Middle Eastern cuisine, with its rich history and diverse culinary traditions, offers a plethora of dishes that are not only delicious but also surprisingly healthy. The region's reliance on traditional preparatory methods, such as fire ovens, grills, and earthen pots, combined with the use of wholesome ingredients and light, hearty spices, contributes to the overall nutritional value of the food. Let's explore the various aspects of Middle Eastern food and how it can be a healthy choice.
The Foundation of Healthy Eating: Variety and Balance
Healthy food options are available in almost all restaurants, with salads being a common offering. However, restricting oneself to just one type of food can be unhealthy in the long run. Our bodies require a balance of proteins, good fats, fiber, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. Eating healthy doesn't mean compromising on taste and flavor; Middle Eastern cuisine excels at providing both.
Superfood Spotlight: Middle Eastern Edition
Many superfoods have gained popularity, but the Middle East boasts its own nutritional powerhouses. If you want to try a Middle Eastern superfood instead, order a freekeh dish soon on your next outing. This super grain is loaded with twice the amount of protein and fibre than quinoa.
Key Ingredients and Dishes: A Nutritional Overview
Middle Eastern cuisine is known to be healthy because it is mostly reliant on traditional preparatory methods, like fire ovens, grills, earthen pots, etc. Not only does Middle Eastern cooking incorporate healthier food components, but it also contains light and hearty spices. Spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin, when used in suitable quantities, aid the body’s metabolic process. Some of them also help cure problems like inflammation and constipation.
Let's delve into specific dishes and ingredients that contribute to the health benefits of Middle Eastern cuisine:
Read also: Exploring Medieval Food
Soups: Soups are often low-calorie and packed with vegetables and sometimes chicken broth. The Middle Eastern lentil soup is a standout, offering deliciousness and rich flavors while satisfying taste buds with a variety of seasonings.
Falafel: A popular Middle Eastern delicacy, falafel is a deep-fried chickpea ball, usually served with bread and a side of salad. It is power packed with the goodness of carbohydrates, proteins, fibre and iron. Falafel is nutrient-dense, providing carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and iron. Fibre aids in digestion and helps tremendously in losing or maintaining weight. For a healthier option, consider baking your falafel to reduce oil intake.
Dolma: Dolma is a Middle Eastern dish made from vine leaves. The vine leaves are used in its recipe to wrap some kind of meat or brown rice. Vine leaves are astonishingly nutrition dense. They contain vitamins A, K, E, C and B6, as well as iron. Vitamin K and vitamin B6 boost hair growth and texture if consumed regularly.
Tabbouleh: This Middle Eastern salad is made from ingredients like tomatoes, mint, onion, parsley as well as bulgur. The seasoning consists of olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Many people opt to replace bulgur with couscous or the popular superfood known as quinoa.
Freekeh: This super grain is loaded with twice the amount of protein and fibre than quinoa.
Read also: Dietary Habits of Whip-poor-wills
Mejadra: Mejadra is a kind of comfort food that does not have the calories of comfort food. This Middle Eastern dish consists of rice and lentils cooked together with a variety of spices and cumin seeds. The dish is topped with fried onion to give a twist of crunch. This dish is rich in protein, carbohydrates and wonderful Middle Eastern flavours.
Shakshouka: Shakshouka is a new take on a vegetable omelette. It is made by slowly cooking tomatoes and Middle Eastern spices and then cracking an egg into the mix to cook in the flavourful steam.
Labneh: Labneh is slightly a different choice in the list. Labneh is made from cow milk. It is a kind of soft cheese. Although it is made from milk and has a thick yoghurt-like consistency, it is not tangy in flavour. This food is rich in probiotics, which are very important for your gut health. A staple in Lebanese cuisine, labneh is a soft cream made of cow’s milk. It is a yogurt cheese integration, made with thick and heavy Greek yogurt, that is both yummy and healthy. Labneh is also a probiotic, which means that it supports gut health. It delivers several nutrients to the body, including proteins and healthy fats. Have it with some pita bread, or ask your server for labneh balls that come with oil and herbs.
Hummus: Hummus is a versatile food, found and consumed all across the Gulf region. This bean-based dip is ideal for snacking. You can have it as a dressing for your favorite bowl of salad or use it as a dip to go with plain crunchy vegetables. Hummus is made of chickpeas, which means that it is rich in fiber and will keep you full for a long time. It eliminates post-meal cravings, helping you push away your unexpected frequent desires. Restaurants serve it with a drizzle of olive oil and flatbread. The irresistibly creamy texture and taste of hummus is something nobody should miss out on. It is also available in different flavors, like olives, avocado, pumpkin, smoky sweet potato, etc.
