THE ATLANTIC DIET

Galicia is an Atlantic land, beautiful and enigmatic. It’s diet is a source of pleasure with the taste of the sea and today it is worldwide known due to its healthy qualities. Galicia is along with Ireland or Japan one of the most long-lived people, with less rates of cholesterol in blood and less risk of heart disease.

This is obviously not because of the culture or the way of living, but for something they have in common: they are surrounded by the sea and have a particular way of eating, based on the high presence of fish on the diet. This is called “The Atlantic Diet”. Galicia is, among all the Spanish communities, the place where more fish is eaten. The average of the whole Spain is 34-35 Kg per person and year, in Galicia it is a 13% more.

Until now, not only in Spain but in the rest of Europe the Mediterranean Diet had achieved all the healthy praises without indicating that all its benefits are not related to habits or just pure Mediterranean products. Many fishes, seafood, vegetables and even Iberico ham are foods not found in the Mediterranean area of Spain, but foods that come from the Atlantic one.

One of the main advantages of this kind of diet has to do with the great variety of fishes offered, most of which have a great concentration of long chain Omega 3 fatty acids, excellent quality proteins, vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium and iodine.

These fats, mainly exclusive in blue fish, are very important to the development of the central nervous system. At the same time they protect us from degenerative phenomena caused by aging, that is, helps us to keep our brain and our arteries young. In this protective function of the cells, apart from the Omega 3 fatty acids, we have the collaboration of the antioxidant effects of wine, fruits, vegetables and olive oil.

Right now there are researches that go further and indicate that these bioactive components may have effects that can stop diseases such as Parkinson or Alzheimer.

The Atlantic Diet, although it is not well defined yet, starts as one of the most healthy ways of eating. Both first quality products and easy cooking methods are used. It’s base is the sea, the garden and the farm. Added with an average consumption of bread, wine, grease and olive oil. Fishes, seafood, squids, octopus… fresh or canned. Pasture meat, cereals and vegetables. Eggs and poultry, sausages, cold meat… everything that comes from the rural culture.

Galicia faces the sea with two thousand years of life. To travel this land allows the visitor to live an unique Atlantic adventure full of tradition, leafy landscapes and singular cities to which you must add a gastronomic pleasure full of health and longevity.

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