Mediterranean diet

Archaeological Exhibition Explores History of Olive Oil in the Mediterranean

Archaeological Exhibition Explores History of Olive Oil in the Mediterranean

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An exhi­bi­tion at the Collège de France in Paris, a five-cen­tury-old pub­lic insti­tu­tion of higher edu­ca­tion, research and debate, pre­sented archae­o­log­i­cal dis­cov­er­ies and objects from sev­eral French muse­ums, includ­ing the Louvre’s Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiq­ui­ties, from the Archaic period to the fourth cen­tury CE. “Wines, oils and per­fumes: an archae­o­log­i­cal voy­age around the…

Polyphenols: the natural chemicals that could give you a small waist, healthy heart and low blood pressure

Polyphenols: the natural chemicals that could give you a small waist, healthy heart and low blood pressure

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There’s a new buzzword in town when it comes to health: polyphenols. While scientists have been investigating the plant compounds for years, the term has now caught the public imagination – and for good reason. A growing body of evidence shows that eating a diet high in these clever natural chemicals offers numerous health benefits,…

Extra virgin olive oil is the flavour of mechanisation

Extra virgin olive oil is the flavour of mechanisation

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Few foods can compete with olive oil. Its salubrious properties have turned it into one of the most recognisable symbols of healthy living as well as a sign of tacit resistance to the industrialisation of food and loss of authentic flavours. Its rich history, stretching back to the Greeks, Egyptians and Babylonians, plays an enormous…

It’s Important to Eat the Rainbow: How Phytochemicals in Fruits and Veggies Can Improve Your Health

It’s Important to Eat the Rainbow: How Phytochemicals in Fruits and Veggies Can Improve Your Health

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We’re told that we should eat the rainbow, choosing a diet filled with a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. These nutrient-dense foods contain a range of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. But while we understand that phytochemicals keep us healthy, we might not understand why.  Phytochemicals, also called phytonutrients, are substances found in fruits, vegetables,…

Groves Need Rain Ahead of Harvest in Greece

Groves Need Rain Ahead of Harvest in Greece

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After more than four months of hot and dry weather in much of Greece, olive farm­ers and olive oil pro­duc­ers cite rain as the most crit­i­cal fac­tor for a sub­stan­tial olive oil crop in the coun­try in the com­ing 2024/25 crop year. “The drought has hit olive farm­ing through­out the Mediterranean,” said Yiorgos Kokkinos, the pres­i­dent…

A cautionary tale

Bybarry

There is much empirical evidence that certain foods have significant health benefits and, in certain cases, this evidence is backed up by detailed studies. Many of these studies have been carried out over extended time periods with proper adherence to the required protocols. The Mediterranean diet, for example, has been the subject of many such…

Camomile

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Camomile, or chamomile, (Matricaria chamomilla) is a daisy-like plant which is often used as an infusion or herbal tea and in cosmetics and personal cleaning products. The characteristic smell of the flowers distinguishes it easily from the common daisy. A tea prepared from the dried flowers of the plant is often taken for help with…

Polyphenols and related compounds

Bybarry

Polyphenols are another class of compounds which are regularly listed in the active constituents of plants with medicinal, dietary or other beneficial applications. They are often referred to together with flavones and flavonoids with which they have common structural characteristics. The term polyphenols is often used rather loosely and there is no universal agreement on…

Olives

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The olive tree (olea europea) is one of the most characteristic plants of the Mediterranean region and, historically, has played a major role in the culture and prosperity of the region. There are many references to olive trees and their products in ancient texts. The Mediterranean basin accounts for the vast majority of all the…

The Mediterranean diet and longevity

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The Mediterranean diet has been associated with many beneficial effects on health, mainly demonstrating a protective role against the development of cardiovascular pathologies, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurological diseases. The diet also generates a lower environmental impact compared to current Western diets. Mounting evidence shows that adherence to this or similar nutritional plans is…