You might not have known it, but May is Mediterranean Diet month. Even though the month is just about over, it's not too late to celebrate what the diet might be able to do for your health.
Studies that looked at the Mediterranean lifestyle, including foods eaten in that area, were done as early as the mid-1940s. But it wasn't until the 1990s, when additional studies came out, that the diet really began to be regarded as a way to eat that could lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer of people in most developed countries.
Most folks are aware that the Mediterranean diet contains more fruits and vegetables and relies on olive oil as the predominant type of fat.
Recommendations on how to follow the diet include changing how we commonly think about meat. Proponents of the Mediterranean way of eating encourage folks to include no more than 3 ounces of lean meats and fish at meals, and instead to cover half their plate with vegetables for lunch and dinner.
People are encouraged to eat fresh fruit for dessert most of the time. Grains should be mostly whole grains.
And then there are the "good" fats, so-called because they do not seem to promote heart disease. Olive oil is the most famous of these, but nuts and fruits like avocados fall into this category, too. The type of fat these foods contain is predominantly monounsaturated, which seems to help lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
A fairly new hypothesis is that exposure to the sun in Mediterranean countries, and its subsequent help in making active vitamin D in our bodies, might be something else that helps to lower cardiovascular disease risk. It's also interesting that while populations in the Mediterranean region are generally exposed to a lot of sunlight, they have significantly lower rates of skin cancer than people in other sunny areas in the world. Some researchers hypothesize that the composition of the Mediterranean diet, including these same good fats, may be at least partly responsible for preventing this type of cancer.
People need to realize that even though olive oil and nuts are promoted as good fats, they are still fats. Use them, but don't overuse them.
Today's recipe reminds me of the more traditional American version of pasta salad, but with a Mediterranean kick.
It's a nice combination of flavors, and blending the dressing before tossing with the pasta and vegetables gives a nice creaminess, contrasting well with the crunch of the cucumber and the saltiness of the olives.
This is a perfect salad to prepare for a picnic lunch or to serve with grilled fish.
Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 277-3062.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with California Avocado
8 oz. orecchiette (disc shaped) or other small pasta, preferably whole grain
1 cup cherry tomatoes
½ medium cucumber
1 ripe California avocado (black skinned)
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
1 cup canned, drained artichoke halves, cut in half
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. loosely packed fresh dill
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook until done, generally about 12-15 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander, and toss with a few ice cubes to cool pasta down. Place pasta in a large bowl.
Wash cherry tomatoes, cucumber and avocado. Cut each cherry tomato in half, set aside. Cut cucumber in half and save one half for another use. If the skin is tough, peel the cucumber. Cut the cucumber lengthwise into quarters, then slice so that you have small, wedge-shaped pieces, then set aside. Peel the avocado, remove the seed and cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes or chunks, set aside.
Place the olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a food processor or blender; blend until creamy. Add dill and pulse just until incorporated.
Pour dressing over pasta and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve (but don't wait too long as the avocado tends to discolor).
Makes about 6 servings (about ¾ cup each).
Per serving: 200 calories, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein, 180 mg sodium.
Studies that looked at the Mediterranean lifestyle, including foods eaten in that area, were done as early as the mid-1940s. But it wasn't until the 1990s, when additional studies came out, that the diet really began to be regarded as a way to eat that could lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer of people in most developed countries.
Most folks are aware that the Mediterranean diet contains more fruits and vegetables and relies on olive oil as the predominant type of fat.
Recommendations on how to follow the diet include changing how we commonly think about meat. Proponents of the Mediterranean way of eating encourage folks to include no more than 3 ounces of lean meats and fish at meals, and instead to cover half their plate with vegetables for lunch and dinner.
People are encouraged to eat fresh fruit for dessert most of the time. Grains should be mostly whole grains.
And then there are the "good" fats, so-called because they do not seem to promote heart disease. Olive oil is the most famous of these, but nuts and fruits like avocados fall into this category, too. The type of fat these foods contain is predominantly monounsaturated, which seems to help lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
A fairly new hypothesis is that exposure to the sun in Mediterranean countries, and its subsequent help in making active vitamin D in our bodies, might be something else that helps to lower cardiovascular disease risk. It's also interesting that while populations in the Mediterranean region are generally exposed to a lot of sunlight, they have significantly lower rates of skin cancer than people in other sunny areas in the world. Some researchers hypothesize that the composition of the Mediterranean diet, including these same good fats, may be at least partly responsible for preventing this type of cancer.
People need to realize that even though olive oil and nuts are promoted as good fats, they are still fats. Use them, but don't overuse them.
Today's recipe reminds me of the more traditional American version of pasta salad, but with a Mediterranean kick.
It's a nice combination of flavors, and blending the dressing before tossing with the pasta and vegetables gives a nice creaminess, contrasting well with the crunch of the cucumber and the saltiness of the olives.
This is a perfect salad to prepare for a picnic lunch or to serve with grilled fish.
Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 277-3062.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with California Avocado
8 oz. orecchiette (disc shaped) or other small pasta, preferably whole grain
1 cup cherry tomatoes
½ medium cucumber
1 ripe California avocado (black skinned)
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
1 cup canned, drained artichoke halves, cut in half
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. loosely packed fresh dill
Wash cherry tomatoes, cucumber and avocado. Cut each cherry tomato in half, set aside. Cut cucumber in half and save one half for another use. If the skin is tough, peel the cucumber. Cut the cucumber lengthwise into quarters, then slice so that you have small, wedge-shaped pieces, then set aside. Peel the avocado, remove the seed and cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes or chunks, set aside.
Place the olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a food processor or blender; blend until creamy. Add dill and pulse just until incorporated.
Pour dressing over pasta and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve (but don't wait too long as the avocado tends to discolor).
Makes about 6 servings (about ¾ cup each).
Per serving: 200 calories, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein, 180 mg sodium.