The Mediterranean diet has long been praised for its health benefits. Its emphasis on ‘abundance of plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts’ has made this diet notably healthy. Total fat in this diet is 25 percent to 35 percent of calories, with saturated fat at 8 percent or less of calories.

The core of this diet is the high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables; moderate consumption of dairy products made up mostly of cheese and yogurt; moderate to high consumption of fish; low consumption of meat and meat products; and moderate wine consumption.

Translated to dietary and nutritional terms, the diet is touted to be beneficial for being low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber. Besides the health effects of olive oil and the powerful antioxidant properties of flavonoids in red wine, the overall nutritional benefit of the Mediterranean diet is achieved in the ‘combination of nutrients found in unprocessed food.’

Now, scientists have also revealed that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish lessens the risk of depression. ‘Spanish researchers studied 11,000 people and found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely had a more than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than those whose diet had few of the crucial Mediterranean elements.’

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Via Yahoo! News

While Asia is a huge land mass that contains a wide variety of people, cultures, and cuisines, the Healthy Traditional Asian Diet Pyramid was ‘inspired by the cuisines of South and East Asia, including such countries as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and other related Pacific Rim areas.’

Undeniably, though, these healthy traditional dietary patterns have been disappearing due to the proliferation of fast food business establishments in the region.

The traditional Asian diet has plant food at its fundamental base. ‘Plant-based foods commonly consumed in Asia include rice and other grains, noodles, flatbreads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables (including sea vegetables), nuts, seeds, beans, various soy foods, other legumes, vegetable and nut oils, herbs and spices, and plant-based beverages including tea, wine and beer.’

Benchmarked on minimal processing and freshness of foods, the traditional Asian diet assures dietary fiber, antioxidants, and a host of micronutrients including vitamins and minerals.

Asian diet is ‘characteristically low in both saturated and total fat.’ It is also marked by the very minimal use of dairy products. Contrary to the concern that lack of dairy may lead to calcium deficiency, ‘the plant-based, dairy-free diets of much of Asia are associated with low incidence of osteoporosis.’

Additionally, new researches on black and green tea reveal the tea’s various antioxidant content. The drinking of these teas, a widely accepted Asian tradition, may ‘have contributed to the low rates of certain chronic diseases in the region.’

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Via Chet Day