MEDITERRANEAN

DIETOUR LIFESTYLE

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The Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle that

combines Mediterranean agricultural ingredients,

the recipes and cooking methods from each

place, shared meals, celebrations and traditions,

all added to the practice of physical exercise

favored by an amazing climate that completed

this lifestyle.

Due to that, The Mediterranean diet is an

excellent model for healthy living. 22

The main areas which have Mediterranean food are

East of Spain

South of France

Italy

Greece

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The diet is characterized by the abundance of

plant foods, like bread, pasta, rice, green,

vegetables, fruit and nuts; the use of

olive oil, the moderate consumption of fish,

shellfish, poultry, dairy products and

eggs. Also small amounts of meat and

everything combined with wine.

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10 BASIC RECOMMENDATIONS

1. USE OLIVE OIL AS THE PRIMARY FAT SOURCE.

(It is rich in vitamin ‘E’, beta-carotene and monounsaturated fatty acids.)

2. CONSUME PLANT FOODS. (Vegetables and fruits are the main source of

vitamins, minerals and fiber.) 3. BREAD AND FOODS FROM CEREALS

SHOULD BE PART OF THE DAILY DIET.(Rich in carbohydrates.)

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4. FRESH AND SEASONAL FOOD ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE.

5. CONSUME DAIRY PRODUCTS (YOGURT AND CHEESE).(Source of protein, minerals and vitamins.)

6. CONSUME MEAT BEING PART OF A PL VEGETABLE DISH.

(It contains protein and iron)

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7. EAT A LOT OF FISH AND SOME EGGS.(It has protective properties because its animal

fat is very similar to the vegetable one.) 8. FRUIT SHOULD BE AN USUAL DESSERT.

(It is a very nutritious aliment.)9. DRINK A LOT OF WATER AND

SOMETIMES WINE IN THE MEALS.(Water is essential and wine may have

beneficial effects too.)10. DO EXERCISE.

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S0ME SEASONAL SPRING FOOD IN VALENCIA

VEGETABLES: Chard, garlic, artichoke, eggplant, squash, onions, spinach, cucumber, pepper, tomato…

FRUIT: : Apricot, cherry, strawberry, kiwi, tangerine, orange, nectarina, peach, loquat, banana…

FISH: : Clams, eel, tuna, cod, cockles, sole, mussels, hake, swordfish, monkfish, salmon, cuttlefish, trout…

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SPANISH “TAPAS”SPANISH “TAPAS”1. “MONTADITO” (Esgarrat)

- Ingredients: baked pepper, aubergine, onion and olive oil. - Properties: - Baked pepper: the baked pepper has

minerals, vitamins and essential oil. It helps to protect our organism.

- Aubergine: it contains scanty vitamins, hydro-carbons, proteins and minerals, its main component is water.

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- Onion: the onion stimulates the appetite and regularizes the functions of the stomach, it is diuretic, therefore it is an important way to purify the organism.

- Olive oil: it contains vitamin E, it helps to reduce the levels of cholesterol and harden the bones...

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2. “MONTADITO” (Tuna)

- Ingredients: “tuna fish” - Properties: - Tuna fish: it helps to diminish the

levels of cholesterol and to make the blood fluid. It also sihas a great quantity of vitamins. There is advisable the consumption of tuna and other

blue fish in case of cardiovascular diseases.

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- ”Bonito”: Albacore or white tuna is a species of tuna found in all tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is called albacore fishing to that in the Cantabrian Sea, though it has nothing to do with the kind of "bonito" and often leads to confusion and believe that the "bonito" is like tuna. 

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3. “GAZPACHO ANDALUZ”

- Ingredients: tomato, pepper, cucumber, olive oil andoptional garlic or onion. - Properties: - Tomato: it is one of the

vegetables more consumed in the world, richly in Vitamins C and A, its habitual consumption helps to reduce some types of cancer.

- Pepper: it has minerals, vitamins and essential oil. It helps to protect our organism.

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- Cucumber: it is a remedy against the problems of the skin,it contains a lot of water, vitamin E and natural oils.

- Olive oil: helps to reduce the levels of cholesterol, and hardens the bones and it contains vitamin E.

- Garlic: as vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E, it contains minerals as the calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. It reduces the cholesterol and the arterial pressure and has antibacterial properties.

- Onion: is diuretic, therefore it purifies the organism.

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4. “BROCHETA”

- Ingredients: “Serrano ham", tomato cherry and cheese. -Properties: - ”Serrano ham”:  the ham is a food

rich in vitamin B1 and also has a high amount of sodium. Ham is made from salting and air drying of the hind legs of the pig. It's the best delicatessen in Spain.

- Cheese: contains a lot of calcium and makes bones strong,it has a salty taste and belongs to the family of dairy products.

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- Tomate cherry: it's a vegetable like tomato but smaller,it is responsible for eliminating uric acid and lowering cholesterol. It has mineral salts like potassium and magnesium, and has very beneficial effects on our health.

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