Mediterranean Salad

In the diet craze that has captured our attention over the last four decades, the one plan that stands out from the rest is the Mediterranean Diet. Since the Mediterranean embraces more than 20 countries, each with its own cuisine, the diet is really a fusion of the many foods consumed by the nations bordering the sea.

Olive oil is the anchor of the Mediterranean diet. No other natural oil has as much monounsaturated fat. When drizzled on salads and vegetables or grilled fish, it adds a pleasing aroma and texture. But olive oil by itself is somewhat bland and is always accompanied by liberal amounts of salt.

Salt is central to the Mediterranean diet - olives can only be consumed if they’re soaked in brine for weeks. Feta cheese is cured and stored in salt brine. Capers, anchovies, codfish and roe are all Mediterranean staples routinely packed in salt. The breads, pastries and sauces of the Mediterranean are all high in salt. Virgin olive oil, so cherished for making salads, is slightly bitter because of all the unique antioxidants it contains, so salt is especially important for improving its taste. Greek taramosalata is made from salted codfish roe, while tzatziki is made from salted, fresh cucumbers that are drained and added to yogurt; North African baba ghanoush is made of roasted eggplant, blended with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and lots of salt. Yet, the people of the Mediterranean, who enjoy all these foods, have the world’s best cardiovascular health.

The diet is so healthy that the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) used it as a model in its famous DASH Study (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which confirmed that the Mediterranean/DASH diet was healthier than the typical American diet and effectively reduced blood pressure.

NHLBI then repeated the study to check the effect of salt. The new DASH-Sodium trial again demonstrated that the DASH diet could reduce blood pressure. Compared to an American diet, DASH showed a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure.

While some policy makers encourage the public to reduce their salt intake, their advice could have harmful unintended consequences such as discouraging Americans from trying this healthful, tasty diet. Cutting one-third of the salt dramatically reduces the palatability of the Mediterranean diet and makes it much less desirable for most people, while cutting two-thirds of the salt makes the diet completely unacceptable. The net consequence of such a strategy will be far fewer people consuming the diet and enjoying its critical health benefits – reducing heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and improving cognitive function.

The Mediterranean diet has proved its worth for centuries. For more information on salt and health go to www.salthealth.org.

To help you get started with a healthy Mediterranean meal, try the following recipe:

North African Salad

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 pound box Israeli couscous (or any tiny pasta such as ziti)
3 cups chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1/3 cup dried chopped dates
1/4 cup slivered almonds or pistachios, toasted

Directions
In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for one minute. Add the couscous and toast until lightly browned, stirring often, about five minutes. Carefully add the stock, and the juice of one lemon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, but still firm or al dente, stirring occasionally, about seven to nine minutes. Drain the couscous.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper and let cool. Once the couscous is room temperature, add the fresh herbs, dried dates and almonds/pistachios. Toss well and serve.

Courtesy of ARAcontent