What is the Mediterranean diet?

As you are well aware, this diet is renowned for being very healthy, especially because it encourages good functioning of the cardiovascular system. If you still don’t really know what the Mediterranean diet is and what the best dishes are for following it, just consider Italian cuisine.

As well as being fantastic for a well-functioning blood supply, most foods in this diet are rich in antioxidants that keep the body young and dynamic. They are also a major source of vitamins and minerals that protect and strengthen the body.

The following foods go to form the magnificent Italian recipes and the authentic Mediterranean diet:

• Extra virgin olive oil. All Italian recipes revolve around this one ingredient. It is, without question, the fundamental pillar of the Mediterranean diet, since nothing else is used for cooking, dressing, baking and frying. What is the Mediterranean diet without the qualities of EVOO? Nothing, really! Because these are the qualities that make this delicious diet so prestigious.

• Fresh fruit and vegetables. All vegetables and greens used in Italian recipes should be seasonal and come from the actual region. The value of consuming foods that correspond to each season of the year can’t be underestimated for ensuring the unique nutrients of freshly picked produce.

• Cereals. Bread, pasta and rice are also essential in this diet. There is nothing quite like good fresh pasta, or freshly baked bread, to feel the essence of great gastronomy.

• Cheeses and other dairy products. As you well know, a true Italian meal involves, in most of its dishes, some mozzarella, Parmesan, or gorgonzola. These types of food are also important in the Mediterranean diet.

Foods in the Italian Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean takes in several countries around the world that enjoy a similar diet, thanks to the products that its climate produces. But in order to truly taste what the Mediterranean diet is, just have a think about the culinary art of Italy.

To really feel Italian cuisine is to feel the value of tradition. The well-known dishes of today were passed on from generation to generation, creating aromas and flavors that restore a sensation of mastery to the dishes.

To understand what the Mediterranean diet is you just have to check out the traditional recipes of the various regions that are bathed by the Mediterranean climate. Enjoy this magnificent diet with Carapelli extra virgin olive oils, and discover the true taste of Italian excellence.