediterranean diet sludge model, the more frequent cases of this disease. The Mediterranean diet for thousands of years evolved in Spain, Italy and Greece. There are currently in Spain have created several research centers to study the merits of diet.
Unrefined olive oil - a major component of diet
One of the most important components of a Mediterranean diet is considered olive oil containing vitamin E, beta carotene and vegetable fat. In the recent report submitted to the University Clinic the Queen Sofia in the city of Cordoba, where he studied the properties of olive oil, noting that daily consumption of this product for breakfast helps prevent diseases associated with the circulatory system, and prevents ageing body. The study recommends use only unrefined oil, because it contains more polyphenols, which define and therapeutic qualities of the product. Unrefined oil, manufacturing, typically in the early season harvest olives without hot processing, has the greenish color and bitter taste. Such a Spanish oil production is usually marked on the label as "virgen" (unrefined) or "virgen extra".
Leading dietician Madrid clinic Gregorio Marañón behalf of Professor Dr. Eduardo Moreno also notes the need for regular breakfast: "Breakfast in the Mediterranean diet given special priority. This applies primarily children. They must breakfast at home ". Nutrition recommend for breakfast consume 60 grams of bread, 40 g of wet oil.
As studies have shown already in use for several weeks unrefined olive oil reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. This breakfast offered within three weeks of 20 patients University Clinic. Patients began to feel better: the level of cholesterol in the blood dropped from them. A member of the Queen Sofia clinic doctor Rafael Carmen observes: "The Mediterranean diet based on olive oil, including daily consumption of nuts, substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke".
Nuts
Another mandatory component of the Mediterranean diet are nuts: walnut, filbert, almonds, pistachios, peanuts and others. They contain large quantities of protein, minerals and vitamins E, A, B1 and B2. Regular consumption of nuts impeded the development of arterial sclerosis, raise cholesterol levels. It is believed that a very useful against heart disease, for example, walnut.
Meat
Prominent in the Mediterranean diet has meat, especially pork, ham and sausages. Proponents of this diet say that the meat is a source of various minerals needed body - calcium, zinc, iron and phosphorus, as well as proteins. Fresh meat substitutes may well serve dried - a famous Spanish ham - hamon. However, Dr. Moreno believes that it is necessary to consume meat in limited quantities, and hamon and sausages - in very small, since the excess consumption of animal fat is harmful to humans.
He recalled that the most important thing in a Mediterranean diet - is its balance: the use of all types of products, but in quantities that are dictated by the needs of the body: "I want to say that one should not take any harmful products or meals in themselves. Damage could become only their consumption of immoderation. Now in the world, for example, adopted an American swearing-Donalds Mak and his hamburgers, as harmful and contributing to obesity. This is wrong. Hamburger have the right to life and it is useful to the body if used in the measure in the balanced nutrition, containing all the elements necessary for the body. Of course, if you'll eat daily in large numbers only hamburgers and completely ignore the vegetables, fruits, eggs, fish, dairy products and grains, then your body will cause great harm. Again, in the Mediterranean diet most importantly - a moderate and balanced diet ".
Vegetables, fruit and garlic
Vegetables and Fruits - an integral component of the Mediterranean diet. Recommended drink a day for at least five different dishes containing these products, with at least one fruit or vegetables should be eaten raw. This may be, for example, salad of fresh vegetables or apple.
Talk about some special seasonings, for example, on garlic, who is also a component of the Mediterranean diet. Spaniards believe that there is intact heads garlic has no special meaning - it should be consumed only in small quantities just as seasonings. Nutrition, a researcher curative properties of garlic Manuel Diaz believes: "Garlic is added to meat and vegetable ragout, when frying fish, in soups, especially in gaspacho - cold tomato soup, salad of fresh vegetables - it is the primary seasoning Spanish dishes".
Cold tomato soup gaspacho. Photo credit: Alpha Fish
On the use of fish, unlike meat, the Mediterranean diet does not impose special restrictions. The fish is recommended at least twice a week. Particularly useful Spaniards feel of a family skumbrievyh fish: tuna, mackerel and mackerel itself.
Dairy products
Every day is recommended to drink milk and dairy products have - yoghurt and cheese, and as cheeses made from cow, and from sheep and goat milk. The owner of a special "cheese" gourmet restaurant in Madrid Norel Elizabeth tells us about its useful properties: "Cheese - a very useful product. Unfortunately, the quality of some people do not appreciate. If in Holland and Switzerland dominated cheeses from cow's milk, then in Spain traditionally dominated from the sheep. In terms of nutritional quality of Spanish cheeses, perhaps even better than usual Europeans class Dutch and Swiss cheese ". The Mediterranean diet offers have cheese after eating dessert.
Chicken eggs
The Mediterranean diet recommends no abuse chicken eggs. They can have only three or four times a week because of the high cholesterol content. But on the nutritional quality of their eggs could easily replace meat and fish.
Bread
An important component of the Mediterranean diet are pasta, various cereals, rice, lentils, peas and beans Turkish. Their daily consumption should be. One can not deny ourselves and bread. Dr. Moreno is convinced that all the talk that the bread is better not because it contributes to the completeness - not wealthy: "From the bread, you can really raspolnet, but only if a time to eat a loaf. From the moderate consumption of bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner yet no one corrects ".
Wine
In the Mediterranean diet also includes wine, although it is not mandatory. Recommended wine consumed sparingly - for lunch or dinner no more than one cup - 200 grams - dry wines: red or white. It is believed that moderate consumption of the product serves as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The amount of wine for the meal even allow the Spanish rules of the road. The driver was punishable only if the level of alcohol in the blood it will exceed figure, reflecting the consumption of more alcohol. However, each time referring to the beneficial properties of wine, the Spanish dieticians remind about the dangers of abusing these drinks. Dr. Eduardo Moreno recalls: "Alcohol, used in large quantities, provides the body unnecessary calories, which postponed in the form of fat and have no energy value to humans".
Mediterranean diet now available everywhere
Dr. Moreno believed that the Mediterranean diet principles are applicable anywhere in the world, the same today of its main products are sold everywhere: "I have collected about 85 different diets from different countries, whose authors promise slimming patients, recovery from all disease and other miracles. Basically, we are talking about prospecting false doctrine. Regarding the Mediterranean diet, it produces thousands of years, so that its time-tested properties. Therefore, people who want sbavit weight and eat properly in the future, the Spanish doctors recommend exactly this diet. Besides the proposed diet is not the road. It includes products and limiting public consumption of expensive products, for example, meat.