The Mediterranean Diet

I am a dietitian who has practiced the Mediterranean way of life for over ten years and a similar way of living my entire life. I do not advocate this way of life in my professional practice, however, many of my clients have chosen to follow it on their on. Occasionally I will get questions directly related to the Mediterranean way of life. I was bemused, however, when one of my clients asked me about using Margarine in her cooking, I thought it was obvious in this day and age that if you want to be healthy that you avoid this and ALL MAN MADE ARTIFICIAL FOODS. When I questioned her about it she told me about this cook book and some of the ingredients listed. I purchased a copy of it for myself and now I am letting everyone know that this is not the way. The recipes in this book are fine as long as you are aware that many of the ingredients used are not right. DO NOT use Margarine and avoid Canola oil these products did not exist during the time period that the diet is based on and they are not part of the menu. Be careful when choosing to use canned low-sodium anything, read the label to make sure that the salt was not replaced with MSG. As for Fat Free or Reduced Fat; Milk, Sour Cream and Yogurt, they are ok but not recommended by anyone who follows the diet correctly. Again, these products did not exist during the time period. This way of eating is a balance of good and bad fats that help to offset each other, dairy fats are good for your body and it is important to get the proper amount of them into this diet. The list of ingredients called for in this book that should not be in your diet is too long to list here. Just use the old rule of thumb that goes with this way of life; If it did not exist before 1950 it is not part of the diet. Bon appetit.

This review mainly deals with part one of this two part book. I have been researching the pros and cons (the later of which I can find none that are deal-breakers) of the Mediterranean Diet for weeks. I happened upon this little gem for just under $4 for the Kindle. The information was well-written. In fact, I probably aggravated my family by calling out "Did you know...?" statements over and over during the couple of days it took me to read it.The book is presented in two parts. The first details the research and science behind the diet itself. Most notable is the reminder that this research is based on the dietary habits of those living around the Mediterranean during the 1950s and 1960s; an important fact to consider as modern conveniences have moved into the area and today's subjects are slipping from their healthy ways. Point taken: it's not enough to eat like Mediterraneans; we have to think like our golden age counterparts.The second part is comprised of recipes to help you get started. Truthfully I have not yet dug into this section as I find it easier to simply "Google" and "Pin" recipes online, but I trust they are well-rounded and delicious.That being said, this book is worth the cost and time to read (a silly statement since neither are very much) for part one alone even if you are only remotely considering undertaking this healthy way of eating and living. You will complete the section abundantly informed and well-equipped to make better food decisions leading to a healthier you.

this book is very good for anyone who does not know anything about the mediterranean way of eating. However, for the more advanced reader, there is too much background material on the basic approach and lengthy descriptions of the various foods that are the mainstays of mediterranean eating. I basically hoped to get a book of recipes, but this one had a rather brief section devoted to this topic at the end of this book. The recipes given were in many instances complicated and would appeal to those who have some time to devote to them. I had hoped for some simple recipes that would appeal to those who do not have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.This being said, I would recommend this book most highly to those who know little of mediterranean cooking and need a basic beginning book.

I agree that the book can be repetitive at times, but it gives a lot of important and clear information on the history and benefits of the Mediterranean diet that should not be missed. I think that if this is the lifestyle that you wish to persue(and I think most should), then this book needs to be one of the books on your shelf along with The Omega Diet and The Fat Fallacy. If you would like to find recipes that support this lifestyle, Italian Cooking For Dummies has detailed explanation of ingredients as well as recipes and Lidia's Family Table has some wonderful recipes in it. Most ethnic cookbooks of the region will work, keeping in mind that portion control and quality ingredients are the cornerstone of this diet as well as the ratio of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. I should add that many of the recipes in vegetarian cookbooks as well as whole food cookbooks will also fall under a Mediterranean lifestyle. Quality not quantity will buy us the health we want.

What bothers me about this book is the dietitian bias of the authors. Although they tout the Mediterranean diet, they incorporate non-Mediterranean foods such as salmon and the highly toxic canola oil. There is NO canola oil in the traditional Mediterranean diet!! In fact, canola oil is a toxic substance. Further the authors have a problem with saturated fats, because this is drummed into dietitians as being bad, yet it is the very enigma that is behind the French paradox. It pays to take a very close look at the major industries that back the dietetic association to understand the bias of these authors, including sugar growers, big pharma, the margarine association, Sarah Lee desserts, and so forth. The authors don't even have the guts to claim that sugar is really very bad for you. These biases make for sloppy work and off-the-topic comments and endorsements. Very disappointing. They do not represent the Mediterranean diet as well as could be.

Ok but tiny print

was not what i thought it was going to be but was very informative and have gone back to it several times

Small pocket book format on low quality paper. If you wish to know 'What makes vegetable so great' or ' A Mediterranean-Inspired Exercise Plan' or all about 'Embracing the Mediterranean Lifestyle' then this book is for you.If you need to be instructed to 'Begin you day with gentle stretching ...', 'Move more, eat less.' then this book is for you. If you need a recipe to make a "Mediterranean Salad Sandwich' (One 16=inch baguette, cut into 4 pieces, each piece halved lengthwise) then this book is for you. Save your money and buy some decent olives.

I was hoping for a book of recipes with maybe some photos. It reads more like a textbook. Pocket novel size, so hard to read. Was not at all what I wanted or expected. Though not the fault of the seller. I asked for a refund.

An informative easy to read and put into preactise book.tried lots of diets but this one standa above the rest.