The Aegean Diet Explained!

Fruit by Francesco Crippa on flickr.com

If you decide to follow this kind of diet there are a few key things you need to remember. If you don’t follow them, then you are not truly following the Aegean style diet.

First and for most, the Aegean diet emphasizes that you get plenty of exercise. This is not a diet where you can simply eat better things and never move a muscle. The key to better health for anyone is to get plenty of exercise. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you choose, just that you start moving. Walking is a great start, requires no equipment, can be done alone or with friends, and everyone already knows how to do it, so there is no learning curve.  Do what you can at first, and then slowly add more difficulty: walk faster, walk longer, walk uphill, etc. Other great exercises include swimming, biking, hiking, running, and yoga. It doesn’t matter what you choose though, the point is that you start to move.

Secondly, this diet is focused primarily on eating plant-based foods, which are low in fat, often high in dietary fiber, and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables are the basic staple in this diet, as well as whole grains, legumes and nuts. All of these foods are rich in the things that your body needs and low on the things it doesn’t.  You are not completely denied other types of foods while following the Aegean diet. You can still eat red meat, drink, even consume junk food, but the key is to practice moderation.  For example, red meat should be limited to a few times a month at most. For me, the best solution is to limit red meat to once a week as a special treat.  Consumption of alcohol is not forbidden, though you need to keep it low. The general recommendation is to stick to red wine, due to its health benefits, but no matter what you choose, keep the amounts low.  Also, make sure to eat fish and poultry at least twice every week, unless you are going vegetarian.  These types of meat are healthier choices than red meat or pork and will keep you from feeling like you are being denied and enjoying the diet.

Another important aspect to the diet focuses on the reduction of saturated and transfat sources in your diet. The first step I have already mentioned, and that comes from limiting the consumption of red meat, as well as pork products.  The second comes with a focus on including olive oil into your lifestyle and diet. With the Aegean diet, butter is not often consumed.  When you can, it is best to replace products like butter with healthy fats like olive oil or canola oil.  Olive oil is used in cooking, as a topping for vegetables and salads, and even as a spread for bread.  Dipping your bread into olive oil on its own or mixed with vinegar is a tasty treat and a much healthier option than slathering butter all over it.

Finally, remember to take the time to enjoy your food. This diet and lifestyle focuses on the importance of enjoying meals with the people in your life, your family and friends.  Eat slowly, savor all of the flavors of the food, and enjoy the company around you. Eating fast is a great way to end up overeating. If you slow down and take at least 30 minutes to eat a meal instead of woofing it down because you are in a rush, you will often find that you will consume a lot less food but still feel quite satisfied. And this in turn will help you to feel better and since you will be consuming fewer calories, as well as eating mainly healthy things, you will begin to lose weight and inches.  The important thing is to be healthier, and the Aegean diet is definitely designed to help you achieve that goal.

Many people fear that a change in diet will result in having to give up your very favorite foods, such as pizza. Although you probably won’t be able to eat the variety of pizza you are used to a lot once you change your eating habits, you can always find a healthier alternative while still getting that “pizza” feel. The Aegean diet offers choice in this area. Although it doesn’t sound quite like a pizza most people are familiar with, it’s healthy and delicious and will allow you to eat pizza more than simply as a treat now and again.

In order to make a pizza to fit into the Aegean style, you are going to need eggplant, tomatoes, and feta cheese.  You can add other things, such as pepper, and mint, but that is more up to individual taste (personally, I leave off the mint.)   Here are the ingredients for this grilled pizza:

Ingredients:

-1 pound of pizza dough (I go with whole-wheat as a healthier choice)

-A large eggplant, cut into large strips (easier to grill)

- 2 or 3 large vine-ripened tomatoes. Chop them into small pieces (generally omitting the seeds.) Feel free to play with the amounts.

-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese. You can use less, but this is the amount we like.

-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

-salt and pepper (to taste)

-3-4 tablespoons of freshly chopped mint

Directions:

The first step is to prepare the pizza dough. If you are preparing from a box type, follow those instructions. Make sure to have the dough ready before hand as sometimes it takes awhile for it to be ready for use.  Once you have the dough prepared, roll it out and decide how you will serve it up. Depending on how you plan to cook it (we generally use the bbq in the summer, and opt for the oven in the winter) you may want to cut the pizza dough into smaller, more manageable sizes rather than keeping it as one large pizza.  I like to make two, but you can easily make 4 small pizzas.

I like to grill the eggplant before I add it to the pizza.  Take the strips and toss them with about a tablespoon of the olive oil, and some salt and pepper.  Grill them for a few minutes until they are nice and tender. Let them cool off and then chop them up. The size of the pieces you chop are up to you. It depends on how much eggplant you want in a single bite. I chop them fairly small, roughly the same as the tomato pieces.  Once you have the eggplant chopped, toss it together with your tomatoes, the feta cheese, about 2 tablespoons of the mint (if you are using it, I don’t), the rest of the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Mix it all together in a bowl.

Now you are ready to place the dough on the grill. (If you are using the oven, simply follow the instructions that came with the box, though I would recommend reducing the temperature a little so you do not burn your veggies.) Toss your dough onto the hot part of the grill and let it sit for just a minute or so. You’ll notice the dough will get somewhat puffy and the underside will get firm. Flip them over and move to the cooler part of the grill.  Depending on what size of pizza you made, you’ll want to distribute an appropriate amount of topping onto your pizza. Spread it out nice and evenly, then lower the top of the grill and let it cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and move them around now and then so they don’t burn. They should be completely cooked by that time, and you can remove them from the grill. If you used the mint, you can scatter the rest on the top once you are finished cooking.

This is a great alternative to the type of pizza most of us are familiar with. This pizza is much healthier for you and you can eat it with a lot more frequency than others. Once you get used to cooking in the Aegean style, you can start to experiment. There are lots of vegetables and spices that can be added to these pizzas to make them interesting, olives immediately jump to mind.  You can also add a little meat if you are feeling brave, but try not to add too many things to the pizza as it will just end up becoming the unhealthy creations we are trying to avoid by eating the Aegean way.  I hope you enjoy this pizza recipe. It has become a favorite in my house, and honestly feels like a guilt free treat.

The traditional Greek Mediterranean diet is no less than 60% fruit and vegetables, only 20% meats, 10% carbohydrates, and 10% fats. This diet is rich in natural fiber, vitamins and minerals,  with just the essential breads and other starches, and at least one daily dose of  olive oil.

There is a proof that the Aegean diet is an extremely healthy choice. This diet includes a lot of olive oil and consuming this has been proven to lower cholesterol levels, especially the “bad” cholesterol LDL levels. This is important to maintaining a healthy heart. LDL is responsible for clogging arteries which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. The traditional Greek diet has been shown to be a great way to protect yourself against heart disease in general.  A balanced diet of mostly vegetables and fish, with some fruits, as well as low intake of red meats has been proven to help defend against cardiovascular disease.

The key to the diet is that it includes two separate types of fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil. The omega-3’s come from a variety of fish such as tuna or salmon, as well as some plant sources such as pistachios, walnuts, and some vegetables. These fats are very good for health and the diet puts no restrictions on how much you can consume of them. These fats, specifically olive oil are important for preventing many diseases and have been proven to guard against specific cancers, such as breast and colon cancer.

This diet also puts a lot of emphasis upon eating whole foods that have not been processed. This keeps chemicals and other harmful substances that may be added during processing from building up in your system, and helps to keep you healthy.

There are a wide variety of foods available to be consumed with this diet, so one should not feel restricted or deprived in any way. Following this diet will not only help you to lose weight, but will help you become much healthier in the long run, while protecting you against such potentially fatal diseases like cardiovascular disease and some cancers. This is a diet that is well worth adopting for life.

aegean diet by MissMoniquita on flickr.com

Recipes for the Aegean Diet.

Here are some great recipes for anyone interested in following the Aegean diet. You can adjust the flavors and seasonings in any and all of them to make it more to your own specific taste. Also, depending on allergies or aversions, feel free to leave out or substitute other ingredients found within the Aegean range of flavors. For example, I cannot eat black olives because they trigger migranes, so I tend to leave them out of recipes or replace them with extra tomatoes or peppers.

One of our favorite dishes to eat  is Lamb Aegean. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

-roughly one pound of boneless lamb

-1 leek, chopped

-1 teaspoon of lemon rind that has been grated

1 tablespoon of lemon juice, fresh squeezed if possible

-a cup of white wine

- 6-8 cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters

-1/2 of a cup of sliced olives

-3 cups of long-grain rice

-also add coriander, cumin, red pepper powder, and salt according to taste.

