Dimitrios Boskou*
The traditional Mediterranean diet refers to a dietary pattern found in olive growing areas of the Mediterranean region. It’s essential characteristic is the consumption of virgin olive oil, vegetables, fresh fruits, grains, pasta, bread, olives, pulses, nuts and seeds. Moderate amounts of fish, poultry, dairy products and eggs are consumed with small amounts of red meat and wine. Over the past few decades there has been a growing interest in the role of the Mediterranean diet in preventing the development of certain diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. Mediterranean food products are now re-evaluated for the beneficial health effects in relation to the presence of bioactive compounds. The body of science unraveling the role of bioactives such as phenolic acids, various polyphenols, flavonoids, lignans, hydroxyl-isochromans, olive oil secoiridoids, triterpene acids and triterpene alcohols, squalene, αlpha-tocopherol and many others is growing rapidly. A challenge for future research is the magnitude of the contribution of each active compound to the overall positive health effect. Strategies to preserve and disseminate the healthy Mediterranean diet should focus on: the implementation of the claim recently approved by EFSA for the level of biophenols in olive oil and the protection of LDL oxidation; technological improvements based on the increased awareness about the role of minor constituents of Mediterranean foods; products that are innovative but also traditional.
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