Cont
Trade Review
Most of us have heard about the Mediterranean diet and its supposed health benefits, and it conjures up images of roast lamb and vegetables, olives, olive oil and red wine. I wonder how many of us have read up in detail about what the scientific proof looks like and exactly what this “diet” involves. This book sets out to provide the reader with all the background information, scientific studies and what they prove, and provides insights and advice on how the Mediterranean diet can be implemented. How consumers can make this transition is also discussed.
The book is divided into two parts to distinguish between “why” the Mediterranean diet should be implemented and “how” to implement the diet and help motivate and guide consumers. The first seven chapters of Part 1 delve into the evidence base for the effectiveness of the diet in disease prevention and why we should minimise the consumption of highly processed foods. The nine chapters of Part 2 discuss the “how” – how to address practical and behavioural barriers to food choice, how to get the balance of the main foods and food groups in the diet right, and how to incorporate the Mediterranean diet into your lifestyle, and ends with a look at the benefits of the diet to society and the possible impact on sustainability of the food system.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in nutrition and looking for an evidence-based overview of this particular diet.
– Professor Gunnar Sigge, Issue 41, Volume 12, Number 3, FST Magazine, South African Food Science and Technology
Table of Contents
List of Contributors
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
PART 1 The evidence base for the Mediterranean diet
1. The Mediterranean diet in health care and disease prevention
2. Overview of the Med diet
3. Epidemiological evidence base
4. Epidemiological evidence - Health outcomes
5. How the Med diet works
6. Foods of the Med diet: nutrients and health benefits
7. The Med diet compared to other mainstream diets
PART 2 Implementing a Mediterranean diet
8. Personal barriers and enablers to consuming a Med diet
9. Enhancing consumption of foods in the Med diet - general considerations
10. Enhancing consumption of foods in the Med diet
11. The Med diet in the home
12. The Med diet in the food environment
13. The Mediterranean diet in primary health care
14. Case studies
15. The Med diet as part of a sustainable food and farming system
16. Governance and the Med diet
Index
