Mediterranean diet facts for kids
The Mediterranean diet is a healthy way of eating. It's not just about the food itself. It also includes the skills and traditions people use to grow, catch, and cook their meals. This way of eating also involves the culture and traditions around food and mealtimes.
In the late 1900s, people far from the Mediterranean Sea started trying this diet to improve their health. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report called the Mediterranean diet the "Best Overall Diet."
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History of the Mediterranean Diet
A scientist named Ancel Keys began studying the Mediterranean diet in the 1950s. He noticed that people in poor Italian villages seemed healthier than people in New York. This made him curious about their eating habits.
In 2013, the United Nations recognized the Mediterranean diet as an important intangible cultural heritage. This means it's a valuable tradition from countries like Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal.
What Foods Are in the Mediterranean Diet?
This diet is based on what peasants, or farm workers, ate in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This includes foods from the Middle Ages and later, like what Italian farm workers would eat. They ate a lot of olive oil, beans, and fresh vegetables that were in season.
Meat was expensive, so it was not the main part of their meals. The Mediterranean diet also includes some foods from North and South America, such as tomatoes.
Health Benefits of This Diet
Scientists have found that people who eat a Mediterranean diet often feel better. They have less anxiety and depression. Also, people with type 1 diabetes who follow this diet tend to live healthier lives. They are also less likely to get Crohn's disease.
Is the Mediterranean Diet Expensive?
Some diet experts say that eating a Mediterranean diet can be costly. For example, a tomato is cheap if you live near a farm and buy it when it's ripe. But it costs more if it has to be flown to a city far away and stored until winter.
However, other studies show that the Mediterranean diet is not much more expensive than a typical North American diet.
Common Misunderstandings
Many people think they are eating a Mediterranean diet when they have pizza, pasta, or other foods. But these foods are often not part of the traditional Mediterranean diet. The real diet focuses on fresh, whole foods.
Images for kids
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The Mediterranean diet food pyramid, showing how to eat this way
See also
In Spanish: Dieta mediterránea para niños
