Apart from the new diets every so dieticians suggest to reduce cholesterol, let's not forget the Mediterranean diet - the literal Greek diet.

Pylos Poems - Mediterranean diet Olive Oil - Olives

In other words, what we need to do is to remember what our grandparents ate: olive oil, legumes, grains, fruits, vegetables, fish and meat. Research over the past 40 years have shown that the traditional Greek diet is one of the healthiest on the planet. Perhaps thus explains the paradox that despite the bad habits that we as a people (low level of physical activity and smoking too), while the men have the highest life expectancy in Europe (75 years) and women come fifth across Europe (80.3 years). As we have seen, those who consume their food in olive oil have low “bad” cholesterol (LDL). That is because the oil contains a wide variety of antioxidants (polyphenols, tocopherols, etc.), which intervene positively in favor of the organism and reduce the amount of cholesterol and prevent oxidation. But what are the characteristics of traditional Greek food which often confused with the general concept of the Mediterranean diet.

What are the characteristics that make it so balanced and so healthy?

The Biologists believe that is eating a variety of foods which have a dominant role fresh fruits, vegetables and wild greens such as purslane (purslane), legumes, fish, olive oil, red wine and little red meat consumption and animal fats. The basic principles of the traditional Greek diet are: Abundance of plant food such as fruits, vegetables, potatoes, cereals and pulses and olive oil as a base oil, replacing all other fats and oils.

Reduce the consumption trance fats – hydrogenated, i.e. fatty substances, which are In abundance in prepared sweets and foods and replace fatty animal Origin (butter) with fatty vegetable oils (e.g. margarine). The soft vegetable margarine is low in saturated and free from trance fatty, While it is rich in unsaturated fats. This makes the margarine a much more Healthy option in relation to the butter (including butter spreads and mixtures of butter), as well as the butter is animal product and has high Saturated fatty acids. It is no coincidence, that international organization, As the American Cardiology Association (American Heart Association (AHA) Recommend the “use margarine instead animal butter” and has high saturated fatty acids. It is no coincidence, That international organizations, such as the American Cardiology Association (American Heart Association (AHA) Recommend the “use margarine instead animal butter”. The same recommendation made and the Australian Foundation Cardiology (Australian Heart Foundation). In addition, many investigations the last decade shows that the daily intake 2 g. Plant sterol/ can reduce the total and “bad” (Ldl) Cholesterol in figures 6-15. Because the plant sterol content are located in small content in foods such as vegetable oils, fruits, vegetables, Enriched various foods with plant sterols, such as margarine, dairy products (milk, yoghurt).

Source: sigmalive.com