Being a single mom can make for a very hectic and constrained schedule, but I always put my girls first. The coin phrase in my home is “Mom, what are we eating tonight?” Dinner time is the special time of the day that is set aside for family.
So, one evening while strolling through Kroger, I passed the olive buffet table and noticed a pamphlet on the Mediterranean diet. Of course, the girls chose pizza that night, but I decided after flipping through this booklet in the checkout line to research further.
The Mediterranean diet originated from foods enjoyed in Greece, southern Italy, France, and Spain in the 1940s and 1950s. It consist of large quantities of fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, and olive oil. The diet also allows for moderate dairy products, and moderate consumption of red wine and red meat. What stuck out to me about the diet is that it encourages us to enjoy meals with the family.
How many diets encourage us to do that ladies? Doesn’t it make it easier to stick with something when have someone doing it with you? It also promotes physical activity, which myself and my daughters do almost everyday.
While fruits and vegetables is the group in this diet that has the largest consumption, the use of olive oil is the one that promotes the most health benefits. Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and breast cancer are all issues that are becoming increasingly prevalent within African Americans. Studies show that African Americans are 1.7% more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. Chances of acquiring these diseases are significantly lessened with this diet.
I have tried many diets before, but none of them have been as easy as this one. A diet that increases health and family time? It sounds like a winner to me. http://thegrio.com/2013/02/04/eat-cuisine-from-our-roots-for-better-health/