Mediterranean diet - Photo © pinobarile |
The Mediterranean Diet
The discovery of the Mediterranean diet is attributed to the
nutritionist Ancel Keys, who following the fifth fleet in 1945,
landed in Salerno.
Stationed in Battipaglia area he noticed that
cardio-vascular illnesses, widespread in his own country, were
quite rare. In fact, among the population of Cilento there was a
particularly low incidence of the so called "diseases of
affluence" (arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes).
These
observations were the basis for a research program that examined
eating habits in Japan, in U.S., in Yugoslavia, Germany, Finland
and Italy. The results showed without any doubt that the eating
habits of more than 12.000 subjects analyzed, that the more they
moved away from the Mediterranean areas, the higher the
incidence of the above illnesses was recognized. |
A sensational
discovery that led American scientists to set up in the 70s a
widespread program of preventative medicine based on the studies
conducted by Keys in Cilento.
Thus followed the international
success and popularity of this Mediterranean diet consisting of whole and
natural foods, essential for the health of the individual. The
basic elements of this diet are cereal (bread, pasta, polenta),
legumes, vegetables, fruit and olive oil.
Normally the word "diet" carries a negative connotation,
associated with limited food, depending on a particular
pathological state or an excessive increase in "fat" in the
body. Instead if we look up at the etymology of the word "diet"
in the dictionary, we find that it originates from a Greek word
with the meaning of "life, lifestyle, way of living".
In fact eating is one of the fundamentals of our life and being
more aware of it can help us to live better and longer. Today
all doctors agree on prescribing a diet based on a Mediterranean
model, that appropriately divides the daily calories for the
different nutrients in order to prevent the beginning of the
"diseases of affluence":
- 60% carbo-hydrates (cereals, pasta, bread)
- 30% fats (olive oil, butter, lard)
- 10% protein (meat, fish, legumes)
The Mediterranean diet pyramid
The Mediterranean diet can be represented graphically as a
pyramid. On the lower level there are the foods that variously
combined can be consumed everyday.
Moving up the pyramid we find
the foods which should be consumed a few times a week. At the
top we have only one food, meat which should be eaten only a few
times a month.
Meridians and parallels of European eating habits
In discussing European cuisine we need to think about a map
where the political borders have been cancelled leaving space
only for meridian lines and parallels, for mountain ranges,
rivers and seas. |
Homemade Pasta - Photo © Rossella Rebonato,Italy |
In this way we can recognise the shape and
content of the various cultures that are once so well-blended as
in the case of Mediterranean Greece or northern Denmark or once
so rich, various and even contrasting as in the case of France
and Italy.
To understand better how these elements are located
on our silent map, let's look at the sumptuously laid tables,
where every nation offers not only a view of their own
gastronomic heritage but also the lifestyle that has created it.
Going through the calendar we can see how the dates, names and
seasons have become "festivals". Even if the number of days, the
weather of the seasons, the government of countries change, The
"festivals remain - San Nicola in the north, Santa Lucia in the
south, Christmas and Easter. The churches themselves seem to
have re-thought the eating precepts, with which they used to
prepare and follows the celebrations. The fasts for Lent, Advent
and Sunday morning are finished, yet none want to give up a good
banquet of pheasant, or German goose, or Italian capon, or the
international turkey.
In Europe every Country has interpreted the holy and the secular
days according to their history and culture - for example Easter
is more important than Christmas in Orthodox Greece, but the
differences are hazy, only small signs remain.
Some religious festivals have been lost - San Giuseppe gives
very few tortelli in Lombardy, less zeppole in Naples. The new
celebrations find difficulties to establish themselves, but the
true greed-inspiring inventions and spectaculars of modern
Europe use the past. They bring it back to life and make it more
efficient - Oktober fest in Germany, Kermesse in Fiandra, with a
festivity of games, the Palio in Siena and the Feria in Spain,
all tap into a breathing and well-fed affluence.
Castagnole, Rome - Photo © Spuma |
Moreover we have Carnival which outdoes all the festivities. The
Carnival has the advantage of having its own broken historical
dignity and an uninterrupted string of sweets - krapfen in
Germany, bigne' in France, pansees brouillues in Luxembourg,
shrove Tuesday in England, the castagnole in Rome and the cenci in Tuscany.
Then we can mention the celebration of the
anniversaries - the French Revolution, the discovery of America,
the recently celebrated turn of the Millennium. A myriad of
feasts accompany them, each one a feverish recovery of all the
joyous signals of the past.
If the Belgians of the 1800s adorned their festival tables with
wild game from the Ardennes and exotic fruits, we cannot forget
that the Danish Vikings used to eat sweet-scented bread and
drink valuable wines in silver goblets, served on snowy-white
delicate lace table clothes. |
To lay the table sumptuously, decorate it with flowers, place
markers and candles is a traditional gesture which brings all of
Europe closer to a common feeling of secular or religious
respect for the meal and the guests.
The styles and occasions are many but the spirit which dominates
the banquet table is the same. A center piece of freshly picked
flowers in the south or dried flowers in the north. Place
markers of rough and curved wood in continental Europe, clay or
terracotta figurines in the peninsulas and islands of Europe.
Silver candelabras for winter, floating candles in a glass bowls
for summer evenings. From East to West, from North to South, the
tablecloth is required: snowy-white, simple cotton, modern
prints and lines.
Another important element in interpreting European culinary
culture comes from the drinking habits. Climate, environment and
customs influence "drinking" either as basic need or a social
form of communication. As soon as a drink is named, wine, bier
or coffee, there is immediately an association of ideas and
tastes. Taverns, cafes and bars become the spaces for people to
meet and socialize. From Ireland to Bavaria the beer
predominates, from Paris to Pantelleria, from Oporto to Rodhes,
the wine is the main drink. For centuries along the Rhine, wine
civilized the hostile populations. In a few decades a small cup
of coffee has provided a passport for the Italians.
Economic laws and atavistic resistance exist side by side and
continuously change. Perhaps there is not yet a single Europe
and certainly there are not many "Europes" anymore. There is
only one territory divided mainly in two large cultural basins:
the continental and silent North and the rough and noisy South. |
Afternoon merenda with wine - Photo © Ramperto |
European eating habits are much more similar from East to West
than from North to South. From Berlin to Dublin there is a
thread of common foods the names of which may vary. The English chester and the Belgian hevre are variants of the
classic Dutch red and brilliant rind cheese. The meat based diet
of the Irish Celts was almost identical to the Teutonic one.
Northern and central Europe have imposed canapes in all
its forms: hapjs in Holland, smorrebre in
Denmark and smorgds in Germany.
Moving south towards the Mediterranean are, Spain, southern
France, southern Italy and Greece we have a fairly similar
overview . Beef disappears, replaced by sheep and goat which
influences the wide consumption of different cheeses, quite
similar from region to region in color, shape and consistence:
feta in Greece, manchego in Spain, chevre in France and pecorino in Italy, fresh or seasoned.
Butter main role in northern cooking is replaced by olive oil.
The cooking becomes tastier and enriched with a wide variety of
herbs and spices growing from Portugal to Rhodes, from Provence
to Tuscany. In the North, blueberries, raspberries and forest
berries soften the strong taste of red meat and the rather
particular taste of game. Around the Meditteranean sea thyme,
rosemary, mint, marjoram and parsley flavor the white and
delicate chicken meat and fish.
Courtesy of AOLMAIA Small groups touristic tours in Tuscany
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