Fresh ingredients in the classic Mediterranean diet work health wonders
Garlic, onions, parsley, dill, and mint are just some of the ingredients of Greek cuisine that are invaluable in helping prevent disease, due to their high vitamin and mineral content. Long-term research conducted by Antonia Trichopoulou, professor of nutrition at Athens University, and her colleagues into the chemical composition of food has revealed how rich traditional Greek dishes are in nutritional ingredients. The study, which was published recently Athens University’s Hygiene and Epidemiology Laboratory, shows that fresh vegetables and fruit have high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and other substances whose anti-carcinogenic and anti-infection properties have attracted international attention. The conclusion is that all these gifts of nature, which the wisdom of earlier generations included in the Greek diet, contribute to the long life and good health of those Greeks who still eat a traditional Mediterranean diet. «All other food supplements are enriched foods and piecemeal solutions,» said Trichopoulou, who is also head of the laboratory’s Nutrition Center, which collaborates with the World Health Organization.
