The traditional Greek cuisine uniquely combines nutritional values and healthy cooking, not easily found elsewhere in the world.
In recent years the Mediterranean diet has caught the attention of the international scientific community, and with good reason. Known academic institutions, such as the Harvard University, organize conferences on the eating habits of the Mediterranean peoples. Scientific journals publish extensive articles about the beneficial effects of olive oil, pulses, fresh fruits and vegetables and wine on the human health.
This interest is attributed mainly to the fact that there exists irrefutable evidence for the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet. The traditional Cretan diet, as an example, despite the fact that it is rich in fatty acids (40%) is much healthier than the prudent diet proposed by the American Society of Cardiology.
Equally revealing is the study of the World Health Organization, according to which, until 1961, the Greeks lived longer than other people. Unfortunately in recent years the habits of Greeks have moved away from the traditional way of eating and western eating patterns have been gradually adopted.
As a result, instead of adapting traditional cooking into today's living habits, new dietary patterns have been introduced that result in obesity and nutrition related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, various cancers, etc. In contrast, the health benefits from the consumption of olive oil (rich in monounsaturated fatty acids), especially by people who suffer from heart diseases, are now well documented. Among other things, it reduces levels of low density cholesterol (LDL), without affecting the high density cholesterol (HDL) in the body.
The first thing that comes to mind about traditional Greek cuisine is olive oil. It is the oil predominantly used and it has its place in almost all dishes. This is a phenomenon occurring exclusively in Mediterranean countries.