Health-Promoting Effects of Traditional Mediterranean Diets - A Review.

Abstract

The study of traditional dietary habits is important both for healthy and cultural aspects: it provides scientifi c evidence on the effects of traditional foods on health and contributes to preserve elements of our nutritional and cultural inheritance. In general, traditional foods are considered healthy, though their effects should be better substantiated by an appropriate scientifi c approach. The Mediterranean basin has been for millennia a crossroads of people and civilizations where boats, carriages, merchandises, but also creative ideas and religions have converged. Mediterranean diet originated from the ancient inhabitants of this region, the Greek and Roman ancestors. In countries surrounding Mediterranean Sea, food is heavily infl uenced by the climate of the basin. Traditionally, Mediterranean diet originated in areas where olive (Olea europea L.) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.) were cultivated, olive oil and wine produced and regularly consumed. The archaeological record suggests that cultivation of the domesticated grape, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera, began 6000–8000 years ago in the Near East from its wild progenitor, Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris. The hundreds of grape cultivars in use today have been generated since then by vegetative propagation and by crosses [McGovern, 2003]. Olive tree was domesticated approximately 6000 years ago in the east Mediterranean area. Since Roman times, the cultivation and the techniques of producing olive oil had spread to all parts of the Mediterranean basin, but they did not expand, except in some regions