Dates to Dolmas - Celebrating the Mediterranean Diet

May is National Mediterranean Diet Month and while you may not be able to relax on a black sand beach in Crete or dine al fresco on the Costa Brava, you can enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean through Oldways’ “Dietitian A Day Throughout the Month of May” program.

To showcase the delicious foods and amazing health benefits associated with this vibrant lifestyle, each day during May the food and nutrition nonprofit Oldways, and its Mediterranean Foods Alliance, will welcome a different registered dietitian as a guest blogger to The Oldways Table blog. (http://www.oldwayspt.org/blog)

Thirty-one well-known health professionals will provide personal stories and tips about the Mediterranean Diet and share a favorite Mediterranean recipe such as Salmon Berry Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Chickpeas), Mediterranean Pizza and Olive Oil Cake.

“Whether working in supermarkets, clinics, private practice or appearing on TV, registered dietitians are the bridge between knowing you should eat healthy and finding ways to actually do it,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways. “This National Mediterranean Diet Month, our way of honoring their important work is to celebrate each day of May with a dietitian joining us at the Oldways Table to share Mediterranean inspired recipes and wisdom on what connects them most to this wonderful lifestyle. Come back each day and be inspired to Go Med!”

Scientific studies consistently report that the healthy Mediterranean Diet and its lifestyle practices reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. In addition, there is compelling scientific evidence that omega-3s, found in a number of Mediterranean Diet foods, can boost the health and brainpower of everyone from infants to the elderly.

Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid – an easy to reference visual tool for consumers -- and first introduced it to the U.S. back in 1993. Four years ago, Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, created National Mediterranean Diet Month to further educate the nation about the benefits of this gold-standard way of eating and living. Consumers are embracing this healthy approach as seen by the popularity of products such as olive oil, Greek yogurt, hummus, olives and more.

Everyone is encouraged to join in the conversation on Twitter, share your recipes and thoughts about the Mediterranean diet by using the hashtag #MedMonth.