The Greek Way of Eating

Ever since the first report of mad cow disease, my family has reduced the amount of meat that we consume. We have found the Greek/Mediterrannean diet really suits our needs.

Greek cuisine uses alot of grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil and some meat (mostly fish, some poultry, and very little beef). Food was cooked in olive oil, which has been proven to help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the olive (Olea europaea), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps, and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps. Olive oil is a healthy oil because of its high content of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid) and polyphenols.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_cuisine

Compared to other Mediterranean cuisines, Greek cuisine uses most often oregano, mint, garlic, onion, dill, salt and bay leaves. Other common spices include basil, thyme and fennel seed. Many Greek recipes use sweet spices in combination with meat, for example the use of cinnamon and cloves in stews and nutmeg in dishes containing white sauce. Greek flavor is often characterised by the use of mint and nutmeg. Other typical ingredients are lamb, pork, kalamata olives, feta cheese, grape leaves, zucchini and yogurt. Dessert items are dominated by nuts and honey.

Greece devotes 60 percent of its cultivated land to olive-growing. It is the world’s top producer of black olives and boasts more varieties of olives than any other country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil