NU FS 223: The Mediterranean Diet, Olives and Olive oil, Legumes and Wheat in the Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean Components

- High in: Plant foods (primary plant based), Fruits/Veggies, Minimally refined Grains, Potatoes, beans, Nuts/seeds, Locally grown fresh foods, Olive oil (Virgin/extra-virgin, primary fat)

- Moderate in: Fish, dairy, Poultry, Wine, Eggs (low-moderate)

- Low: Read Meat (animal consumption 50-60% lower), added sugars, saturated fats

- Nutrition components: High fibre, Healthy fats, Low added sugar, variety in proteins

Mediterranean health factors

- Protects against lots, obesity, CVD, etc.

Fibre

- High Fibre diets (Healthy GI tract)

- Legumes/Pulses, Fruits, Veggies, Whole grains

- Helps you live longer, increasing dietary fibre intake associated with reduced risk of dying from CVD and cancers

- 30-40g/day

Plant Antioxidants

- Tomato: Lycopene (red pigment - carotenoid)

- Lemon juice: Ascorbic acid

- Allium Vegetables (garlic, onions): sulfur components (pungent)

- Rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, sage, mint: Rosmarinus acid

- Sofrito: Sauce made from frying tomatoes, onions, garlic and aromatic herbs in olive oil

Alcohol

- In moderation, associated with reduced risk of heart disease in some research studies (debatable)

- Diet typically includes some kind of wine

- No more than 5 ounces (150ml) of wine a day for women/men over 65, no more than 10 ounces (300ml) of wine a day for men under 65

- Drink with meals

Diet Pattern vs Single Nutrients, Lifestyle

- Used often to examine relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and disease

- Do not focus on single nutrients or single foods, but examine overall diets

- No super foods/magic bullets

- Foods may act synergistically/interactively on the risk of developing disease

lifestyle

- Socializing with friends

- Eating together/sharing

- Everyone involved with cooking

- Close to nature

- Physically active

- Adequate sleep

Olive tree and Olives

- OT:

- Mediterranean origins, agricultural expansion

- long lived, slow growing, survives harsh weathers

- Cultural significance

- O:

- Fruits produced by trees from the family Oleaceae

- belong to fruits called drupes

- color depends on maturity (unripe is green, ripe is purple-black)

- Too bitter to be eaten off tree (phenolic compounds)

- Must be cured to reduce bitterness (packed in salt and soaking in brine (salty water) or using alkaline solution such as lye (sodium hydroxide) water solution)

- Most harvested for oil, minority for table olives

- Spain #1 producer, Canada does not grow Olives

Olive Nutrition

- Monounsaturated fat (oleic acid, n9)

- 15-30% of weight is made up of fat

- Vitamin E

- Phytochemicals

- Phenolic compounds

- Fibre

- Sodium

- Green olives lower fat than purple-black

- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

How is Olive oil Made?

- Traditional (mechanical and cold pressing, no high heat or chemicals, pressed soon after harvest )

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, highest grade/most expensive (Obtained by mechanical means without high heat/chemicals, No additives, No more than 0.8g of free Oleic acid in 100g oil, excellent flavor and odor characteristics (fruity, peppery, bitter, not musty/earthy))

- Virgin Olive oil, lesser grade than EVOO, same first 2 steps, free acidity of up to 2g of oleic acid per 100g, reasonable odor and flavor

- Refined Olive Oil, poor quality (heat, chemicals, high free acidity, poor flavors/odors, blended with EVOO or VO, can be labelled as olive oil, pure olive oil, or light olive oil, flavorless/odorless, refinement reduces % of bioactive compounds)

Benefits of EVOO

- Vitamin K

- Vitamin E (tocopherols), an antioxidant (prevents oxidative reactions in the human body, prevents rancidity and extends shelf-life of the oil)

- Carotenoids (e.g. B-carotenoid, lutein)

- Contains several polyphenols, including oleocanthals (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory organic compound), which is responsible for pepperiness

- preventative role against age-related degenerative diseases such as CVD and some cancers

- Usable to fry foods

Olive oil fraud

- EVOO most susceptible of fraud/adulteration

- Oils may be labelled as EVOO but:

- do not contain olive oil

- refined olive oil, or a blend

- Diluted with cheaper oils like soybean oil, peanut oil, palm oil, or canola oil

- Look for dark bottle, harvest date, expensive, bitter and pungent taste with a peppery finish to ensure real

Canola Oil

- Rich source of monounsaturated fats

- lowest amount of saturated fat of all common culinary oils

- Rich in omega-3-fatty acids, reduce CVD

- Low n6/n3 ratio of 2:1

- One serving = 16% RDA of Vitamin for adults

- Cheaper than Olive oil because it does not have to be imported

- Canada produces canola oil

- supports Canadian farmers

Legumes

- From Fabaceae botanical family

- Include all forms of beans peas and lentils

- Plant based proteins

- High fibre

Whole grains

Whole Grain vs Refined Grain

WG:

- Contain the entire grain kernel

- Ex. Whole-wheat flour, bulgur, cracked wheat, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, brown rice

RG:

- milled to remove bran and germ

- EX. white flour, de-germed cornmeal, white rice

Wheat products

- Bulgur, whole wheat, made into pilaf (Whole wheat, parboiled, dried, and ground, minimal cooking)

- Durum wheat, made into couscous and pasta (often yellow)

- Bread Wheat made into bread, staple of Mediterranean diet (Pita, leavened bread, sourdough)

Glycemic index

- ranks a carb-containing food or drink by how much it raises blood sugar levels

- Foods with higher GI increase blood sugar higher and faster than foods with a low GI

- Benefits:

- Decrease risk of type 2 diabetes

- decrease risk of heart disease and stroke

- feel full faster and longer

- Weight management

- High GI diet associated with increased risk of overall cancer, colon and bladder cancer

GI and Mediterranean diet

- preparing foods with an acid lowers the Glycemic response by slowing stomach emptying

- combine a high-GI food with low GI foods (fat and protein) to decrease GI value

- Couscous has medium glycemic index, but when served with a low GI food like chickpea's, the meal is a low GI meal

- Mediterranean diet is a medium-low GI diet