Cheese and Yogurt
Surrounded by hot temperatures and lacking refrigeration, the Mediterraneans of the 1960s preserved their milk by creating cheese and yogurt, and consumed them modestly. These rustic conditions may have helped protect the hearts of the natives by keeping saturated fat-laden dairy products at bay. Luckily, the boom of low-fat and nonfat dairy foods can now help nouveau-Mediterraneans consume bone-strengthening calcium daily without most of the unhealthy saturated fat. Another bonus: Low fat dairy foods, as part of a well-balanced diet, can also help lower blood pressure. Combine nonfat yogurt and sliced cucumbers with a little garlic, olive oil, and white wine vinegar for a classic Greek cucumber salad. Grate a dusting of a Parmigiana-Reggiano over pasta to create an impeccable Mediterranean cuisine.
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