co-founder ofCultured Healthand spokesperson for theAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Its easy to see why.
All these reasons and more are whyU.S.
News and World Reporthas named the Mediterranean diet the best eating plan seven years in a row.
These benefits are also why the eating plan has been extensively covered by Well+Good.
The Mediterranean diet, for all of its benefits, does not quite fit the bill.
He called it the seven countries study.
registered dietitian and founder ofDiet Detroit
Dr. Bodeker says the lack of racial diversity in Med diet studies is a huge shortcoming.
This is the nutritional equivalent of white entitlement, Dr. Bodeker says.
Its the same colonial messaging based on lack of interest and knowledge of history and suitability for other cultures.
Yet these communities and their cuisines are typically not included in the research on the Mediterranean diets benefits.
But thats not necessarily true either.
Yet despite these major differences in diet, Okinawans regularly live to be over 100 in good health.
If people who are lactose intolerant eat dairy, it will have an inflammatory reaction in the gut.
For example, traditional Mexican food consists of plant-based staples, such as corn, beans, and rice.
Yet another example is Samoans living in Hawaii.
registered dietitian and founder ofDiet Detroit
They traditionally ate fish, fruit, and vegetables, Dr. Bodeker says.
White settlers later introduced meat, flour, sugar, and alcohol into their lives.
Now, they are80 percent more likelyto be obese than white Americans.
The consequences of valorizing one diet over others
To be perfectly clear, the Mediterranean diet isntunhealthy.
The health benefits researchers have found are realat least when applied to the people included in their studies.
However, the challenge lies in translating these principles into specific foods and meals that are culturally appropriate.
It is not a simple plug and play modelneither should it be.
At least not in mine, she says.
Another popular food in the Mediterranean diet is couscous.
Building cultural competence is vital in supporting dietary change for patients and communities alike, Devje adds.
Our nutritional recommendations must not conflict with cultural values.
Rather, they must be culturally compatible.
Only then will they be practical, sustainable, and enjoyable.
Why are we surprised then by the state of health disparities, Devje says.
Its important to look at eating in the context of culture, she says.
Who are you enjoying the food with?
What is the lifestyle like?
But she says those critical questions are often ignored in mainstream discussions about the Mediterranean diets benefits.
Beyond that, being inspired by foods from a wide range of cultures makes meals more enjoyable.
These factors are also important to consider.
One question I often recommend dietitians ask clients is, What foods make you feel good?'
This will ensure that the recommended food choices are sustainable, too.
(In the United States,77.8 percent of RDs are white.
Take leafy greens for example.
Faletra adds that unprocessed whole foods were originally the staples of nearly every single food culture around the globe.
And I dont even know what some of the foods are, she says.
But the Mediterranean diet can be used as more of a template.
In that way youll get your own personalized Mediterranean diet, she says.
They must have a voice and be represented at all levels, she says.
Thats the only way were going to serve more people and enable them to be seen.
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