Directions:

Chop the lamb into cube pieces and add them to a non-stick skillet. You should add the leek at the same time and cook until the lamb has browned on all sides. Then, drain the fat. Next add wine and all other ingredients except for the tomatoes and olives, which are added at the end.  Bring the mixture up to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the dish and let it stay that way for up to 20 minutes or until your lamb is very tender.  Finally, add in the tomatoes and olives and let them heat a little in the mixture before serving. This recipe generally feeds about 4 people.

Another of our favorites is Lamb Stew:

Ingredients:

-1 pound of lamb, chopped

-3 medium (or 2 large) potatoes, chopped

-1 medium sized onion, chopped

-2 pieces of celery, chopped

-1 small bell pepper, cut into chunks or slices

-1-2 teaspoons of salt according to taste

-pepper, according to taste

-2 tablespoons of parsley, freshly chopped or dried

-3-4 tablespoons of water blended with 1-2 tablespoons of flour

-Optional ingredients: several small carrots, diced rutabaga,  or canned tomatoes

Directions:

Chop the lamb into ½ inch to 1 inch pieces and place in a pot or deep pan. If you have lamb chops, you may include the bones. Add just enough water to cover the lamb, usually about 1 and ½ cups or so.  Cover your pot or pan and simmer on medium heat for about 45 minutes. Do not boil! After 45 minutes, add the vegetables and salt and cook for another 30 minutes or so, until the vegetable and meat mixture seems tender then remove from heat. At this point you should remove any of the bones you may have included earlier.  Add the water/flour mixture (you may add a bit more water or flour depending on how thick you wish to make your stew).  Place the mixture back on the stove and continue cooking until the mixture thickens.  Last, add the parsley and extra salt if needed.  Enjoy!  This stew generally serves about 4 people.

Another very popular one in our house is Pasta Salad:

Ingredients:

-approx. 12 ounces of your favorite small pasta

-  ½ of a cup of olive oil, I highly recommend extra virgin

- ¼ of a cup of balsamic or red wine vinegar (depending on preference)

-lemon zest

- ½ a cup of chopped olives

- ¼ of a cup of chopped parsley ( you can add less or more depending on how much you like parsley)

-2 cups of chopped tomatoes,  I recommend cherry or grape tomatoes, but larger ones are fine

- 1 cup of shrimp.  *You can substitute this with chicken or salmon if, like in my house, someone has an allergy to shrimp.

-8-10 ounces of Feta cheese, crumbled

-salt and pepper to taste

*optional ingredient: Pine nuts about ½ of a cup

Directions:

Cook the pasta until it is tender yet still firm.  Drain it and run it under some cold water and drain again.

Place the pasta into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the olive oil, the vinegar, and the lemon zest. (To switch up the flavors, you can leave out the zest and add a tablespoon or 2 of mustard (Dijon is our favorite).) Pour this mixture over the pasta and toss it gently to coat it fully.  Add in the parsley and the olives and stir. Next add the feta, the tomatoes and the shrimp (or chicken or salmon).  It’s ready to serve. It can also be refrigerated and served cold.

This is a great salad alternative, though it does break the rules a little on combining protein and carbohydrates.

These are three recipes that I cook quite often and are a great favorite in our household. Feel free to adjust where you deem necessary. I will often add or subtract things depending on mood or to avoid food allergies.  Remember that there are literally hundreds of recipes available and you will never get bored with food on this type of diet.

Many recent studies have shown that following a traditional Greek diet, one that is rich in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats is extremely good for your health. It can extend your life expectancy, protect you against heart disease, and can also help to prevent certain kinds of cancer.

Switching to any diet plan is always hard for most people.  Being restricted in what you can and cannot eat is tough, and being denied your favorite foods makes it a struggle. However, switching to the Aegean diet is actually quite pleasant. Most of the foods that you might want can be consumed; you just need to remember to keep a balance and not to overdo anything that may be unhealthy in large amounts, like red meat.   There are tons of choices and options for creating meals for you and your family, so this can easily become a lifelong way of eating instead of a simple fad to help you lose a few extra pounds.

There are tons of vegetables that appear in nearly every meal in the Aegean diet.  Eggplant is one that many people may be unfamiliar with, but is quite good for you. It tends to appear a lot and can even be used as a meat substitute in many recipes.  Potatoes, green beans, green peppers, onions and tomatoes are also extremely common in this diet and help you to form fantastic and varied meals each and every week.

