Mediterranean Diet

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Korea is in the midst of a healthy eating trend, and Mediterranean cuisine is a great option. It is known that sticking to the Mediterranean diet may lead to a longer life. Today, we will share a number of Mediterranean dishes you can prepare easily at home.

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The crystal-clear blue ocean and warm sunlight. This is the Mediterranean Sea and the local diet is known for its health benefits.

[Soundbite] Cho Ae-kyung(Family Medicine Doctor) : "The Mediterranean diet has a balanced composition of nutrients. It is effective in preventing obesity. A massive epidemiologic study on over two million people found that Mediterranean food significantly lowers the risks and death rate of Alzheimer's disease."

You can enjoy Mediterranean dishes in South Korea. First, let's have Greek cuisine.

[Soundbite] Jeon Kyung-moo(Greek Restaurant Owner) : "Greek homemade meals are characterized by the preserved original flavors of ingredients and their nutritional benefits."

In the Greek diet, fish is more popular than meat. Rich in omega-3 fatty acid, fish helps prevent adulthood diseases. And olive oil is an essential ingredient. Rub olive oil over a cleaned sea bream and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Then it is grilled in an oven. Orange and olive oil are blended together to make a sauce. Vegetables are stir-fried in a pre-heated frying pan with the orange sauce. And the grilled fish is served with pasta and the vegetables.

[Soundbite] Seo Min-kyung(Customer) : "Having pasta and sea bream together makes the taste light and mild."

Turkish people like to have a potato dish called kumpir as a snack.

[Soundbite] Park Yong-jin(Kumpir Store Owner) : "I traveled to Istanbul a lot with my Turkish friends. I Found a good, interesting food there. It was kumpir."

First, mash well-cooked potatoes Mix gorgonzola cheese, milk and garlic powder together. And add mayonnaise and sour cream to complete the sauce.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Hae-jeong(Dept. of Food and Nutrition, Gachon University) : "Compared to other carbohydrate foods, potatoes are rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber. However, potatoes lack protein. It is recommendable to eat potato with dairy products to supplement protein.

Spread cheese on the mashed potato and microwave it for a brief time. And them, place vegetable toppings and the sauce on the potato. Chopped olive and steak are the finishing touches to the Turkish baked potato.

[Soundbite] Kim Nak-yeon(Customer) : "With various ingredients in, it is quite enough for a good meal."

Let's make some Mediterranean foods at home.

[Soundbite] Jeong Hyun-jeong(Culinary Expert) : "We are going to make canapes with hummus, which is made with chick peas."

Chickpeas are full of protein. Soak chickpeas in water for four hours and cook them for half an hour. Blend the peas with garlic, lemon juice, peanut butter, yogurt and olive oil. Spread the mixture on bread and place vegetables or sea food on it. It is time to enjoy hummus canapes. Put sliced seasonal fruits into red wine and leave it in room temperature for half a day. It is sangria. Good as a dessert, the drink is said to have anti-aging effects. An easy, refreshing Mediterranean meal is ready. Making Mediterranean dishes is not as difficult as it looks.

[Soundbite] Yoo Seung-yeon(Customer) : "I thought making Mediterranean foods would be difficult. But it is not. I am going to make it for dinner today."

The Mediterranean diet consists of various healthy ingredients. Add some Mediterranean dishes to your daily meal plan and enjoy their taste and health benefits to the fullest.