Garlicky Kale and Ricotta Crostini Recipe, How the Mediterranean Diet Got Its Name, The Cultural Benefits of Olive Oil and The Key to Sustainable Eating

When we read about the benefits of olive oil, they’re usually centered on its amazing health boosts to the heart, brain, and more. Surprising as it may seem at first glance, there are also cultural benefits from having olive oil as the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet. These benefits stem from traditions surrounding the growing and pressing of olives, choosing other seasonal and local foods, and preparing and enjoying meals with family and friends. I experience that conviviality firsthand every time I’m at an olive harvest, and it’s exhilarating! What’s more, because olive oil and most components of the diet are plant based, it’s a very sustainable way of eating for our planet. I’m sharing insights from three reports on the importance of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet to inspire you to not only embrace healthy eating, but also to better our environment.

How the Mediterranean Diet Got Its Name

The history of the Mediterranean diet is itself fascinating. According to the article “Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Longevity,” published in Nutrients in June 2021, the diet was formally described in the Seven Countries Study from the 1950s. The study identified the diet’s health benefits: “Southern European populations from countries where olive trees grow naturally exhibited longevity among the highest in the world, with the lowest incidence of coronary heart disease, cancer, and other non-communicable diseases. These populations did not follow a specific dietary pattern, but some traditional eating and lifestyle habits [that] originated centuries before.” That description piqued the interest of everyone—from scholars to foodies—from that day forward. It’s not hard to argue that the Mediterranean way of life became the inspiration for each of today’s wildly popular plant-based diets.

That early research showed that over 60% of the calories in the Mediterranean diet came from plant foods, compared to just 37% in the American diet, and though both populations ate the same number of fat calories, the main source of these calories among Mediterranean people was olive oil, not the animal fat preferred in the US. The researchers of the study were surprised by how healthy the Mediterranean people were despite living without the so-called advances of the Western industrialized world! People in the region might have wished for more meat in their diet, but it was precisely the lack of meat and the emphasis on plant-based foods, including the physical activity of cultivating, gathering, and cooking them, that kept certain diseases at bay.

The Cultural Benefits of Olive Oil

As more studies were done, it also became clear that the Mediterranean diet wasn’t only about food, but also about traditions and practices that were passed down through generations, “extending from the countryside and food production to the ways of cooking, which provide a feeling of belonging and permanency to the community. Mediterranean traditional cuisines are rich in aromas, colors, and memories, highlighting the taste and the synchronization with nature, and emphasizing the significance of preparing and consuming foods jointly with family and friends,” states the article in Nutrients. 

The way of life connected to the Mediterranean diet is so unique that in 2010 UNESCO, known for designating geographical areas as world heritage sites, gave the diet its cultural registration of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” first singling out Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Spain and then adding Croatia, Cyprus, and Portugal in 2013.

Here’s how UNESCO describes it:

The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food. Eating together is the foundation of the cultural identity and continuity of communities throughout the Mediterranean basin. It is a moment of social exchange and communication, an affirmation and renewal of family, group or community identity. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes values of hospitality, neighbourliness, intercultural dialogue and creativity, and a way of life guided by respect for diversity. It plays a vital role in cultural spaces, festivals and celebrations, bringing together people of all ages, conditions and social classes. It includes the craftsmanship and production of traditional receptacles for the transport, preservation and consumption of food, including ceramic plates and glasses. Women play an important role in transmitting knowledge of the Mediterranean diet: they safeguard its techniques, respect seasonal rhythms and festive events, and transmit the values of the element to new generations. Markets also play a key role as spaces for cultivating and transmitting the Mediterranean diet during the daily practice of exchange, agreement and mutual respect.

With so much focus on its social and cultural aspects, it’s no wonder that a group of researchers reimagined the food pyramid. In their version, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and grains are the food foundation, but the base level of the pyramid illustrates the activities and traditions highlighted by UNESCO.

The Key to Sustainable Eating

In the paper “Looking for Commensality: On Culture, Health, Heritage, and the Mediterranean Diet,” published in March 2021 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the Mediterranean diet gets the nod as a way to feed the planet in a sustainable way. The paper refers to the report from the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems “that highlighted the evidence that a diet rich in plant-based foods and fewer foods of animal origin confers not only optimal health outcomes but also environmental benefits. The Commission presented an integrated framework providing scientific targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production. It estimates that the transformation to healthy diets by 2050 will require that the world’s consumption of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes doubles, and the consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar should be reduced by more than 50%.” That’s an important reminder, as over the past decades the diets of many people living around the Mediterranean have become Westernized and Western illnesses are gaining a foothold.

