Mediterranean Diet Pyramid 2011

In the early nineties the Oldways food pyramid gained greater popularity over the standard food pyramid guide. Its helped followers of the med diet find an easier way to take part.

The essence of the diet is eating what is either abundant or unique to the Mediterranean due to its climate and geography.



Various cookery programs show many recipes from different countries around the Mediterranean using the same ingredients and given a different twist on either the preparation of the actual cooking of the dish, basically the result is the same and the taste is the same.

Much of this diet is reliant on fruits and vegetables, wholemeal grains and oils derived from the ubiquitous nuts and fruits i.e. Olive oil, nuts and avocados.

The climatic effect is clearly evident in the lack of recipes based on the heavier red meats. Don’t forget meat is generally regarded as expensive and the Mediterranean is not normally regarded as an economic powerhouse .so to sustain its population on locally sourced produce, red meat is eaten but not in the quantity that it is consumed in the more northerly and colder countries of northern Europe.

Dairy products and sweets are quite light in consumption as is alcohol; wine consumption seems to be the greatest in comparison to beers and liquors more traditional associated with the northern European countries

Normally the Mediterranean diet is associated with Greece and surrounding countries the slower pace of life and a diet more conducive to better health is what also lends to longevity and substantially reduced heart disease and cholesterol levels, and this fact is recognized by virtue of the Mediterranean diet‘s inclusion in the 2010 list of UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Mediterranean diet and its benefits are easily sold to many but the reality of practising what’s needed to obtain the benefits of following such a diet are not easy a easier way to follow the dietcould be found by the Oldways illustrated pyramid a simple but effective guide.

Mediterranean diets have generated many good recipe books and without suggesting any, the ideas in these books have shown how many good ingredients not normally considered for daily use elsewhere have been turned round to give a more healthy  alternatives to other more denser and more calorific ally higher valued foods and also less reliance on processed foods.

Chickpeas is one such item and its ability to be used to make a light pizza base  normally known as socca  is now growing in popularity as dietary requirements are now changing for many people forced to do so for health reasons.