Spices are a huge key to keeping meals varied and interesting.  Oregano is extremely popular and works well with potatoes and tomatoes. Other spices that are popular in the Aegean diet are mint, dill, saffron, bay leaves, and garlic. Garlic in particular is very good for your health and should be added to as many meals as possible.   Though not exactly a spice, honey is very popular in Greece, and is used to naturally sweeten many things. The honey has not been processed in any way and has no added sugars or preservatives so it makes it much better for you than most other forms of sweetener.

Keep one thing in mind when on this diet: The traditional mix is about 10 percent fats, the same amount of carbohydrates, 20 percent of your diet is meat and the rest is a mix of vegetables and fruit. Following these numbers when creating meals will keep you healthy and help you to lose weight.  One added note:  The only true restriction in this particular diet is that protein and carbohydrates are not to be mixed. For example, you can have meat and vegetables together, or pasta without meat sauce.   Remember this restriction when planning meals and you will be successful.

aegean diet by grobery on flickr.com

The Aegean diet will improve your health, there is no question about that. However, if you are looking to lose weight while following this specific eating plan, you will need to do a few things.

First of all, you will have to restrict your caloric intake for the day.  Approximately 1500 calories per day should have the right effect. Depending on how much weight you have to lose, you may start out at around 2000 calories per day, but should work toward slowly lowering it down to the 1500 or so.

Simply reducing the amount of calories per day will result in some weight loss on this diet. However, for better results, you need to exercise. Moderate exercise is fine. There is particular need to go to the gym for hours every week, though if you wish to do this, you may find yourself losing more weight a lot faster.  Walking is a great way to get exercise. It will help accelerate your weight lose while not requiring any special equipment or training.  Exercise is an essential key to losing weight while following the Aegean diet and for maintaining overall health.

The consumption of alcohol while following this diet is acceptable, especially wine. However, excess drinking is discouraged. Drinking too much damages your body and it will also retard your weight loss. However, moderate drinking is actually encouraged. Wine, especially red wine, has been shown to have overall health benefits. When consumed with the other healthy foods in the Aegean diet, it can stave of disease. No more than a glass or two is recommended per day, however. Most Greeks will drink their alcohol with their meals.  If you do not wish to do that, a glass or two before bed will not cause you any particular harm either.

Following the Aegean way of eating is a great way to prolong your life. Studies have shown that  people who have made the Aegean diet a part of their lifestyle have about a 20 percent chance of dying to heart disease, cancers, and other fatal diseases than those who do not follow the diet.  That is simply from eating the proper foods. Exercising and moderate drinking increase these benefits dramatically, up to 65% chance over 10 years.  These are rather large numbers and it is worth considering switching to a diet based upon the traditional Greek or Aegean diet.

There are specific types of food associated with the Aegean diet, also called the Mediterranean diet. In order to follow this type of eating plan, you need to eat only certain types of things and disregard others.

Dairy products are allowed in this particular diet. However, most of it is consumed in fermented forms. Yogurt and cheese are two that are particularly popular.  The most common type of cheese is Feta cheese and true Greek feta is made from sheep or goat’s milk.  Greek yogurt is a tasty treat and does not contain added sweeteners or chemicals. It is naturally high in protein and is usually sweetened with honey.  Whole milk is consumed but is usually reserved for making deserts and puddings.

Meat is an important source of protein, but not all meat is created equal. The Aegean diet is low on red meat or saturated fats.  In this particular diet, Lamb is the meat that is consumed the most. Pork is also popular within the religious communities that allow it. Fish is also an extremely common option and one of the most important as many of the varieties contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are important for health. Another important source is Legumes. Popular kinds are chick peas, black beans, fava beans, and red beans. They can be found in many different dishes.

This diet also includes bread and cereals.  Almost every meal has some sort of bread product or rice.  The most popular wheat choices are pitas and traditional unleavened bread called matzoh. There are other types of breads available and are extremely common at the dinner table.

Fruits and vegetables are important in any healthy diet and the same is true for the Aegean diet.  Most of them are uncooked, and tend to be placed in salads. The most popular vegetables are eggplant and potatoes, though many different varieties are consumed. It is often common to stuff vegetables with rice or meat and create new and interesting dishes.  Fresh fruit is consumed, but it is generally left for dessert, although occasionally some is added to salad.

Following this particular diet plan is not hard. There are many varieties of foods available for you to consume and as long as you remember to keep saturated fats low, following this diet will keep you healthy and feeling good.  And remember, with this particular diet, olive oil is used in place of any other type of fat or oil when preparing foods.