Episode 33: The Mediterranean-style diet. Is it really that healthy?
Ancel Keys thought so in the 1960s.
If there’s 1 diet that continues to stand the test of time when it comes to supporting heart health, blood sugar balance, mental health, bone health, and even decreasing hot flashes in perimenopause, it’s the Mediterranean Diet.
While anti-carb diets, diets paired with psychology, and intermittent fasting come and go (they’re going soon, right?), the Mediterranean Diet still holds its own in the health-related scientific literature.
Are Mediterranean-Style Diets Here to Stay?
A search in PubMed brings up 1,865 different research studies on the Mediterranean-style diet since it first rose to popularity 30-plus years ago.
But what happens when our thin-wellness-obsessed culture grabs onto this traditional lifestyle and tries to make it the diet to end all dieting?
Join fellow non-diet dietitian Wendy Jo Peterson RDN, a culinary dietitian, educator, and author for over 20 years, as she un-diets the Mediterranean Diet on this episode of the Savor Food and Body Podcast.
One of her many cookbooks for the For Dummies book series, Mediterranean Cooking for Dummies, aims to make the Mediterranean lifestyle and flavors accessible to anyone, anywhere, without the added pressure to “get the diet right,” as is the case with so many other fad diets.
Listen to hear Wendy Jo’s thoughts on…
- How the diet culture lens has influenced her career and how she’s evolved as an author, dietitian, and mother in spite of diet culture.
- Why so many food and health-related topics are now under the guise of diet culture and have been hijacked over the years – from healthy eating to the Mediterranean-style Diet to clean eating.
- The difference in the relationships people have with food, health, and their bodies living in Europe (specifically Germany and the Mediterranean) vs living in the US.
- Finally, how Wendy Jo navigates raising a 6-year-old daughter while steering clear of diet culture messaging at school and among friends and family.
Wendy Jo Peterson is a culinary-trained registered dietitian nutritionist.
She’s been practicing as a dietitian for over 20 years and has been teaching culinary arts since 2003.
In 2012, her career turned more toward professional speaking and writing, from television appearances to speaking around the globe. Wendy Jo has published 8 books and has written for many magazine publications.
These days, she works mostly on recipe development, collaborating with culinary-focused brands, writing, speaking, and consulting in the realm of nutrition.
Wendy Jo says, “work doesn’t define me. I also happen to be a mama to an adorable daughter and my rescued labrador. My husband and I have been a team since 1994, and I’ve enjoyed supporting his nearly 30-year career in the military. We’ve lived all over the US and in Europe, and have enjoyed traveling the world together.”
As for her hobbies, she has too many – from sewing to hiking to adventuring in their campervan, #olafthecampervan. Currently, Wendy Jo lives with her family on the beach in SoCal. You can often find her at the beach, in her garden, or walking her pups to the local playground.
Learn more about Wendy Jo’s work and her books via her website, and view her bread and beaches pics on Instagram @just_wendyjo
Cookbooks and Resources by Wendy Jo*
Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies
Instant Pot Cookbook for Dummies
Meal Prep Cookbook for Dummies
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