How can you adopt this way of life? The report “Mediterranean Diet as Intangible Heritage of Humanity: 10 Years On,” published in June 2021 in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, mentions making olive oil, described as a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, our main source of fat. It also talks about using the Mediterranean diet and the activities surrounding it as a global model for health and sustainability since “humanity as a whole will benefit from its preservation and scientific-based evidence.” 

The article in Nutrients outlines a guiding philosophy you might follow. It includes: 

• Choosing fresh, locally produced foods
• Connecting with and respecting nature
• Cooking flavorfully
• Eating moderate portion sizes
• Doing moderate physical activity every day
• Preparing and eating meals in the company of others

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Garlicky Kale and Ricotta Crostini

• Garlicky Kale and Ricotta Crostini

  In keeping with the convivial aspect of the Mediterranean diet, here’s a delicious recipe to make and share with loved ones.

  Ingredients

  • 1 12-inch baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch slices
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled; 2 halved, 2 minced
  • 1 large bunch baby kale, or another specialty type, stems removed and leaves coarsely torn or chopped 
  • 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup fresh ricotta 

  Directions

  Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Make the crostini: Generously brush each slice of bread on both sides with olive oil and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until the bread is lightly browned on both sides. Remove from the oven and rub both sides of the bread slices with the halved cloves of garlic and set aside.

  Step 2

  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Film the bottom of the pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the kale and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if the kale seems to be getting dry. Push the kale to one side of the pan and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the other side. Add the minced garlic to the oil along with the anchovy paste and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Combine with the kale.

  Step 3

  Stir in the vinegar, zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more to blend the flavors.

  Step 4

  To serve, spread each crostini with a bit of ricotta and top with the sautéed kale.

  Yields 6 to 8 servings

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Leek and Cheese Frittata Recipe, Spotlight on Leeks and Potassium and Making the Mind-Body Connection

We’re excited to be getting back to holiday celebrations. If you have family or friends staying over, a leek and cheese frittata is the perfect breakfast food—and my recipe gives a delicious result without requiring you to slave away in the kitchen! You’ll see that it has only a pinch of salt, to cut back on sodium, a health goal for almost all of us. But did you know that at the same time we need more potassium? I’m listing the top sources. I’m also sharing an important finding on the mind-body link—it’s timely because people who feel down around the holidays will really benefit if they take steps to boost their mood.

Leek and Cheese Frittata

• Leek and Cheese Frittata

  If you have family or friends staying over, a leek and cheese frittata is the perfect breakfast food—and my recipe gives a delicious result without requiring you to slave away in the kitchen! You’ll see that it has only a pinch of salt, to cut back on sodium, a health goal for almost all of us. 

  Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large leek (the white and some of the tender green part), sliced
  • Pinch of coarse salt

  Directions

  Step 1

  In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cheese, butter, and milk. Heat a frying pan, add the oil, and sauté the leek slices until softened, adding the salt as they cook. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, and cook over medium heat until firm.

  Step 2

  Cover the pan with a lid, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. You can serve it hot or at room temperature. If you’d like to prepare it ahead by an hour or so, leave the lid on.

  Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Fall in Love with Leeks

Leeks are the unsung hero of the allium family. They look like overgrown scallions (I’ve grown leeks that are too big to fit in the fridge!), so their appearance puts some people off. But if you’ve never cooked with them, now’s the time to discover their wonderful sweetness—they’re far sweeter than onions. Roasted in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, they make a filling side dish, and they add richness to other recipes, such as puréed vegetable soups. Just one or two go a long way.

Leeks have a great health profile, too—high in vitamin K, plus good amounts of vitamins B6 and C and the minerals copper, iron, and manganese.

When shopping for leeks, look for those with long white/pale green sections free of any yellowing. Though showy, the dark green tops must be discarded—they’re too bitter to eat. The leeks should feel firm to the touch yet somewhat pliable. Leeks will stay fresh for up to two weeks in your fridge, but keep them loosely wrapped in plastic to preserve their moisture content. 

