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A TOAST TO THE MEDITERRANEAN PYRAMID

By Madelyn Miller

Health has become a major concern for Americans who are obsessed with staying young, thin and disease free. As we begin to understand that a healthy diet leads to a healthy lifestyle, the Mediterranean Diet, which boasts fresh ingredients, olive oil and wine is growing in popularity.

By embracing the new trend towards eating healthier, we revert to the old ways and adopt the types of cooking which developed hundreds of years ago around the Mediterranean. Recent medical research has shown that this cuisine is much better for your cardiovascular health than the "typical" American diet.

The Mediterranean dietary pyramid, recently endorsed by the world Health Organization, and formally presented at the Barcelona Conference has existed for centuries in Italy, Greece and Spain as a way of life. Their cuisine is as much a matter of culture and society as it is of food and wine. Olive oil, pasta, bread, fruits and vegetables, dairy and wine are the elements of Italian tradition.  Today, these ingredients connote "health" in the minds of consumers.

Faith Popcorn reports that the trend towards healthy ingredients makes Italian cuisine particularly attractive because of a "familiarity factor". Americans have a love affair with Italy and all things Italian, so this is the most popular of the Mediterranean offerings.

Americans are not only buying the simple, fresh ingredients which make up the base of the diet, but are also following endorsements from scientists and research institutions, embracing the entire "pyramid" with enthusiasm. Following Mediterranean tradition, wine can be enjoyed in moderation, primarily with meals. Virtually every relevant study has shown moderate alcohol intake protects against heart disease, and with the popularization of the Mediterranean diet, wine has found its place on the American table. "I don't think the Mediterranean diet would be quite as healthful without wine," states Dr. Trichopoulus of Harvard School of Public Health.

Many people talk about the French Paradox--whereby the French stay lean by drinking wine.  According to Dr. Frank Sacks, also of Harvard, it's not the French Paradox, it's the Italian Paradox. He points out that Italians have been leading this Mediterranean lifestyle for centuries. Even before it became chic, they prepared fresh foods in simple ways and wouldn't dare sit down to a meal without a glass of wine in hand.

The Tuscan Estates of Ruffino, one of the most important and innovative producers of Italian wine is catching on to this trend and producing wines like Libaio, Fonte al Sole Sangiovese and Aziano whose youthful characteristics encourage exciting wine pairings with favorite Italian-Mediterranean preparations.

If you enjoy wine with your meal, you are well on your way to enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle. So even if you can't get to the Mediterranean, let's toast to the healthier lifestyle of the Mediterranean.

Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust
Chefs Collaborative 2000
25 First Street
Cambridge, MA 02141
Phone: 617-621-3000
Fax:   617-621-1230
e-mail: oldways@tiac.net
website: http://www.oldwayspt.org

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