We’ve all heard the hype around the Mediterranean Diet – held as a holy grail, it’s long been touted as ‘the way we should eat’. We speak to My Food Bag dietician Lily Henderson about the benefits of eating more like our med mates, especially those gorgeous Greeks!
Kia ora Lily! From a dietary perspective, why should we be eating more like our Greek pals? What are the nutritional benefits/ highlights for us?
Greece is not only gorgeous scenery but it’s one of the countries that borders the Mediterranean sea. The traditional Greek diet is a nutritional winner because it’s based around nutrient-dense plant foods like colourful veggies, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains along with seafood – and you can’t forget the generous use of olive oil. A dietary pattern based around these foods can benefit the management of many different health conditions and reduces our risk of diet-related diseases.
Why is there such hype about the Mediterranean Diet, – and what do you think about it?
I’m not usually one to get behind the hype on a specific diet but the Mediterranean Diet is one that I can get behind! It is one of the most-studied dietary patterns in the scientific research and it continues to consistently show from both observational research and clinical trials that the combinations of these foods really do benefit our health. The other benefit no one really talks about is that this style of eating is sustainable, enjoyable, satiating and more nutrient-dense than many other restrictive and extreme dietary approaches – so I’m here for it! I also love that the Mediterranean Diet is also about embodying the slowing down, preparing food, eating with others part of eating that we sometimes forget about when we hyper-focus on macros and nutrients.
The survey shows that Mediterranean cuisine as a whole is on the rise for Kiwis, but we hardly ever have it at home – why do you reckon this is?
There was some great research from the University of Auckland a couple of years ago showing that a low number of Kiwis follow a Mediterranean style of diet. I don’t think this is surprising and likely due the familiarity of preparing foods like beans, legumes, and unrefined grains like bulghur wheat. In New Zealand, we typically have much higher intakes of meat and highly processed foods, and these are proportionally a lot lower in a Medi-style diet. My Food Bag saw a gap in the NZ market to be able to easily and sustainably integrate this way of eating into our diets and that’s why you’ll see five Medi-inspired meals on the Fresh Start by My Food Bag menu each week. You also regularly feature these less-familiar ingredients like bulgur wheat, cannellini beans and chickpeas on the My Food Bag menu too.
Speaking of My Food Bag, they’ve rolled out some Greek-inspired recipes (some that are super-healthy and some that more fit into the comfort food category!) but what are some of the classically Greek ingredients that you love the most, and their benefits in a balanced diet?
I looove the way you can take a trip to a country from the comfort of your own home. Hands down… a beautifully seasoned tzatziki is one of my favourite dressings that packs flavour into every mouthful. Herbs like dill and oregano also bring layers of flavour and make veggies taste so good you want them crowding your plate. And lastly, you can’t forget olive oil because when you cooked with it you pack in healthy fats, antioxidants and polyphenols. There is also evidence that olive oil actually helps to enhance the nutrient bioavailability of the veggies on your plate which blows my mind.
I’d always recommend a good starting point is to look at ways you can increase the nutrient-density and fibre in your meals. You don’t need to do a complete overhaul! This could be a simple as getting more colour and variety onto your plate and your weekly menu and building in as many veggies and other plant foods as you can. It’s not about cutting out meat or any of the foods that you love. It’s thinking… how can I make my meals more nutrient-dense and shift the proportion of plants on my plate, so they dominate.
Dining and Cooking