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

How to Quickly Prep Leeks

Leeks do require careful rinsing because the soil they grow in tends to collect within the layers. Here’s how: Cut off the roots and the tops, and then cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Working on one half at a time, splay the layers under running water almost as though you were shuffling a deck of cards. If you have one, the sprayer of a kitchen faucet is excellent for getting between the layers. If you want to be extra thorough or you’re slicing the leeks into rounds for the frittata recipe, place them in a large bowl of water and swirl them around to release grit. Blot the leeks with paper towels if you’ll be sautéing them.

For Your Best Health

Putting the Spotlight on Potassium

We know that eating too much salt is a health risk, but there’s another mineral important to consider: potassium. According to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s virtual Scientific Sessions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, higher sodium levels, lower potassium levels, and a higher sodium-to-potassium ratio all were associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Potassium is vital because it helps lower blood pressure by lessening the effects of sodium.

“We hope these important findings, together with consistent results from randomized trials, will speed up implementation of sodium reduction policies that will benefit the public by helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said lead author Yuan Ma, MD, PhD, a research scientist in epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

Health authorities recommend getting about 4,700 mg a day of potassium and keeping salt under 2,300 mg (under 1,500 mg if you already have high blood pressure). One simple step is to read nutrition labels—they must now list amounts of potassium along with sodium. Of course, some of the best sources are fresh fruits and vegetables, which don’t have labels, so downloading a nutrient guide on your smartphone will help you keep track. Top foods are potatoes with the skin, white beans and other legumes, fish and shellfish, spinach and other leafy greens, tomatoes, bananas, cantaloupe, dates, nectarines, oranges, and avocados as well as milk and yogurt, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It typically takes three or more of these foods every day to meet your needs—while bananas are known as being high in potassium, one banana has only a tenth of the recommended daily amount.

Fitness Flash

Making the Mind-Body Connection

I love exercises like yoga and tai chi because they get you moving while they benefit your headspace as you breathe and focus on the movements. A recent article by New York Times personal health reporter Jane E. Brody provides more support for tapping into mind-body practices like tai chi, especially during stressful times. While we know that physical health issues take a mental toll on us, the link works in the opposite direction as well: Living with a mental illness can cause physical problems. The article mentions a 2017 study published in Psychiatry Investigation that investigated the effects of anxiety and depression on physical disorders. They found that having anxiety was associated with the incidence of heart disease, depression was associated with the incidence of asthma, and having both anxiety and depression was associated with eyesight problems, cough, asthma, hypertension, heart disease, and gastrointestinal problems. 

This time of the year is filled with happiness for many, but it can be distressing or sad for others. Make sure you make the time to try a mind-body technique to stay emotionally balanced. And if you are grappling with depression or anxiety, reach out to your doctor or even a helpline and give yourself the gift of healing.

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The Essential Fra Diavolo Sauce Recipe, Olive Oil’s Role in a Plant-Based Diet and The Benefits of Olive Oil for Heart Health

Did you know that many chefs—including me!—prefer using canned tomatoes rather than fresh ones when making sauce? All the prep work has been done for you, so they’re a huge time saver as well as being flavorful. This week’s recipe for deliciously zesty fra diavolo sauce capitalizes on this pantry essential. I’m also sharing news about the heart health benefits of olive oil. A wealth of studies have found that it helps stave off heart disease and that the sooner you starting using it, the healthier you’ll be in the decades to come.

THE ESSENTIAL FRA DIAVOLO SAUCE

• Seafood Fra Diavolo

  This Italian classic often gets its heat from pepperoncino (red pepper) flakes, but I love the depth that comes from including fresh serrano pepper in the garlic and onion sauté. For another layer of flavor, I use a full can of tomato paste. So delicious, plus you can make it your own with any seafood you like—go simple with shrimp, lavish with lobster tail meat and scallops or easy with chunks of your favorite fish!. As a final step to this recipe, you might stir in a pound of shelled shrimp and cook until opaque. Serve it with or without pasta. It’s also delicious with any legume-based pasta—top with a good amount of grated Parmesan or Pecorino.

  Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
  • 2 pounds assorted seafood, such as 8 ounces each peeled shrimp, scallops, calamari rings, and crabmeat
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch of salt

  Directions

  Step 1

  Heat a large skillet—it’s ready when a few drops of water sizzle on the surface. Add the olive oil and then the seafood, gently searing it on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer the seafood to a bowl next to your cooktop. Add more oil to the pan if needed, then add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, but not browned. 

  Step 2

  Add the pepper and garlic and cook until soft. Then add the tomato paste and cook it until fragrant and almost brown-burgundy in color, whisking it constantly as it caramelizes. Slowly whisk in the wine and then add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and salt, and heat through.

  Step 3

  Return the seafood to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until cooked through. Serve over your choice of pasta.

  Yields 4 servings

Olive Oil’s Role in a Plant-Based Diet

Building out healthy eating

The research: “A Plant-Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease during Young to Middle Adulthood” and “Relationship Between a Plant-Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Prospective Cohort Study,” Journal of the American Heart Association, August 2021.

As much as you love fresh-pressed olive oil, it shouldn’t be the only item on your healthy menu. These two new studies both looked at the heart benefits of eating a plant-centered diet—not necessarily vegetarian, but with a foundation of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, whole grains, and legumes.

One looked at the advantages of starting such a way of eating younger in life. It followed 4,946 adults from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study for about 30 years. Participants went through lab tests, physical measurements, medical histories, assessments of lifestyle factors, and detailed diet history interviews. Researchers used a scoring system called A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS) to assess the participants’ diets. APDQS classifies food groups as beneficial (like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains), adverse (like fried potatoes, high-fat red meat, salty snacks, pastries, and soft drinks), and neutral foods (like potatoes, refined grains, lean meats, and shellfish) based on the foods’ known links with cardiovascular disease.

People who scored in the top 20% for diet quality by eating the most beneficial foods and fewer adverse ones were 52% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Also, between years 7 and 20 of the study, when participants ranged in age from 25 to 50, those who improved their diet quality the most were 61% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease later on than those whose diet quality declined the most during that time.

The other study looked at the heart health effects of an eating program called the Portfolio Diet. It followed 123,330 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-term national study, for 25 years. The Portfolio Diet includes nuts; plant protein from soy, beans, or tofu; soluble fiber-rich oats; barley; okra; eggplant; oranges; apples and berries; olive oil; canola oil; and avocados, with limited saturated fats and cholesterol, an approach already found to lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol.

Based on the participants’ answers to questionnaires, the researchers found that the women who followed the Portfolio Diet more closely were 11% less likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease, 14% less likely to develop coronary heart disease, and 17% less likely to develop heart failure than the women who followed it the least.

“These results present an important opportunity, as there is still room for people to incorporate more cholesterol-lowering plant foods into their diets. With even greater adherence to the Portfolio dietary pattern, one would expect an association with even less cardiovascular events, perhaps as much as cholesterol-lowering medications,” said senior study author John Sievenpiper, MD, PhD, of St. Michael’s Hospital, in Ontario, Canada, and associate professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toronto.

“We also found a dose response in our study, meaning that you can start small, adding one component of the Portfolio Diet at a time, and gain more heart-health benefits as you add more components,” said lead author Andrea J. Glenn, PhD, RD, now an instructor at York University in Toronto.

The Benefits of Olive Oil for Heart Health

Even small amounts make a big difference ​

The research: “Olive Oil Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk in U.S. Adults,” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, April 2020.

This study looked at one of the most important benefits of olive oil: its link to helping lower heart disease risk. What sets it apart from previous studies is that the participants were Americans; most previous large studies involved people living in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, where olive oil consumption is much higher than it is here. The aim was to compare the effects of olive oil on heart health to those of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat.

The researchers analyzed diet and lifestyle data from 61,181 women who were part of the Nurses’ Health Study and 31,797 men who took part in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and who filled out questionnaires every four years between 1990 and 2014. The study found that participants who had anywhere over a half tablespoon of olive oil each day in place of the other fats had a 15% lower risk of having any kind of cardiovascular disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease. This led them to conclude that replacing even small amounts of animal fat with olive oil could move the needle toward a healthier heart. More information from a smaller pool of the participants showed that higher olive oil intake was also linked with lower levels of several inflammatory biomarkers and higher levels of HDL cholesterol—the good kind.

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