The way people eat in countries like Italy and Greece has had a nutritional model patterned after it. It is called the Mediterranean diet. They have been known to have a lower rate of cancer and other diseases in that area of the world, and so people have finally begun to give it some attention.

This way of eating has only recently been getting attention from Americans-- starting in the late 1990s in fact-- even though it was first developed in the 1940s by an American doctor. At least it's finally well-known. There are a fair amount of differences between the average American diet and the Mediterranean diet that are worth reviewing.

The US Food Pyramid is markedly different from the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid. In the first place, you won't find a lot of red meat in a Mediterranean Diet. Red meat is used in their cooking, but not often and in very small portions. Fish also takes up a large portion of the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid, whereas the US Food Pyramid groups all types of meat together into one category.

Whole grain foods such as rice, bread, potatoes, couscous, and other things are what make up the main staple of Mediterranean dishes. Nuts and beans are another important part of the Mediterranean diet. So are fruits and vegetables in particular. This is something both food pyramids share in common, though the recommended quantities are fairly different.

When you look at the traditional US food pyramid and how it lumps protein altogether as one, you'll find that it's difficult to tell what specific parts each kind of food needs to play in your diet. The Mediterranean Diet food pyramid makes them more distinct from each other.

People in the Mediterranean areas have been discovered to have astonishingly low rates of cancer and diseases. This is why people are finally paying attention to this different way of thinking.

You'll find plenty of red wine being used in the Mediterranean Diet. Red wine has really powerful antioxidants, and it is part of just about every meal. The same goes for olive oil, which is used in Mediterranean cooking and is also known to have some antioxidant properties. If you want to look better and feel better too, it's worth looking into the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid. It can show you how to live a healthier life.