Myths About the Middle Eastern Diet

One of the most popular diets recommended for those trying to lose weight is the Mediterranean diet.

There's no denying that in general, Europeans are healthier than Americans--but that's probably not saying much, considering all the processed food and sedentary lifestyles that plague American culture.

But there are several misconceptions about the Mediterranean Diet.

Medical professionals and mainstream dietitians and the media continue to claim among other things that a Mediterranean diet consists of:

• Minimal consumption of red meat; no more than 2 times per month
• Avoidance of saturated fat
• Low salt
• Mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes

As Stanley A. Fishman, author of Tender Grassfed Meat says, Mediterranean cultures did in fact eat lots of saturated animal fats. Almost every peasant kept a small herd of goats, or sheep. These animals were raised mostly for their milk, which was drunk raw, made into curds, made into a huge variety of full-fat cheeses, and widely used in cooking. The milk was unpasteurized and always full-fat. These dairy products were a huge part of their diet. The meat prized by the Mediterranean people was not lean, but fatty, consisting mostly of pork, lamb, and goat. Lambs and goats would be barbecued whole for special occasions and holidays. The meat eaten on these occasions was not served in tiny portions, but feasted on. Butter and lard were widely used in cooking, along with olive oil. It's interesting to note that Canola Oil was never used; it wasn't invented until the late 20th century!

As for the fallacy that the Mediterranean diet is low salt, salting food was the main way of preserving food, given the warm climate, and the Mediterranean peoples were masters of salting fish, cheeses, and meat. 

Instead of most calories coming from whole grains and vegetables, the Mediterranean diet's main caloric source came from dairy products, the full-fat cheeses and milk produced by the herds.

As long as low-fat, low-protein and high-carb diets are recommended, like the mythological "Mediterranean Diet", there will be a preponderance of Americans with chronic illness.