Mediterranean Diet – Good or Bad?

When I first heard of  “The Mediterranean Diet” oil was considered especially bad. Now Olive oil is considered to be very good for you and we have restaurants in Australia serving us fresh bread with bowls of delicious Olive oil to dip the bread in. So tasty. So good for you! What changed?

Australia woke up, our waves of migrants brought with them the celebration of food. Australia is rich in produce and sources of fish. Plus there have been several groundbreaking studies that have shown that this diet has a very good effect on the body. It can even prevent heart attacks and reduce the risk of vascular disease.

Why is this diet of all things considered so healthy?

This form of nutrition has been very well researched. The first study of the Crete Diet, as it is also known, was made in the 1950s. We, therefore, know exactly: The positive effect on the body can largely be explained by the low consumption of meat and animal products and the use of vegetable oils.

Then why doesn’t everyone eat like Italians or Greeks?

It probably doesn’t fit in with our culinary tradition. Because it doesn’t just matter what comes on the plate, but also how you eat: take your time and consciously sit and enjoy with others. So the mindset is also important, the celebration of food and family/friends.

The term Mediterranean diet stands for a form of nutrition that was typical for the region some time ago. Today it has changed. There are also fast-food chains, highly processed products and sugared drinks in the Mediterranean region. Many inhabitants of the region let themselves be seduced and no longer eat the typical diet of their Mediterranean ancestors.

What is typical of the Mediterranean Diet?

Lots of vegetables and fruits. Legumes, nuts, and cereal products should also be on the menu. Meat is rarely on the plate, but fatty fish play a much larger role. And don’t forget olive oil. It is constantly used in cooking and replaces sauces and spreads.

Is the diet suitable for losing weight despite the high-fat food?

Absolutely. But you have to know: There are few scientific studies that a certain diet is particularly suitable for losing weight. It is important: a diet should always be hypocaloric. This means that you are consuming fewer calories than you are using.

From Gibraltar to Greece

Colorful culinary delight: couscous in Moroccan sauce with Mediterranean fish
© W & B / JörnRynio

Red mullet with chermoula

A Mediterranean fish dish with couscous

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 700 g red mullet fillets with skin
• 2 large lemons
• 1 large onion
• 1 large carrot
• 15 g ginger
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch of cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• 600 ml fish stock
• 150 g GF couscous
• Salt pepper
• 2 red onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 bunch of leaf parsley
• 5 sprigs of coriander
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder, noble sweet

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees top/bottom heat. Place the fish skin side up in two wide baking dishes. Cut a lemon into very thin slices and place them on the fillets. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Peel the onion, carrots and ginger, chop them finely and bring to the boil with the spices in the fish stock. Stir in the couscous and let it swell briefly.

For the chermoula (Moroccan sauce), finely grate and squeeze the second lemon. Peel and finely chop red onions and garlic, mix with lemon zest, juice, onions, garlic, olive oil, chili powder, cumin and paprika powder, season with salt and pepper.

Lightly season the cooked fish with salt and pepper and serve on top of the couscous. Serve the chermoula on top.

Preparation time:
about 30 minutes

Per person approx.
432 kcal (= 1807 kJ), 39 g protein, 15 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber

Eggplant skewers with feta cream – ideal for those who are hungry
© W & B / JörnRynio

Feta in an eggplant coat

Spicy feta cream with pine nuts in an aubergine coating

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 2 bunches of parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 large eggplants
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 50 g pine nuts
• 400 g feta (9% fat)
• 6 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Pepper salt
• 1 tbsp paprika powder, noble sweet
• Moreover:
• 24 wooden toothpicks

Preparation:
Wash the parsley, toss dry and finely chop the leaves. Peel the garlic and press it through the press. Wash eggplants, cut lengthways and cut each one into 12 thin long slices with a long knife or vegetable slicer. Steam them briefly in broth so that they become soft.

Drain on a kitchen towel. Then lightly toast the pine nuts without fat, briefly add the garlic. Mash the feta with a little pomegranate syrup and lemon juice to a cream with a fork. Season with pepper, paprika and the finely chopped parsley. Stir in the pine nuts and garlic and season with salt if necessary. Spread the cream on the aubergine slices and roll them up.

Preparation time:
about 60 minutes

Per person approx.
325 kcal (= 1340 kJ), 24 g protein, 16 g fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber

Colorful soup: fish stew with seafood and vegetables
© W & B / JörnRynio

Bouillabaisse

Spicy fish soup with prawns and mussels

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 200 g prawns with shell
• 1.5 liters of fish stock
• 200 g mussels
• 600 g fillets of Mediterranean fish (sea bream, gurnard, red mullet)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 stalks of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 capsule of saffron threads
• 3 tbsp dry white wormwood
• 150 ml white wine
• 400 g tomatoes

Preparation:
Remove the prawns from the shells. Let the bowls simmer in the fish stock over low heat. Brush mussels under cold water, remove beards, sort out opened and damaged mussels. Cut the fillets into pieces 3 to 4 cm wide and fry briefly in 2 tablespoons of oil. Salt and pepper lightly and set aside.

Peel and finely chop the carrot, onion and garlic. Clean and roughly dice the fennel. Briefly sauté the vegetables, garlic and tomato paste in the remaining oil. Add the thyme, bay leaves and saffron. Deglaze with vermouth and wine. Pour the fish stock through a sieve to the vegetables. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

Skin, quarter and core the tomatoes. Add to the soup with the fish fillets, prawns and mussels and cover and let stand for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the unopened mussels and season the soup with salt and pepper.

Preparation time:
about 90 minutes

Per person approx.
331 kcal (= 1385 kJ), 45 g protein, 10 g fat, 7 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber

Rocket risotto with Parma ham wrapped in ravioli
© W & B / JörnRynio

Ravioli with rocket and parma ham

Italian ravioli dish with fresh rocket risotto filling

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 280 g of GF flour
• 5 tablespoons (45 g)  tapioca starch/flour
• 2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 2 eggs
• 5 tbsp white wine
• Salt pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200 g rocket
• 200 g Parma ham
• 200 g ricotta
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• some milk or breadcrumbs if necessary
• 100 g parmesan cheese

Moreover:

• Flour for the work surface

Preparation:
Mix flour, semolina, eggs, wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil to form a dough and knead well with your hands. Wrap in a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.

Wash the rocket, toss dry, put some beautiful leaves aside, finely chop the rest. Dice the ham and fry briefly in a large saucepan without oil. Add the rocket. Stir in the ricotta and tomato paste, season with salt and pepper. Add some milk or breadcrumbs if necessary. Grate the parmesan.

Bring heavily salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. In the meantime, quarter the pasta dough, use a pasta machine or a rolling pin on a large floured work surface to roll it out very thinly into four equally long strips. Place part of the filling in walnut-sized piles on two of them. Spread a thin layer of water on the dough around the fillings. Place the two other sheets of pastry on top. Cut out slices with a glass. Press the edges firmly on. Do the same with the leftover dough.

Let simmer in very slightly boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the ravioli with parmesan and drizzle with the remaining oil. Serve with the laid back rocket leaves.

Preparation time:
60 minutes

Per person approx.
565 kcal (= 2364 kJ), 31 g protein, 23 g fat, 55 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

Recommended Products

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Mediterranean Cookbook with 150 Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes is your gateway to enjoying the taste treats and healthy living of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

In the age of green smoothie detoxes and elimination diets, it s easy to forget that you can actually enjoy flavorful, satisfying food “and “live a more healthful life.