The Mediterranean Diet Of Food Essay

In life, many people participate in various daily events and activities that help them enjoy being who they are. People may enjoy getting together with friends, going to the mall, going to an amusement park or simply finding relaxation in nature. However, a big part of everyone’s life is of course eating and many people find pleasure in doing so. Eating is a very enjoyable and delectable must for everyone but should be done so, like everything in life, in a smart and intelligent way. Being smart and perceptive when eating is a large part of nutrition.

To determine the level of my fiber intake from a 3 day sample of my diet, I performed a Prospective Diet Analysis. On average, I consumed 22.3 grams of fiber, just missing the recommendation of 25 grams. Coherent to the findings of the related studies, my cholesterol intake decreased and by the third day totaled 124.5 mg, which relates to 42% of the Daily Recommended Intake of 300 mg.

When Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma was published, many readers began questioning him for advice on what they should eat in order to stay healthy. In his more recent book, In Defense of Food, he responds with three rules, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants"(Pollan 1). This seven word response seems too simple for a relatively complicated question, but as he further elaborates these rules into specific guidelines, this summary turns out to be surprisingly complete. Using inductive and deductive reasoning, he debunks the ideas behind nutritionism and food science, and proves that the western diet is the cause for food related diseases. Inductive reasoning is when a

In Michael Pollan’s essay “Escape from the Western Diet,” he informs Americans about the western diet and believes they need to escape from it. The reason Americans should escape the western diet is to avoid the harmful effects associated with it such as “western diseases” (Pollan, 434). To support his view on the issue, Pollan describes factors of the western diet that dictate what Americans believe they should eat. These factors include scientists with their theories of nutritionism, the food industry supporting the theories by making products, and the health industry making medication to support those same theories. Overall, Pollan feels that in order to escape this diet, people need to get the idea of it out of their heads. In turn he

One of the most unhealthy diets in the world is that of an American. It is made up of processed foods and a good amount of television. America easily has the most fast food restaurants in the entire world. Leave it to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or any other fast-food restaurant to serve extremely cheap and even unhealthier food at any time during the day or night. ”It tastes good so why not?” That seems to be the question many people are asking now-a-days. Because it is so easily accessible and processed, it is made to be very tasty and extremely unhealthy. Many Americans find his or herself indulging on the these fatty foods of America on a day-to-day basis. While it may taste good at the time, it has a terrible effect on your body

It is a known fact that other countries eat healthier than here in the United States. For example, the Mediterranean diet contains many fruits and vegetables. It also replaces fattening oils with olive oil. In the article “Mediterranean Diet Shown to Ward Off Heart Attack and Stroke”, Gina Kolata states, “About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals, a large and rigorous new study has found” (nytimes.com). Many people who have gone on the Mediterranean diet have decreased their risk.

During this week, I Edgar Burgos had to conduct a food intake for 3 consecutive days. This paper will describe my nutritional endeavor for the past three days. I will provide different aspects of my nutritional needs and an in depth analysis on how proteins fats carbohydrates and fiber take part in my everyday diet and what are these functions. This is intended to broaden my views of a healthy lifestyle, and how to achieve it through a variety of food groups.

Please do not use cell phone to text during class as it distracts other students.

The Western Diet mainly consists of fried foods, refined grains, sugar, high carbohydrate and fats, and meats (3). It has been hypothesized that having a Western Diet increases one’s chances for developing depression. There has been a great deal of research into why the western diet increase’s one chance of having depression. A common sense reason maybe that the Western Diet consisted of large amounts carbohydrates, fats and sugars which promotes obesity and then causes depression (1). More scientific evidence suggest that having a improper diet like the Western Diet negatively affects peripheral and central dopamine, which are neurotransmitters (chemical which transmit signals across the synapse from the nerve cell to the target cell)

From ancient Greece to the modern day, food has evolved greatly. Ranging from great Greek dishes to extraordinary dishes the modern day can’t seem to grasp the mentality that the ancient Greeks had while they made dishes fit for a king. Even though the inhabitants of Sparta ate, soup made of boiled pig feet the Greeks ideas of cooking made Greece a country known the world. The ways that the Greeks made their food has surpassed the standard of the way we view food. That standard is home to many of the foods that we eat today. “The Greeks also ate something called a teganites (τηγανίτης), which would have resembled a pancake. These were made with wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. They were usually topped with honey or cheese” (Kotsiris). Today when we make homemade pancakes, we use “eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter” (BarefootWriter). The Greeks used much skill and effort into making food that our creations we take credit for may not even be our own.

Since the beginning of the Greek Empire to the modern times, the Greek cuisine has always been fondly praised for its unique tastes and large variety of foods. A typical dish, both modern and traditional, included olive oil, olives, cheese (primarily feta), wine, fish and a number of vegetables, meats and herbs. Most deserts generally consist of chopped nuts, honey and are wrapped in phyllo dough. In the United States the majority of Americans has never tasted a real, authentic Greek meal. The closest they have ever come to it is when they eat Baklava, a dessert consisting of nuts, phyllo and honey, or a sweet syrup that holds the dessert together, or Activia, which claims to be Greek, but in reality is of French origin.

Greece is the southernmost country in the Balkan Peninsula, the region that includes Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria to the north. An ancient country, they are to have cooking traditions that date back thousands of years. Some of the items famous from Greece include, Oranges, olives, dates, almonds, pomegranates, figs, grapes, tobacco, cotton, and rice all found in the areas with lower elevation, primarily in the east. An interesting fact about the Greeks would be the fact that a man named Archestratus, is thought to have written the first cookbook in 350 B.C. According to history, the Greek diet has been mostly influenced by both eastern and western countries. For example, it is known that the Persians introduced Middle Eastern foods such as honey, sesame seeds, yogurt and rice to the Greeks. Moreover, in 197 B.C, more food items were introduced to them such as pasta and pasta sauces

characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters and located between about 30° and 45° latitude north and south of the Equator and on the western sides of the continents . To live a longer and healthier lifestyle, the Sardinia Blue Zone person favors the Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes: “Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts; using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods; limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month; eating fish and poultry at least twice a week .”Researchers have determined that the Mediterranean Diet reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases

Introduction of new food: one of the first developments accomplished by the Moors was the establishment of watering system frameworks which permitted the reaping of dry territories, extending and enhancing vegetable plantations. Additionally they initiated produces from Asia which was absolutely unknown to the Spanish. A large portion of these naturral produces keep on being essential inredients in today's Spanish food and incorporate most flavors for example saffron, apricots, artichokes, carob, sugar, aubergines, grapefruits, carrots, coriander and rice. These ingredients remain a aspect for Spanish and Andalusian recipes.

Several studies have shown that children who adhere to a Mediterranean diet have greater protection against incidence of asthma.4,8 Compared to the Western diet he already eats, the Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, polyphenols, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated fat and refined carbohydrate.9 The Mediterranean diet can be characterized by high consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, low consumption of red meat and higher consumption of fish and white meat.8,9 In fact, the Mediterranean diet is more than just adequate intake of macro- or micronutrients, it is also associated with a healthier lifestyle-expanding from increased physical activity to overall better nutritional knowledge. Therefore, adopting the Mediterranean diet as a way-of-living that will help our patient to restrain the inflammatory cascade of asthma from happening. Epidemiologic and clinical studies have demonstrated that consuming a Mediterranean-type diet also reduces plasma levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, TNF-alpha, and