Most Mediterranean foods are known as the cuisine that has evolved over the centuries, specifically in the sixteen countries that surround the Mediterranean. These main countries that have influenced the evolution of these foods are southern Greece, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain. These countries are characterized by the highest life expectancy of their inhabitants, as well as the lowest incidence of heart disease and cancer.
The Basic Mediterranean Diet
Many Mediterranean foods contain complex carbohydrates, many vegetables, fruits, beans, pasta, rice, and many other grains. Since all Mediterranean countries have had access to the sea, fish is popular; however, due to overfishing, use has moderated somewhat now. Wine is also frequently drunk but in smaller or moderate amounts and all food is cooked in olive oil. Apart from giving the food its own flavor. Olive oil is also considered therapeutic in nature and naturally contains no cholesterol, which reduces the risks of heart disease.
A Typical Mediterranean Food
A meal will usually start with appetizers, for example the Moroccan olive salad or the Turkish stuffed grape leaves. If the season is right, sometimes a hearty Mediterranean soup, like the heavy fafa bean soup from Sicily or the pasta soup from Greece, along with fresh raw bread, can be the complete meal. Bread is often served and a couple of popular breads are olive bread from Cyprus or sesame bread from Egypt.
The main course consists of a lot of vegetables, fetta, pasta or legumes, which basically means that the plants will form the majority of the meal with portions of fish and meat. Some examples are the Greek aubergine pilaf or the simple Tunisian fish dish with couscous, which is a semolina grain.
The last course is invariably quite simple with a cup of Turkish coffee or Moroccan tea and, for dessert, simple things like Algerian almond cookies, lemon tart from Provence, baked figs from Greece, or simple Sicilian lemon ice cream.
What are popular Mediterranean foods?
Some of the popular forms of Mediterranean food include fish dishes due to the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, however due to overfishing in this area much of the fish now has to be imported.
Grilled food is popular in these areas where the meat is cooked using the heat of charcoal and wood. Barbecuing is popular in most parts of the world, although the technique will differ slightly wherever the basic preparation is the same.
Pita bread is a flat wheat bread made with yeast and, in addition to being part of Mediterranean cuisine, it is also part of the traditional cuisine of many countries in the Middle East and Africa. There it is known as the Lebanese, Syrian or Arab Bread.
Hummus which is a dip based on chickpeas and sesame paste with aromas of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and paprika. This dish has become quite popular as a breakfast dish and has gained popularity throughout the Arab world.
Are Mediterranean foods healthy?
Mediterranean foods became popular in the 1990s in the Western world, mainly because they have a lot of supporting research from a large number of universities and research associations around the world. In addition, it is considered the main cause of the longevity of people in this region along with the reduced incidence of heart and other diseases compared to the Western world. This is due to many factors, including olive oil, which is high in antioxidants and, unlike the animal fats consumed in the United States, is said to control cholesterol and reduce heart disease.