Mediterranean Diet ~ Food of the Gods!
The Mediterranean diet is the secret to living to a ripe old age!
The cuisine of Cyprus includes Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot food and most recipes in Greece are the same as those in Cyprus.
In Greece the food also has a slight Turkish influence due to the years of occupation under the Ottoman Empire.
Food is always accompanied by bread and salads.
One of the most basic and easy dishes to make is fassoulia yiahni – famous throughout Cyprus and Greece and eaten with fresh crunchy bread dipped in the source.
- Olives, cheese, tomatoes and cucumber are a traditional Mediterranean snack which are often eaten for breakfast.
- Snacks can include dips such as hummus, taramosalata, aubergine and tzatziki (yoghurt, shredded cucumber, mint and garlic) which are delicious eaten alone or with warm pitta bread.
- Lots of fresh lemon is squeezed over Mediterranean food and there are always bowls of salads accompanying meat, chicken and fish dishes.
- Pasta, rice and pulses (beans, lentils etc) are often eaten and this is why people are healthy.
The Mediterranean diet is eaten in countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy and popular with vegans and vegetarians. With a diet like this it’s not surprising so many Mediterranean people live to a ripe old age.
FRUIT & VEG
ARE YOU GETTING YOUR 5 A DAY!
There are so many delicious fruits which you can find all year round and they are not so expensive in Cyprus as in many northern European Countries.
- Mediterranean people eat fruit on a daily basis.
- For breakfast, after a meal and also for a snack during the day and also in juices.
- Some years ago I was in Lebanon and enjoyed a honeydew melon juice at a local juice bar. So cheap and very healthy!
- Juicing wasn’t so popular in the UK and USA as it is tody, yet these people were already juicing and have been doing it for years.
- No wonder people live to a ripe old age if they live on juices made of fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
Greek Oil of the Gods…
- Homer said that Greek olive oil is liquid gold and it’s no secret that olive oil is the key to longevity and it’s the mainstay of life in Cyprus, Greece and all Mediterranean countries.
This lovely fruit is incredibly versatile and has been used for millions of years in simple and healthy Greek Cypriot recipes.
Legend has it that the Greek Goddess Aphrodite and Cleopatra used this precious liquid to stay young.
- Not only is this amber liquid used for food. It’s also used for cosmetics, olive oil soap, pharmaceuticals and also for oil lamps.
TIP! It really is one of the main ingredients for a healthy lifestyle so if you want to gain the full benefits of this wonderful tasty elixir of life read on…
As well as rubbing the olive oil into your skin, eat virgin olive oil as often as possible.
Cover salads and vegetables with this elixir of life as the Greeks and Cypriots do with their food and you will soon see a difference.
Mop up every tasty trace of the olive oil with crunch bread and enjoy!
The Benefits are Amazing!
Olive oil has a high content of mono-unsaturated fat and polyphenols and contains vitamin E, anti-oxidants, no cholesterol and helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks and certain cancers.
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