The Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust may not
be familiar to the public, but this nonprofit organization
based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been highly influ
ential
in the dissemination of information about the benefits
of
the traditional Mediterranean diet. This
group seeks to
resurrect
many of the “old ways” of eating before the advent
of
food processing, and they have published guidelines for
eating
in the traditional Mediterranean way.
Among
these
guidelines
is their own version of the Food Guide Pyramid,
the
Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid.
Citing a recognition of high adult life expectancy rates and low chronic disease rates in the Mediterranean region around 1960, knowledge of food typically consumed in the area during this time, and the compatibility of these eating patterns with current knowledge of nutrition science, Oldways developed a list of “Characteristics of Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diets” that make the diet sound any thing but unusual:
•�A diet centered on foods from plant sources: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, bread, pasta, nuts, and seeds.
•�Focus on foods that are locally grown and minimally processed.
•�Olive oil as the primary source of fat.
•�Total fat consumption between 25 percent to over 35 percent of calories, with no more than 7 to 8 per cent of calories from saturated fat.
•�Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and/or yogurt (preferably low-fat or nonfat).
•�Weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry (with an emphasis on fish).
•�No more than four eggs per week, including those used in cooking and baking.
•�Fresh fruit as a typical dessert; high-sugar and/or
high-fat desserts no more than a few times per
week.
•�Red meat only a few times per month (no more than 12 to 16 ounces or 340 to 450 grams per month).
•�Regular physical activity to promote a healthy weight and overall fitness.
•�Moderate wine consumption with meals (although Oldways now emphasizes this as an optional com ponent, not appropriate for everyone).
These guidelines give a simple overview of trends in the general Mediterranean diet. According to Oldways, the widely circulated United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines and their Food Guide Pyramid have not made enough of an impact on the public health pro file in the United States.
Citing a recognition of high adult life expectancy rates and low chronic disease rates in the Mediterranean region around 1960, knowledge of food typically consumed in the area during this time, and the compatibility of these eating patterns with current knowledge of nutrition science, Oldways developed a list of “Characteristics of Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diets” that make the diet sound any thing but unusual:
•�A diet centered on foods from plant sources: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, bread, pasta, nuts, and seeds.
•�Focus on foods that are locally grown and minimally processed.
•�Olive oil as the primary source of fat.
•�Total fat consumption between 25 percent to over 35 percent of calories, with no more than 7 to 8 per cent of calories from saturated fat.
•�Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and/or yogurt (preferably low-fat or nonfat).
•�Weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry (with an emphasis on fish).
•�No more than four eggs per week, including those used in cooking and baking.
•�Red meat only a few times per month (no more than 12 to 16 ounces or 340 to 450 grams per month).
•�Regular physical activity to promote a healthy weight and overall fitness.
•�Moderate wine consumption with meals (although Oldways now emphasizes this as an optional com ponent, not appropriate for everyone).
These guidelines give a simple overview of trends in the general Mediterranean diet. According to Oldways, the widely circulated United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines and their Food Guide Pyramid have not made enough of an impact on the public health pro file in the United States.
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