The Mediterranean Diet - Essay Example

?Introduction The Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest in the world, and for good reason. The sun-soaked region surrounding the Mediterranean sea – including North Africa, the Middle East, France, Spain, Italy and Greece – is known for preparation of food with fresh ingredients grown from the land. Olive oil and wine are other staples for this region, and these are both known to be healthy. The cuisine is particularly suited for both the slow food movement and the back to the kitchen movement, as both of these movements focus on preparation minimally processed food and fresh ingredients. The Mediterranean cuisine is particularly suited for workers who are looking for an alternative to the cafeteria or vending machines at work. Discussion Mediterranean food is considered, by Martha Rose Shulman, to be the “World’s healthiest cuisine,” which is why her book, Mediterranean Light is subtitled “Delicious Recipes from the World’s Healthiest Cuisine” (Shulman, 1989). Shulman states that part of the reason why the region’s food is so healthy is because the food is prepared with fresh ingredients. This is due to the fact that many of the countries in the Mediterranean region are poor countries, so the cuisine reflects the fact that the citizens in those countries take advantage of what nature has to offer, as opposed to eating processed foods. Thus, they are more apt to “live off the land,” and their recipes reflect this ethos. Moreover, Shulman states that part of the reason why the food is so healthy is because of the ingredients – for instance, olive oil is a staple in many of the dishes in Italy and Spain, and olive oil is thought to reduce bad cholesterol in the people who consume this kind of oil on a regular basis. Vegetables also form a focus in this kind of food, including tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, artichokes, sweet peas and beans. These are all known to be very healthful ingredients as well. The fruits which are a part of the cuisine are also healthy, and they include figs, melons, peaches and apricots. These dishes are also centered around lean protein, such as rabbit, chicken and fish. Shulman also praises the Mediterranean cuisine because of the flavor that it receives from the fresh, wholesome ingredients and herbs. Because the herbs are so pungent – common herbs include parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, coriander and mint, along with a lot of garlic – the cuisine is flavorful without adding a lot of sodium and fat. Other ingredients which are used in the Mediterranean, including Parmesan Cheese, are so flavorful that a little goes a long way. Even the desserts in Shulman’s book, such as fruit enhanced with honey and lemon, are healthy and low-sugar (Shulman, 1989). Shulman’s book consists of food from throughout the Mediterranean, so she has recipes from Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, and the Middle East. The website “AroundSicily.com” zeroes in on Italian food, and the benefits of this kind of cuisine. This website states that Italian food, true Italian food, centers on fresh ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, dairy products, fish, poultry, eggs and moderate amounts of wine. This website states that a typical Italian breakfast consists of yogurt, milk or coffee; snacks are fruits and juices; lunch is a pasta and salad; and dinner consists of fish, meat or chicken with a vegetable side dish. Pizza, the Italian dish that many non-Italians consider to be a staple, is only consumed sparingly in Italy, with most Italians eating this once a week (AroundSicily.com). Nestle (1995) is particularly concerned with Mediterranean food, and its current status of being somewhat of a lost art. She states that the Mediterranean people show the rate of chronic diseases to be the lowest in the world, with some of the highest life expectancies in the world. For instance, Nestle notes that the Cretes subsist on a diet of olives, cereal grains, wild greens and herbs, fruits, with limited amounts of goat meat and dairy products, with wine being frequently consumed. A study done on the Cretes found that there were “few serious nutritional problems” seen in this island (Nestle, 1995, p. 1315S). Crete, according to Nestle, shows exceptional overall population health, so this diet has become the pattern for people seeking to attain the Mediterranean cuisine as a staple (Nestle, 1995). Food and Memories Food becomes a part of one’s identity, according to Alison James in her article “How British is British Food,” in the book Food, Health and Identity by Patricia Caplan. Thus, the memories of food upon which one is raised forms the basis for a person’s identity, and this identity is often based upon the kind of ethnic cuisine served in one’s household. As James states, what one eat sets one apart from others in the cultural realm. This may be seen, for example, in the cultural prohibitions against eating pork in the Jewish and Muslim religions – this is an essential part of their cultural heritage, and it sets them apart and defines them as a part of their cultural group (James, 1997). Food also forms memories, and these memories and associations form the basis for what is commonly termed as “comfort food.” Wansink et al., (2003) state that comfort foods are foods which conjure a comfortable and pleasurable state in the person, and that childhood experienced and social-affective contexts influence these food preferences. The psychological pleasure that these foods bring is based upon the feelings of pleasure and love which are behind these foods. The researchers state that this psychological response explains why some people love liver and onions, while others find this aversive. Moreover, chocolate is often favored in part because of its association with gift-giving and rewards in childhood experiences. At the same time, certain foods may have negative connotations, and these negative connotations creates food aversions. Concurs Wood (2009), food often has a certain nostalgic appeal that is based upon sentiment, and is often