Diego, CA 92130. Telephone: (858) 794-1250. Website:
http://www.scrippshealth.org.Rebecca J. Frey, PhDGreek and Middle Eastern diet
Definition
The ‘‘Mediterranean diet’’ gained much recogni-
tion and worldwide interest in the 1990s as a model for
healthful eating habits. The diet is based on the tradi-
tional dietary patterns of Crete, a Greek island, and
other parts of Greece and southern Italy. The diet has
become a popular area of study due to observations
made in 1960 of low incidences of chronic disease and
high life-expectancy rates attributed to the popula-
tions who consumed a traditional Mediterranean
diet. This healthful diet model goes far beyond the
use of particular ingredients and recipes. It attains its
full meaning in the context of climate, geography,
customs, and the way of life of Mediterranean peoples.Origins
The Mediterranean Basin
In efforts to understand theMediterranean diet,it
is necessary to first learn about the many countries
that border the Mediterranean Sea. The diet is closely
tied geographically to areas of olive oil cultivation in
the Mediterranean Basin. It can be defined by diets of
the early 1960s in Greece, southern Italy and other
Mediterranean regions in which olive oil was the prin-
cipal source of dietary fat. The olive remains the most
typical Mediterranean tree because it has adapted to
the regional climate of long, very hot, dry summers
and mild, damp winters.
The lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea
contain some of the oldest cultures on Earth. Greece,
as well as other countries of Europe, North Africa,
and some Middle Eastern nations, played a central
role in the expansion of empires and cross-cultural
exchanges over the centuries. Over 2,000 years ago
trade by means of sea routes allowed Greek, Roman,
Phoenician, Carthaginian, Arab, and Oriental prod-
ucts and traditions to intermix, resulting in mutual
enrichment and an evolution of what is now incorpo-
rated into the Mediterranean diet. However, many
different diets exist throughout the Mediterranean
region, and there is no such thing as just one Medi-terranean diet. Variations of this diet have tradition-
ally existed in the North African countries of Morocco
and Tunisia, parts of Turkey, and other Middle East-
ern countries such as Lebanon and Syria.Culture
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern culture is cen-
tered on a strong patriarchal family. This has lessened
in recent years, but family ties are still strong. Customs
and family traditions influence nutrition greatly.
Food is an integral part of family celebrations,
special days of honor, and festivals. In the Middle
Eastern nation of Israel, kosher dietary laws concern-
ing the selection, preparation, and eating of food
remains influential in Jewish life. The Jewish laws of
kashrut, or keeping kosher, determines which foods
are kosher and which are non-kosher. Many ancient
practices and rituals, handed down from generation to
generation, are observed.
Many people from Mediterranean and Middle
Eastern cultures observe Islam and Eastern Orthodox
religions, which influence the kinds of food chosen and
how the foods are combined. Fasting from sunrise to
sunset is a Muslim religious obligation practiced dur-
ing the sacred month of Ramadan. Muslims do not eat
any form of pork, or any meat that has been slaugh-
tered without mentioning God’s name. Muslims can-
not drink alcoholic beverages or foods flavored with
alcohol—which differs from Greek and other Medi-
terranean cultures, where wine is a large part of the
diet. Middle Easterners also have a high incidence of
lactose intolerance, and therefore fresh milk is not
widely consumed.SOURCE: Adapted from <http://www.infanca.org>Halal (Halaal) food products
Milk (from cows, sheep, camels,
and goats)
Honey
Fish
Plants that are not an intoxicant
Fresh or naturally frozen
vegetables
Fresh or dried fruits
Legumes and nuts such as
peanuts, cashew nuts,
pistachios, hazelnuts, and
walnuts
Grains such as wheat, rice, rye,
barley, and oatsHaram (Haraam) food
products not halal
Pork and pork by-products
Animals improperly slaughtered or
dead before slaughtering
Alcohol and intoxicants
Carnivorous animals, birds of prey, and
land animals without external ears
Blood and blood by-products
Foods contaminated with any of the
above products(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)Greek and Middle Eastern diet