Culture and identity of a region are determined by many factors. Gastronomy plays an important role in the construction of a society. The food, the way in which it’s cooked and the eating habits are just as important as the literature, music and education of the country. For many years, it has been well known that, in southern European countries, such as Spain, Greece, Italy or Portugal, its diets and food habits are considered by nutritionists and doctors to be the perfect dietary recommendation. The Mediterranean diet is the standard in which the whole world should know how to eat well and have healthy food habits. At Forn de Sant Joan, your restaurant in Palma, we firmly stand by this diet and we include it in our dishes. That is why, in this article we are going to uncover some of the secrets of the Mediterranean diet and why it is so unique and well known.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
This diet, which forms part of the culture of the Balearic Islands, is based on a high consumption of vegetables, fruit, pulses and nuts; bread and its offshoots; olive oil is used as the main fat and is essential in the majority of dishes and lastly the regular consumption of wine and vinegar. With all of this you have to add on physical exercise and the climate of the surroundings countries of the Mediterranean Sea. A combination that’s full of health benefits.
The executive chef and creative of Forn Porjects explains the variety which Forn de Sant Joan has. “We have a turbot dish which has a Burrata risotto which is lovely; some cheek croquettes that are very sweet and Iberian pork shoulder that’s very Mediterranean and filled with Mallorcan ingredients such as apricots that we macerate with herbs and “porc negre” Sobrasada, he says. “Forn de Sant Joan is creative and purely Mediterranean”, he concludes.
The pyramid of a healthy life
UNESCO registered the Mediterranean diet as one of the elements on the Representative List on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. With the term being made international, we can mention one of the most highly used charts when looking for the perfect diet: the food pyramid. Within it they stress the importance of each food product and how often it should be consumed, whether it be with every meal, once a day or weekly. The pyramid shows on the base the food products that should be consumed in each meal. Water is the main star of every meal (recommending between one and a half to two litres of water per day), it is advised eating two portions of vegetables and one to two pieces of fruit with each meal. Also, products such as olive oil, bread, pasta, rice and grains (wholegrain is best) should be added to meals.
In the next section of the pyramid, we find the food products that should be consumed every day, but not with every meal. These are dairy products, low fat products are best and two portions in one meal everyday should be eaten, one to two portions a day of dried fruits and one to two portions of nuts and spices should be consumed every day.
In the last section, they don’t have to be feared (they’re good in moderation), we see white meat, fish and seafood, two portions a week; eggs, two to four portions a week and pulses, with two or less portions; potatoes, three or less portions a week and red meat, two or less portions a week and with processed food this should be consumed once a week or less. At the top of the pyramid we find sugary treats which should be avoided when possible.
The menu at Forn Project perfectly balances and brings together these ingredients in a gastronomic offer which is deep rooted in succulent tapas and thoughtful main courses, which include pasta, meat and fish in a fusion between worldly cultures and the Mediterranean.
Try the Mediterranean diet at our restaurant in Palma
With this Decalogue and maintaining an active lifestyle, the Mediterranean diet becomes your ally in living a balanced and healthy lifestyle. At Forn de Sant Joan we cook using local produce, that comes from the Mediterranean ocean and the Mallorcan coastlines. We believe that the Mediterranean diet is the main gastronomic starting point. That’s is why we support it and we fuse its essence with other cultures. If you want to enjoy the secrets of the Mediterranean diet, Forn de Sant Joan is the optimum choice. Don’t hesitate: Reserve now at our restaurant in Palma and allow yourself to be taken away by the flavours of this culture!