What Makes The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid Unique?
By Jessica P
What is the Mediterranean Diet? It's a nutritional model that was patterned after the way people eat in countries such as Italy and Greece. They have been known to have a lower rate of cancer and other diseases in that area of the world, and so people have finally begun to give it some attention.

Though this was developed in the 1940s by and American doctor, Americans didn't start paying attention to it until well into the 1990s; but at least it's finally well-known. There are a fair amount of differences between the average American and the Mediterranean that are worth reviewing.

It begins with the food pyramids. The US version is very different from the Mediterranean food pyramid. First off, the Mediterranean contains very little red meat. Although they use red meat in their meals, it's in very small portions, and not often. Taking up a big portion of the Mediterranean food pyramid is fish. The US Food pyramid, on the other hand, groups all the different meats into one category.

In Mediterranean fare, whole grain foods make up the main staple. That includes rice, bread, couscous, potatoes, and similar foods. Nuts and beans are another important part of the Mediterranean diet. So are fruits and vegetables in particular. This is something both food pyramids share in common, though the recommended quantities are fairly different.

When

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