Olive oil really is the heart and soul of the Mediterranean Diet. As Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou, renowned Mediterranean Diet expert and nutrition scientist from Greece wrote in The Oldways Table, “Over and beyond its intrinsic value, olive oil represents a vehicle (or delivery system) for…
In his research and writing, the archaeologist Sir Colin Renfrew used the phrase, “Mediterranean triad,” explaining that the cultivation of grains, vines and olives were the foundation for a successful society in the Aegean during the time period, 3000-2000 BC. Today, extra…
If you were to ask members of the Oldways staff which ingredients we use every day…do you know what most of us would say? Olive oil! Olive oil is the ultimate pantry staple. It has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years, which is why you’ll find it in many…
Whether youre sautéing a batch of sofrito or mirepoix, roasting potatoes, or whisking together a salad dressing, you’ll likely use some kind of cooking oil. Oils give dishes texture and help stop foods from sticking to the pan while they cook. However, not all cooking oils are created…
The cultivated olive (Olea europaea, Oleaceae) is one the Mediterranean’s most valuable and important culinary crops. Spain, Italy and Greece, followed by (to a lesser extent) Tunisia, Syria and Turkey, account for most of the world’s olive cultivation, 90% of which is transformed…
Since National Olive Day is June 1st, we had to extend our International Mediterranean Diet Month celebrations for just one more day. After all-when you adopt the Mediterranean Diet, these little fruits become an important ingredient to use daily in many different ways-both in their whole form,…
Its no secret that olive oil is an essential element of the Mediterranean Diet. Its the principal fat, and the ingredient that brings together all the other great and healthy foods that makes the Mediterranean way of eating so pleasurable and healthy. As Antonia Trichopoulou the Greek…
When we heard that the inaugural National Olive Day was scheduled for June 1, we had to extend our International Mediterranean Diet Month celebrations for just one more day. After all, these little fruits are big components of a traditional Mediterranean diet from hanging on a tree waiting to be…
Olive trees are among the oldest cultivated trees in history, supporting Mediterranean civilizations for at least 6,000 years. Though it’s speculated that the first wild olive trees were from Syria, it was the Greeks who first cultivated olives. Olive trees have a propensity for warm,…
Oldways’ work promoting African Heritage diets began in 2011, and interest in this programming continues to grow.
Since National Olive Day is June 1st, we had to extend our International Mediterranean Diet Month celebrations for just one more day. After all–when you adopt the Mediterranean Diet, these little fruits become an important ingredient to use daily in many different ways—both in their whole…
Its been almost 30 years since Oldways and the Harvard School of Public Health introduced the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. It was a time of fat phobia, when many people were persuaded to eat no- or low-fat foods, many of which were high in refined carbohydrates, sugar, and calories. In 1998 and…
