six-million strong nation was placed first among Arab countries and
32nd out of 163 countries overall in the Global Health Index, which
measured life expectancy, causes of death and health risks. For highly acclaimed Lebanese food blogger Bethany Kehdy, the news
comes as no surprise and comes firmly as a result of the country’s world
famous cuisine. Lebanon’s much-reproduced Mediterranean diet
sees an abundant use of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fresh fish,
with olive oil religiously replacing animal fat.
For the most part when we consider the Lebanese diet, traditional
cuisine and eating habits we notice that firstly and most importantly it
revolves around the season which means you’re eating food that is
fresh, and in its nutritional prime,” Kehdy, author of The Jewelled
Kitchen cookbook, tells The New Arab.
For Kehdy, nutritional variety is key to Lebanon’s healthy lifestyle.
“The [Lebanese] diet also revolves around vegetables with sprinklings
of meat with weekends dedicated to letting loose and enjoying a lavish
meat-laden grills. Fruits are also still celebrated and often as a form
of dessert,” she adds. Meals are mostly balanced and include copious amounts of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. “A typical lunch is very balanced with a salad, stew, not overdosed
on meat and a good serving of grains. The diet also involves lots of
fermented foods – pickles and yoghurt always grace the table – so lots
of probiotics and natural digestive aids,” Kehdy says. She also adds that cultural habits, and especially light dinners, are key. “If we go back and really consider the traditional eating culture we
notice that dinners were often simply yoghurt and cheese which much
lighter and easily digestible in comparison to the balanced lunch of
stew, grain and salad. The old saying says: have lunch and nap, eat
dinner and walk.” As testified by hordes of customers filling Lebanese restaurants from
Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo, Lebanon’s cuisine had long ago found
world-wide fame.