Fattoush: Fattoush salad is originally from Lebanon but is also quite frequently consumed in the Emirates as well. It is a yummy Arabic salad, featuring fruity, citrusy, and herbal notes. The fresh bowl contains tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, and capsicum. But what gives this salad a distinct identity? The crunchy toasted bread pieces are on top.
Read also: Red Bat Feeding Habits
Grilled Meats: The frequent use of lean meat in Middle Eastern cooking makes it one of the most protein-rich cuisines. Lamb, beef, and chicken are all popular barbeque items. Not only are these kebabs tender and extremely delicious, but they are also low on calories. You can have them with a small side serving of fragrant Afghani rice, or plain brown rice. Some also like to have their kebabs with freshly baked flatbread.
Fish Stews: Arabic cuisine is popular for its flavourful stews and curries. Fish meat has an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. In traditional preparation, fish or shrimp is cooked in tomato sauce and Gulf spices. The main component of this dish is kingfish or shrimp, which are both rich in vitamin D, riboflavin, zinc, iron, potassium, and magnesium. The American Heart Association suggests adding fish-based foods to a healthy diet at least twice a week. This means that the comforting Middle Eastern fish stew should be a regular occurrence on your food table.
Saloona: Saloona is a home-cooked stew that is made with either meat or vegetables. The rich and succulent flavors of Salona not only offer a pleasant palatable sensation, but also ample nutrition. And the best part is, you get to decide if you want it vegetarian or meat-based. In the former case, you will obtain essential minerals and vitamins from this dish, whereas in the latter, essential proteins.
The Mediterranean Diet Connection
Middle Eastern food shares many similarities with the Mediterranean diet, a well-researched way of eating that can improve overall health. The Mediterranean diet consists of many foods found in regions that border the Mediterranean Sea. These types of foods provide a variety of vitamins and nutrients that nourish our body. These types of foods are often linked to various health issues like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet:
Cancer Risk: The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, healthy fats and anti-inflammatory foods.
Mental Health: The Mediterranean diet is shown to improve mental health and quality of life.
Diabetes: Many studies have shown that people who follow the Mediterranean diet lower their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
Weight Management: Studies show that people on this diet have lower weight gain over time. This reduces the chance of becoming overweight or obese.
Incorporating Mediterranean Diet Principles:
Add more fruits and vegetables: Start small. Add a little bit of fruit or a few vegetables into your eating routine. For example, if you like to snack, try eating a cup of fruit or a couple sticks of celery with peanut butter. For meals, you can slowly add in steamed vegetables like broccoli or carrots. Be creative.
Incorporate whole grains: Slowly replace refined grains with whole grain alternatives.
Consider reducing red meat: Try to cut back on eating red meat. Remember to take it slowly and add in one change at a time. These small steps can lead to big changes in your health and well-being over time.
Making Healthier Choices in Middle Eastern Cuisine
Middle Eastern recipes can help lose weight if you know how to eat deliberately. Most of the traditional recipes contain calculated amounts of carbs, proteins, fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins. Arabic diet food features recipes like hummus, salads, and tender barbecued meat. It offers healthier alternatives to snacking, by incorporating bean-based dips, healthy grain bread, and vegetable stews into the diet.
There are numerous healthier options in Middle Eastern cooking. Switching to organic eating habits is not too difficult if you know what you want to eliminate and add to your diet. You may have to make some tweaks in the recipes, as some of these foods are deep-fried, or may contain high-fat content.
Tips for a Healthier Middle Eastern Diet:
Switch to Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use olive oil in cooking and salad dressings.
Eat Nuts and Olives: Incorporate these into your diet for healthy fats.
Choose Whole Grains: Select dense, chewy, country-style loaves without added sugar or butter.
Begin Meals with Salad: Add more and different vegetables to the menu, aiming for three to four servings a day.
Eat Legumes: Aim for at least three servings a week.
Eat Less Meat: Choose lean poultry in moderate portions and save red meat for occasional consumption.
Eat More Fish: Aim for two to three servings a week.
Substitute Wine in Moderation: If you consume alcohol, consider wine in moderation.
Cut Out Sugary Beverages: Opt for water or unsweetened beverages.
Eat Less High-Fat, High-Sugar Desserts: Choose poached or fresh fruit instead.