Customer Reviews

The Mediterranean Diet

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is packed with information, and confirms what I always felt to be true about nutrition. There aren't alot of recipies, which only reflects on the simplicity of the Mediterranean style of eating. I have dozens of cookbooks, I really didn't need another one. With this book, I was inspired to use all of the fresh produce that I already enjoyed, but in a simpler and healthier way. I was also able to release any guilt about using whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, just because it was a carb, or just because it was a fat. It really makes sense to me. Keep it simple. Leave out the processing.

I really liked reading the Mediterranean Diet book. It is very imformative and helpful in giving out good common sense nutritional information. I have not tried any of the recipes in the book yet, but I plan to in the future. I have been eating a "Mediterranean style" diet for the past year and I have lost 20 pounds and feel better. I do not cook a lot of fancy gourmet meals, but I cook very simple meals made from natural ingredients. I avoid fast food and highly processed food as much as possible. I eat more fresh fruits, veggies, whole grain cereals and good quality fish and chicken. I use extra-virgin olive oil in most of my cooking and limit my intake of sugar and processed sweets. Most of my snacks and "desserts" consists of fruit,plain yogurt,olives, nuts and other natural foods. I feel much better since I stopped eating all the processed fast food junk loaded with chemicals. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to learn how to eat healthy. If the food is natural and unprocessed and doesn't have any artificial ingredients, then it is healthy.

I was recommended this diet by my gastro after being diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) & acid reflux. I had tried the Hawaii Diet and liked it allot but it had no protein and I found that a drag.
So I got this fellow and lemme tell you, it's very complete. They discuss and make allowances for everything under the sun. No thinking just follow the servings and oila I feel better, I lost weight and I get to eat protein.
But seriously this is a very complete book with thorough discussions of every aspect and a pyramid that leaves nothing to chance.

Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet is one of the safest and healthiest in the world. People who follow it have significantly lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. This book offers dietary wisdom and practical advice in language that is easy to understand. In addition to providing nutritional information, an eating plan, and an exercise plan, it emphasizes the importance of strong social ties and of dealing with stress efficiently.

The Mediterranean diet works because one can stay with it for life without feeling deprived. There is ample variety, the dishes are not difficult to prepare, and the ingredients are generally inexpensive. When combined with moderate exercise and reduced levels of stress, it can help to maintain good health as well as proper weight. Having said this, however, there is a larger aspect to the Mediterranean diet, which the authors of this book make clear: it is part of an overall philosophy of life in which food is treated with reverence and is savored in an atmosphere that celebrates the joy of sharing with family and friends. Eating healthful food is essential, but it is not enough.

As far as recipes are concerned, although this book does include some I think you will be able to enjoy Mediterranean food more fully if you take advantage of actual cookbooks that are devoted to the subject of Mediterranean cuisine. For health-conscious cooks who are unwilling to renounce the pleasures of eating well, one of the very best is Sonia Uvezian's "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," which I use regularly and which features hundreds of authentic recipes for great-tasting, nutritious, and satisfying dishes.

If you are looking for a book written specifically for losing weight, this is not the book for you.(There is one chapter on losing weight.) If you are looking for a book to help you determine the best diet for good health, this is the book for you.

Pros:
Very well organized
Very well researched
Very detailed
Interesting
Includes the Mediterranean lifestyle as important as the diet

Cons:
Although the author, a dietitian, says the Mediterranean Diet is the best for health, she chooses to change it by adding canola oil and decreasing the amount of eggs allowed.

One needs to do research on canola oil before using it as freely as olive oil. Canola oil is a modern phenomena, unlike olive oil that has been used successfully for centuries.

The author discusses a study that showed, along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, eggs were eaten at almost every meal, but heart attacks were a rarity. But, still, the author suggests eating no more than four eggs a week. Modern science has determnined that eggs do not affect cholesterol levels and if eggs high in omega-3 are chosen, they can be beneficial.

I think the book would have been improved if she had just reported the research that shows the Mediterranean Diet to be healthy instead of adding her own "knowledge" that contradicts this historically healthy diet.


There are a few recipes at the end that I have not tried yet, so can't review that portion of the book.

not enough words to describe how much i LOVE this book. it is so simple yet poignant and so many of us get caught up in the daily stress of work and unhealthy eating that we forget that we need to take time out to nurture our bodies. as a recovering eating disorder person, i have turned to the mediterranean diet to help recover my health that i almost lost. after reporting grains, legumes and an abundance of fruits nuts and veggies into my eating, i am proud to say that my body has gained back the nutrients i once lost. i am healthy, happy, and still a great weight where i look and feel wonderful :)!!! a must read for anyone looking for a better health & life!! if you're concerned about this only having a few recipes, there are tons of books on it & on the internet as well ;)

After the title of The Mediterranean Diet, is a subtitle that says "lose weight and feel great with one of the world's healthiest diets". A word of warning. The emphasis of this book is not on losing weight and the so-called Mediterranean ways that the authors advocate are not quite authetically Mediterranean.

The book begins with an introduction on what is wrong with Western diets. It then goes on to present an exotic, "magical" Mediterranean setting. Luckily, the authors didn't get carried away and are quite scientific in their analysis and presentation of how the Mediterranean diet works.

Interestingly, the first few chapters have a Q&A section at the end. What I like most about this book is the relatively balanced views held by the authors. Their moderate recommendations are all supported by research and not just guru "science" that advocates strict, impractical practices. I've managed to learn quite a bit about olive oil, bread, couscous and the nutritive value of various fruits, nuts and vegetables.

For alcohol, meat, sugar, eggs and dairy products, the authors advise moderation. Nothing extreme. However, the authors seem to be doing further injustice to the title when they recommend things like soy milk, canola oil, tumeric and various Indian spices. Are they still talking about the Mediterranean diet?

There is also only one chapter on losing weight. Hence, the title is misleading. At the end of the book, are various Mediterranean recipes. It makes the book great value for money unless you're expecting some serious weight loss book.

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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.

This is a review of the paperback version of this book. Author is a registered dietician. Basic recipes are a small part of the book.
If you've never heard of the components of the Mediterranean way of eating and are interested in basic nutrition, you might like this reading. If you are interested in cooking, search for a cookbook.

What I liked most about this book was that it wasn't just a few pages of dumbed down info and then straight into recipes. This book is helping me work subtle lifestyle changes into my kitchen, and helping me to re-learn how to savor food again. Maybe because I am a nurse it is easier to understand some of the words and phrases. And I appreciated the inputs of simialr foods from different areas of the world that have the same type dietary considerations even if they aren't from around the Mediterranean region. Again, I don't feel like the book is trying to sell me anything, like other books that also go on to try to sell the cookbook seperate, a diet plan, a health consult, a workout plan, etc. Thanks to the authors!