Health & fitness

[TettyB]

I am trying to trace food intolerences. Years ago I had a diet where food was split into 4 different sections, one for each day so you only ate that item once every 4 days. Can anyone tell me the name of this diet? Many thanks, TettyB

[rickyinfluenza]

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid

The Mediterranean diet food pyramid is an alternative to the traditional one which is becoming increasingly popular because it is not based on popular food trends. The diet itself is founded on thousands of years of tradition within the Mediterranean region. The dietary traditions of Mediterranean countries have long been recognized as very healthy, and the food that they consume is one of the main factors in that healthiness. Knowing the difference between the traditional food pyramid and the Mediterranean one will assist you in improving your health.

The Mediterranean diet food pyramid is significantly different to the traditional one with which we are familiar. There are certain glaring differences, namely;

The Mediterranean one does not have a fats category
Red meat is at the top of the Mediterranean pyramid as a food to eat least of along with sweets/desserts.
Olive oil is grouped with the fruit and vegetable as something to be consumed frequently

The top portion of the Mediterranean diet food pyramid starts with red meat as a source of animal protein. Red meat and sweets are the least consumed foods in the Mediterranean, around 2-3 times per month. The next category, consumed a couple of times per week, are poultry, eggs and dairy products like cheese and yogurt. Next comes fish and seafood which are consumed almost daily. Basically, the Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fats and omega 3.

The bottom level of the pyramid is composed of fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, couscous, brown rice, polenta and other whole grains. People in the Mediterranean rarely eat processed grains (i.e. white flour). A large variety of these fresh foods are eaten daily, and they are usually either raw or lightly cooked. This means that the nutrients are still intact. Cooking foods actually kills most nutrients or renders them undigestible. Hence it is always better to eat food raw or partially cooked.

The final part of the Mediterranean pyramid is the recommendation of six glasses of water per day and a moderate amount of wine (i.e. one glass of red wine with dinner).

It is interesting to note that olive oil is grouped with the fruit and vegetables in the Mediterranean pyramid. As you can imagine, olive oil is a large part of the Mediterranean diet and many dishes contain it. While it is true that oil is high in calories, olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fat which is high in antioxidants and contains omega 3 so we can consume a little more as long as we don't go overboard. Monounsaturated oils like olive oil are anti-inflammatory and are good for diseases like asthma and arthritis. They're also heart healthy because the omega 3 lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and raises HDL ("good") cholesterol. The most healthy olive oil is extra virgin olive oil.
I hope it helps.