Dieta Mediterranea
Dieta Mediterranea
Dieta Mediterranea
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The Mediterranean Diet 121
Documento digital autorizado por Cengage Learning para Idiomas Católica PUCP. Prohibida su reproducción total o parcial fuera de www.paideia.pucp.edu.pe
nuts, and some vegetable oils also contain them. Saturated fats are used by the body to make
cholesterol,4 and high levels of cholesterol have since been directly related to heart disease.
35 Several other studies have validated Keys’ findings regarding the good health of people in
Mediterranean countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) showed in a 1990 analysis
that four major Mediterranean countries (Spain, Greece, France, and Italy) have longer life
expectancies and lower rates of heart disease and cancer than other European countries
and America. The data are significant because the same Mediterraneans frequently smoke
40 and don’t have regular exercise programs like many Americans, which means that other
variables may be responsible. Scientists have also ruled out genetic differences, because
Mediterraneans who move to other countries tend to lose their health advantages. These
findings suggest that diet and lifestyle are major factors.
The Mediterranean diet gained even more notice when
45 Dr. Walter Willett, head of the nutrition department at Harvard
University, began to recommend it. Although low-fat diets
were recommended for sufferers of heart disease, groups
of Mediterraneans in his studies had very high intakes of fat,
mainly from olive oil. Willett and others proposed that the risk
50 of heart disease can be reduced by increasing one type of
dietary fat—monounsaturated fat—the type found in olive
oil. Willett’s proposal went against conventional nutritional
recommendations to reduce all fat in the diet. It has been
shown that unsaturated fats raise the level of HDL cholesterol, which is sometimes called “good
55 cholesterol” because of its protective effect against heart disease. Willett has also performed
studies correlating the intake of meat with heart disease and cancer.
The Mediterranean diet has several general characteristics:
• The bulk of the diet comes from plant sources, including whole grains, breads, pasta,
polenta,5 bulgur,6 couscous, rice, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
60 • Olive oil is used generously, and is the main source of fat in the diet as well as the
principal cooking oil. The total fat intake accounts for up to 35 percent of calories.
Saturated fats, however, make up only eight percent of calories or less, which restricts
meat and dairy intake.
• Fruits and vegetables are eaten in large quantities. They are usually fresh, unprocessed,
65 grown locally, and consumed in season.
• Dairy products are consumed in small amounts daily, mainly as cheese and yogurt.
• Eggs are used sparingly, up to four eggs per week.
• Fish and poultry are consumed only one to three times per week, with fish preferred over
poultry.
70 • Red meat is consumed only a few times per month.
• Honey is the principal sweetener, and sweets are eaten only a few times per week.
• Wine is consumed in moderate amounts with meals (one to two glasses daily).
4
holesterol is a fat that is produced by the liver and is vital for normal body function.
C
5
Polenta is a thick porridge-type meal made of cornmeal boiled with water.
6 Bulgur is dried cracked wheat.
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122 UNIT 7 Chapter 1