THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

: ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION

Introduction

■ The term Mediterranean diet was coined in 1960 by the American physiologist Ancel Keys and his wife Margaret in
their book How to Eat Well and Stay Well the Mediterranean Way
■ The seven countries study

■ They identified the eating behaviors of countries such as Greece—Crete in particular—and southern Italy, with
extension to other geographical areas around the Mediterranean basin

■ the dietary patterns of these countries were associated with :

– Longevity
– reduced rates of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality,
– cancers,
– other chronic diseases related to diet in the 1960s
GEOGRAPHIC AND
EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY
■ The world of the biblical Mediterranean diet covers regions of land connected to a sea
and extending to an ocean

■ It seems that such food use reached the Middle East before the Greek islands

■ In Roman times, historians recorded that the produce of the land of Palestine was of
particularly high quality and was served at the best tables
Seven biblical components

■ The Bible speaks of the seven species—

– wheat,
– barley,
– grapes,
– figs,
– pomegranates,
– olives,
– and honey—
– as well as a land “flowing with milk and (date) honey”
ORIGINS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
DIET AND THE BIBLICAL DIET
■ Eating in the Mediterranean culture surpasses the indispensable consumption of calories
for energy.

■ The social element of eating elevated meals to become more than just a means of
fulfilling biological (animal) instincts: “We do not sit at the table only to eat, but to
eat together”
■ Family centered , season oriented meals
■ In biblical times, meat was generally eaten only on special occasions
MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE

■ Factors other than food items that contribute to the Mediterranean life style include :
– Relaxing psychological environment
– Mild climate
– Preservation of the extended family structure
– Siesta 
– Regular activity ( walking, ..)

■ Sleep and exercise deficiencies have been correlated with chronic illnesses such as
diabetes and heart disease
COMPONENTS OF THE ORIGINAL
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
■ each Mediterranean country brings its unique culture, history, and tradition to its food
and eating.

■ Mediterranean regions share certain common dietary practices that remain a firm
foundation for the food consumed that is responsible for health benefits

■ The Keys’ research highlighted the three primary components of the Mediterranean diet:
olive oil, wine, and bread.
COMPONENTS OF THE ORIGINAL
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
■ The generic Mediterranean diet is characterized by :
– high monounsaturated fat-to-saturated fat ratio
– low total fat (<30%)
– low saturated fat (<10%)
– moderate alcohol intake (essentially wine),
– and high intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains (complex
carbohydrates and dietary fiber)
THE BIBLICAL SEVEN SPECIES

Grains Olives Dates Pomegranate

Additional foods
Grapes Figs like : Carob , and
nuts
Grains

■ Wheat flour and grain have provided the staple (breads, pitas, etc.) for different types of meals throughout
the Mediterranean basin

■ in addition to its great religious meaning and social value.

■ The method of preparation of grains was inventive, including kneading, fermenting, drying, baking, and
cooking
– Leavened or unleavened
– Cornmeal
– Semolina
– Pasta
Olives

■ is arguably the primary element of the Mediterranean diet, maintaining its position from
biblical to modern times.

■ Definitions of the Mediterranean basin have even been

ascribed to regions where olive trees grow

■ In murine models of atherogenesis, the most impressive beneficial effect is shown for
extra virgin oil enriched with green tea polyphenols
Olives

■ The majority of fat in olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids.

■ Fat from edible olives and olive oil consists of :
– oleic acid [c18:1, n9] (75%)
– saturated fat (15%),
– and polyunsaturated fat (10%).

■ Olive oil is extracted from deeply pigmented olives that are rich in phytonutrients,
including the phenolics hydroxytyrosol and oleorupein
Olives

■ In biblical times, olive oil was cold pressed and stored in dark, opaque glass containers
as a means to protect the taste from what is now known as the powerful oxidative action
of sunlight
■ Unprocessed olive oil has the greatest antioxidant effect.
■ Comparison of extracted phenolic compounds from extra virgin olive oil and processed
olive oil showed that extra virgin olive oil has significantly greater antioxidant effects
than processed olive oil
■ The unprocessed extra virgin olive oil of the biblical diet had a
higher concentration of antioxidants, which may :
– prevent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation.
– In addition to the advantageous effects on blood
cholesterol,
– olive oil also has anticarcinogenic actions
Dates

■ The date was a convenient source of nutrients for nomads and travelers

■ Dates are an ideal high-energy food because they contain high sugar content.
■ They are also a good source of fiber and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc

■ Date fruit is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various infectious diseases and cancer because of
the :
– immunomodulatory activity
– antibacterial capacity
– Antifungal properties
Pomegranates

■ The pomegranate has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region since ancient times and was
introduced into Egypt from Syria and from Palestine around 1600 BCE

■ It has potent antioxidants, including ellagitannin polyphenolic compounds such as punicalagins

and punicalins, as well as ellagic acid and gallic acid.

■ Pomegranates have been shown to reduce LDL oxidation

■ decrease the progression of prostate cancer
■ drinking just 50 mL of pomegranate juice daily for 3 months can significantly lower blood
pressure by 5%.
Pomegranates

■ Pomegranate is a major source of most potent antioxidants (tannins, anthocyanins),

■ leaf extracts from pomegranate may also be effective in weight loss since pomegranate
consumption reduces fat absorption from the intestine without affecting plasma
triglycerides concentrations
■ it is a potent nutraceutical agent against cardiovascular disease
Figs

■ The fig is the fruit of lust and is believed to be an omen for fertility.
■ The large amount of fiber in figs stimulates bowel movement

■ The fruit is rich in sucrose and simple sugars, minerals, and fibers and is a good source
of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese.

■ Dried figs are popular because they last for a long time and have a high calcium content
(250 mg calcium/100 g dried fruit weight).
Grapes

■ Vine cultivation and wine production originated in Mesopotamia

■ Consumption of wine in the Mediterranean diet is subject to different cultural norms,

especially in Muslim countries that prohibit wine intake.

■ Red wine is rich in antioxidants from the flavonoid phenolics family, including
cathechin, querchitin, anthocyanins, and resveratrol
Resveratrol

■ increase blood high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, to protect against LDL oxidation,

■ and to attenuate blood clotting
■ Resveratrol has been reported to have antiaging effects
■ protective against carcinogenesis
■ In the Mediterranean culture, wine is consumed as part of a meal, whereas Western
cultures may consume wine independent of meals.

■ Alcohol consumption unaccompanied by food leads to rapid alcohol absorption and

increases the risk of intoxication
Carob

■ Carob is a legume native to the Mediterranean. The word carob is derived from the Arab
kharrub and means “pod”

■ Carob is caffeine free and naturally sweet;

■ it is a rich source of calcium and potassium and smaller amounts of iron and some B
vitamins.
■ Insoluble fiber extracted from carob pulp has been shown to have beneficial effects,
lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
Nuts

■ Nuts are rich in protein, fiber, phytonutrients, and polyphenolic antioxidants, as well as monounsaturated
fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

■ Walnuts in particular :
– have a high content of omega 3 fatty acids,
– high amounts of fiber, B vitamins,
– magnesium,
– and several types of antioxidants.

■ Walnuts are reported to be active in improving blood vessel elasticity and in reducing atherosclerotic
plaque accumulation, LDL cholesterol concentration in blood, and the inflammatory C-reactive protein
biomarker .