In today’s world, everyone values good health. Scientific advances have allowed us to learn more about the needs of the human body and about fighting disease than ever before. As we learn more, people are becoming more and more conscientious about the practical steps they can take in their day to day life to improve their health, live longer, and just simply enjoy life more. In Western society, the Mediterranean lifestyle is the key example of this mentality.
People who live in the Mediterranean region, those romantic countries like France, Spain, Greece, or Italy, are the source of envy for much of the rest of the world. They enjoy nice temperate climates all year round, conducive to robust and healthy complexions. They’re at the epicentre of both classical and modern culture, so the stunning brilliance of the human potential is always close in mind. In the Mediterranean, food takes on a new meaning as your favourite memories become dining with friends on mild summer evenings. For people who want to enjoy life, the Mediterranean lifestyle is the model to emulate, and cuisine is a big part of that. Even better, just as the people of the Mediterranean enjoy some of the most flavourful food in the world, their cuisine is also among the healthiest thanks to replacing saturated fats with olive oil spreads. This means you not only enjoy life more, but you can live longer as well!
The absence of saturated fats really does lie at the heart of just why the Mediterranean lifestyle is so joyous and its allure so infectious. Scientific studies have shown time and again that monounsaturated fats are the key to increasing heart health, allowing one to properly metabolise all the vitamin and mineral needs of the human body, while at the same time being used most efficiency so that little fat is “stored” for later. The reason why Mediterranean cuisine is so high in these types of fats is almost purely because of the olive. Olives are indigenous to the region and olive oil has been manufactured there since antiquity. Olive oil not only is one of the most flavourful oils to cook with, and the one almost unilaterally favoured by professional chefs, but it’s also the healthiest because it is composed entirely of monounsaturated fats. In this way, olive oil reflects the life-affirming character of the Mediterranean people in its own nature.
Not surprisingly, the cuisine produced by these cultures is quite varied and delicious. If you ever end up taking a trip through Spain, be sure to treat yourself to a fantastic example of Spanish cuisine with a dish of tortilla de patatas, or potato omelets, which are a staple in most households. Greek cuisine offers up its own treasures, such as dolmades, which are grapevine leafs wrapped around flavoured steamed rice and vegetables, often with a sautéed meat such as chicken or lamb. Both of these dishes, while profoundly flavourful, also contribute to a healthy lifestyle because they’re made with olive oil.
In Italy, you could treat yourself to a simple pesto treat. Imagine unwrapping a loaf of freshly baked Italian bread with the warmest, softest interior, and the crispiest, most flavourful crust. Just hefting the loaf in your hands, you can feel the substance of it, the raw force of nutrition working through it. This is truly the “staff of life” that has supported man for eons, and it can take us leaning on it yet still. Now, imagine coating that fantastic bread with a simple mixture of olive oil, basil, and pine nuts. Now, just by combining a few simple ingredients, you’ve created one of the tastiest dishes you’ve ever had. When we focus on the simple power of cuisine to improve our lives, we’re creating powerful experiences out of simple, inexpensive ingredients. In this way, cooking is like a form of alchemy, taking the raw, base components of life and spinning them into something uniquely valuable.
The good news is that even if you can’t make it out to the Mediterranean for a first hand tour of the region, you can still replicate the healthy flavours of the most passionate and complex cuisines on earth right in your own kitchen. Recipes are abundantly available, and olive oil has come a long way in the rest of the world too. Walk into the average grocery store and you can often get flavoured spreads.
Bertolli spread is one of the most popular examples, and because it’s hand-crafted to exacting standards in the Mediterranean tradition, you can be sure that you’re getting the flavours you crave and the healthy life you deserve. Passion makes perfect and Bertolli olive oil spread has certainly had a lot of passion gone into the making. Old world traditions are more frequently upheld in the Mediterranean region, and that’s why the cuisine retains its uniquely perfect blend of health and flavour; the zest for life is apparent in the nature of each and every meal. Therefore, it’s important as we pursue the Mediterranean lifestyle, that we do so patiently, looking to the old ways for guidance as we slow down and take the time to truly enjoy each and every evening. This isn’t to say of course that olive oil cures all ailments, but rather that any evening spent in the company of great friends and great food has the potential to improve one’s entire life, and that because of the healthful benefits of olive oil spreads, one can have many, many more such evenings than one might otherwise.
Our time on earth is short, and Mediterranean people have the right idea when it comes to living well, and living passionately. That’s why you should pay attention to the small things like having good dinner with friends. Take the extra time to make your pesto out of the freshest ingredients. Take the extra time to sauté that cut of lamb in a nice coating of olive oil. Not only will you enjoy yourself, but you’ll be investing in your own future as well. Here’s to the good life!