associated with home and contentment. Familiar foods evoke comfort and psychological benefits. Wood also found, interestingly enough, that when individuals are in the midst of great personal change, they choose familiar favorites less often (Wood, 2009). Thus, as Wansink and Wood acknowledge, there is a very powerful memory component in the consumption of food. Whether one remembers mum serving Yorkshire Pudding every Sunday evening at dinner, or one remembers one’s father serving curried chicken, these will be the foods which will be psychologically comforting, because these are the foods which are steeped with memories of home, childhood and love. These will be the foods which will create the nostalgic craving, that, interestingly enough, according to Wood, are not as appealing when an individual is going through great personal change. Food Culture Differences in the South (Greece, Italy, France and Spain) and the North (The UK). There is not a doubt that there is considerable difference between Southern European countries such as Greece, Italy, France and Spain and the North. The south consists of the Mediterranean cuisine which is listed above – olives, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, freshly prepared breads, wine, lean proteins form the bulk of the diet. The food is freshly prepared. As for the British diet, however, Pryer et al. (2001), who did a study of the dietary patterns among a random sample of British adults, found that the diet is considerably less healthy. These researchers conducted a randomized study of 1087 men and 1110 women aged 16-64, with a response rate of 70 percent. They then did hierarchical clustering of the participants. They found that the British diet, is based upon, for most men, beer, margarine, prepared meat, chips and white bread. The British men in this study had low consumptions of whole grains, fruits and nuts. This dietary pattern, dubbed “convenience food” pattern was, at 32% of the men, the prevalent cluster that the researchers saw for British men. As for British women, the highest cluster, also at 32% showed a high consumption of white bread, butter and moderately high consumption of tea, prepared meat products, chips and potatoes, cakes and confectionary (Pryer et al., 2001). Therefore, as evidenced by this study of randomized British subjects, the typical British diet is based upon convenience foods, prepared meat, white bread and sugar. \ Concurs Derek Oddy (2003), author of Plain Fare to Fusion Food: British Diet from the 1890s to the 1990s, the British diet consists of traditional dishes such as black puddings, pig’s feet, beef, beef drippings and stews (Oddy, 2003). Passmore et al. (1979) showed that the typical British Diet, as evidenced by the quantities of foods purchased by households in selected regions, including London, Scotland and Wales, showed a large quantity of meat being consumed by these households, along with potatoes, breads, fruits, sugar, and vegetables (Passmore, 1979). That said, James (1997) cautions against using stereotypes in ascertaining typical regional diets, given the diversity within cultures for what people prefer to eat. James states that people have an idea about typical diets, such as a typical Italian diet, or Greek diet, or Spanish diet, and this is what gives society at large a general idea of what to expect when visiting these countries. Furthermore, as each region of the world is influenced by the global nature of society, as well as immigrants into the country and the general fluidity of the populace with regards to travel, food, according to James, has more of a global character than a local one. She points out that olive oil has only become a staple in the Provencal region since the end of the 19th Century (James, 1997). Therefore, James argues that regional cooking is influenced by globalization, and, as such, is ever evolving. That said, the books about Mediterranean cooking trade on the stereotypes of the region when describing the “typical diet,” and this typical diet consists of whole grains, lean protein, olive oil, wine, fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, the study conducted by Pryer et al. describes the British diet as being based upon convenience foods, processed meats, butter and sugar. Passmore et al. (1979) found, similarly, that meat, bread and potatoes makes up the largest quantity in the British diet, although they did not break down the meats according to whether are lean, processed or fatty. It can therefore be argued that the traditional Mediterranean diet is based upon a much more healthful array of foods then is the typical British diet. How Weather Affects Lifestyle Weather has an affect on lifestyle and food choices. One could just look at southern Europe and northern Europe, and the differences in these two cuisines, to determine just how much of an affect weather has on lifestyle and food choices. The southern cuisine reflects the sun-soaked nature of the climate and terrain, while the northern cuisine reflects the colder region, in that the focus on heavy foods would presumably benefit those who live in colder climates. The potatoes, which are a staple of this region, also grow in abundance. Slow food, back to the kitchen, brown-bagging and the Mediterranean food culture There is increasingly a trend towards the Mediterranean way of life and cooking, as evidenced by the slow food movement and the back to the kitchen movement. The slow food movement originated in Italy in 1986 as a way of protesting the first McDonald’s in Rome. The organization now boasts 100,000 members in 132 countries and is concerned with not only advocating the pleasures of slow food, but also advocating the purchase of food locally grown, which has, in turn, led to the proliferation of farmer’s markets (Pollan). The slow food movement, in conjunction with the Mediterranean cuisine, is heralded by Paula Wolfert, author of The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen: Recipes for the Passionate Cook. In this book, Wolfert talks about the joy of making dishes which take a long time to prepare, in that perhaps they need to be