The Roots of Middle Eastern Food

A diet filled with Middle Eastern food, similar to a Mediterranean diet, incorporates the flavorful foods of the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This healthy eating habit has been known to keep the body healthy and save heart working longer by preventing many chronic diseases. Typically, Middle Eastern foods emphasize the use of fish, olive oil, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. Because cholesterol and saturated fat are only found in foods based on animal-based, by eating a balanced meal of heart-healthy fats, high omega-3 fatty acids in fish and olive oil with higher levels of monounsaturated fat content allows a longer healthier human life.

As an example, Tabouleh is a superfood that incorporates healthy olive oil with a refreshing mix of bulgar wheat, fresh onions and tomatoes, mint, lemon, and salt. Baba Ghanouj is another great example where it is made of a fresh blend of baked eggplant, garlic, tahini, and lemon. Now you are enjoying an excellent source of dietary fiber, copper, and vitamin B1. It also has manganese, niacin, Vitamin B6, vitamin K, and folate. Its phytonutrients include nasunin and chlorogenic acid, which are vital to overall health without going into GNC store.

Middle Eastern diet is also beneficial to brain health, cognitive function and overall mortality of humans. An analysis published by the “British Medical Journal” in 2008 explored the overall health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. In this study, it was shown that a Middle Eastern diet can have a positive effect in preventing Parkinson’s heart disease and Alzheimer’s around the world. The reduction in overall mortality rate from cancer, heart disease as a result of superfoods without negative side effects of pills sold in health food stores is compelling.

What is for dinner tonight? Follow my simple Middle eastern diet this week and ask me for if you have any questions. Breakfast might be a bowl of oats with a garnish of sliced almonds and peanut butter topped. Lunch can be fresh leafy green or colorful salad with tuna or salmon grilled topped with nuts and olive. You can add whole wheat pita or rolls. Now, are you ready for dinner? Indulge in falafel sandwich on pita topped with cucumber, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. Now if you are like me and have a sweet tooth, finish with Pistachio Baklava and Turkish tea. Any questions so far?

When middle eastern food comes to mind, a wide variety of spices and herbs popes up. You can essentially smell it from a mile away. A lot of middle eastern culture and traditions are revolved around food. After religious holidays many families have the tradition to go out and celebrate with food. Hours of preparation goes into making certain dishes, but it takes a master to perfect them correctly. Food connects all people around the world and allows for memory making. No matter what unique place you go in the world, the food culture will be different. Tradition dating back to Bronze Age has provided the basis for culinary excellence.

Hundreds of different types of spices and herbs started back at the trade routes that ran through middle eastern countries. That influenced a lot of the favor in their food, incorporating more flavor. Olive oil is a huge part of their cuisine. Olives are seen to be at the holy level in the food pyramid. It adds a rich nutty flavor to any dish and just tops it off. Each county in the middle east has their own unique style of food, but they all follow the same rule. Meat, vegetables, and rice. The work that goes into each of the three is what separates it from the majority of western dishes. Hours of marinating in yogurt spice bases, to high flamed roasting, to lathering it with assorted spices. Not just your regular Lawry’s spice mix, instead of a combination of turmeric, cumin, parsley, saffron, mint, and garlic, lots of garlic.

Middle Eastern food wouldn’t be complete without its notorious pita bread. The pita can act as a side to any dish or a taco shell for gyro meat. The pita goes well with hummus, it’s essentially the middle eastern pb&j. The process of making real pita requires a large high-temperature oven. The pita expands with hot air and starts to look like a balloon. When the ballooning happens, that’s when the pita is ready to cool off. Pita bread can also be toasted to make pita chips, which go well with any type of dip. A lot of meals that include meat or soup have pita on the side for convivence. During the process of making pita a lot of olive oil is poured on it to keep the bread moist and fluffy. Personally, I use pita to make a quick homemade pizza. A fast and easy pizza crust, the pita has a multitude of purposes.

To wash down all the food, people are usually served Turkish coffee or tea. This isn’t your normal green tea or black coffee. But Turkish coffee is made out of a combination of spices and coffee beans straight from Turkey. It has an extremely bitter taste, but when adding milk and honey it makes it better for those who don’t enjoy the bitterness. Turkish coffee is always served in small amounts because it is packed with a lot of caffeine. It is said to help the digestion after eating due to the cardamom spice.

With all the rich history that food has behind it, the Middle East has influenced a lot of that story. Not only was it one of the first cuisines to influence every continent but it continues to shape the current culture of food every single day. It has shaped the world we live in today. The Middle East has provided many traditions and recipes for the world to refer to. The next time you go to a Mediterranean restaurant internalize there is a deep history behind that plate of food. It took years of culinary practice to perfect what we call Middle Eastern food.

Fayed, Saad. Photograph of Middle Eastern Pita Bread. The Spruce Eats, 21 Dec. 2018.

Cites

1. laddin Cafe xx, xx-xx-xxxx, “Where Did Middle Eastern Food Come From?,” https://aladdincafe.com/where-did-middle-eastern-food-come-from/

2. About The xx, xx-xx-xxxx, “The Middle Eastern Cuisine — a culinary journey you would never forget,” Gourmandelle | Vegetarian Blog, https://gourmandelle.com/middle-eastern-cuisine/

3. Saad Fayed 18, 10–10–2018, “Introduction to the Basics of Middle Eastern Food,” Spruce Eats, https://www.thespruceeats.com/introduction-to-middle-eastern-food-and-cooking-2355721

4. No Author xx, xx-xx-xxxx, “The History of Pita Bread: Practical & Healthy for Millennia,” No Publication, https://bodrumnyc.com/the-history-of-pita-bread-practical-healthy-for-millennia/