cooked for a long period of time, such as with a cassoulet, or they might need to rise overnight, as with many breads. Other dishes might be prepared in a slow cooker, so that maximum tenderness may be attained with these dishes. Her book focuses, as with Shulman’s book, on food from all around the region (Wolfert, 2003). Moreover, Wolfert concentrates on other issues surrounding food, such as bio-diversity, regionalism and slow eating. Her mantra is to “smell the roses” so to speak, and not be in a hurry to prepare or eat food (Wolfert). Wolfert’s concentration upon other issues regarding food, such as biodiversity and regionalism, is reflected in the slow food movement as a whole. This movement is concerned with where the food comes from, so organic products are emphasized. Moreover, the slow food movement focuses on non-processed food from neighborhood markets. This is part of the reason, states Hopkins (2003), Whole Foods and Wild Oats – two large natural foods chains – were doing such great business in 2003. With these markets’ emphasis on organic food which is sustainable, they were a natural fit for the generation which turned to slow food as a new staple (Hopkins, 2003). The back to the kitchen movement is similar to the slow food movement, and also may center around Mediterranean cuisine. The back to the kitchen movement simply means that people are starting to cook again, as opposed to going out to eat or popping a frozen pizza into the oven for dinner. The emphasis, as with slow food, is also on freshly prepared foods which are minimally processed. Lewis (2011) states that this movement is being lauded even by feminists, as women are getting back to doing domestic duties such as cooking (Lewis, 2011). Michael Pollan, prolific author of books regarding food, including The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto states that the back to the kitchen movement, with its emphasis on healthy food and healthy ingredients, has, in America, been given a large boost by Michelle Obama, the First Lady, who has made combatting childhood obesity a cornerstone of her personal campaign. Pollan also cites Janet Flammang, author of The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society as advocating for the back to the kitchen trend. Flammang, states Pollan, states that the feminists who urged women to get out of the kitchen are doing a great disservice, as they have denigrated the time-honored tradition of the family meal, and all that goes along with it – conversations, sharing, listening and learning to argue without offending. Further, Flammang asserts that women are having second thoughts about leaving the kitchen, and that women are returning to the kitchen and bringing along their husbands and children as well (Pollan). All of this ties in with the desire to brown bag one’s lunch. The benefits of this, according to “The Benefits of Nutritious Sack Lunches” are that people who bring their lunches, as opposed to being subjected to the vagaries of the cafeteria or, god forbid, the vending machine, experience better overall health, less chance of obesity, better overall diet, and, for children in school, better learning (The Benefits of Nutritious Sack Lunches). One might use Tupperware or Rubbermaid Containers to put their fresh taboule salad, for instance, as they can get their serving of whole grains, beans, vegetables and olive oil with this bulgur-based dish, and serve it with a chicken breast and light salad. This way, the person knows what is in there – how much fat, how it is prepared, etc., and can control the ingredients, calories and fat content. Taking lunch breaks are also important, in order to enjoy this meal during the day. Hardwick (2000) states that, contrary to what might be believed, working through lunch does not lead to increased efficiency. This is because lunchtime should be a time to reflect and recharge. Moreover, not taking lunch breaks is a contributing factor to burnout. Hardwick states that the simple measure of recapturing lunch breaks could lead to decreased stress and less burnout and gives one an opportunity to take back control of their working and professional life. For him, a psychiatrist, he takes his lunch breaks without guilt for these reasons (Hardwick, 2000). Conclusion The Mediterranean cuisine is healthy and minimally processed, which is in contrast to the UK’s traditional cuisine which consists of heavy, fatty meats and potatoes as its focus. The comforting palate of the Mediterranean cuisine will evoke fond memories in all who consume it. Therefore, the Mediterranean cuisine diet would be a healthy alternative for anybody who is thinking about becoming health conscious, needs to lose weight, or is looking for an alternative to processed and fast foods. Bibliography “The Benefits of Nutritious Sack Lunches.” (2008) [online] Available at: http://www.surfnetparents.com/613/the-benefits-of-nutritious-sack-lunches/ Hardwick, P. (2000) “Lunch times eaten?” The Psychiatrist 24: 26-27. Hopkins, J. (2003) “Slow food movement gathers momentum.” USAToday.com. [online] Available at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2003-11-25-slowfood_x.htm Lewis, P. (2011) “Empowering Women Back to the Kitchen.” Real America. [online] Available at: http://www.wnd.com/2011/12/373729/ Lugay, K. (2012) “Four Reasons Why You Should Take Your Lunch Break at Work.” Ezine Articles. Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Four-Reasons-Why-You-Should-Take-Your-Lunch-Break-at-Work&id=921906 “Mediterranean diet and the nutrition of Italian food.” AroundSicily.com. [online] Available at: http://www.tourofsicily.com/Mediterranean_Diet.htm Nestle, M. (1995) “Mediterranean diets: Historical and research overview.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61: pp. 1313S-1320S. Oddy, D. (2003) From Plain Fare to Fusion Food: British Diet from the 1890s to the 1990s. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. Passmore, R., Hollingsworth, D. & Robertson, J. (1979) “Prescription for a better British diet,” British Medical Journal, 1: 527-531. 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