When choosing, pay attention to the packaging, always check the expiration date of the oil (6 months from the date of extraction), as well as the place of manufacture of the oil. The highest quality olive oil is produced in Greece on the island of Crete. On this island, olives grow almost everywhere. Olive oil grown in Greece has a characteristic smell and dark color, sometimes even cloudy sediment. However, this oil practically does not enter the Russian market.
Olive oil is very suitable for dressing salads, sandwiches, but it is not suitable for cooking with heat treatment, especially for frying. Based on this oil, you can prepare a variety of sauces. Here are examples of some of them.
Recipes for sauces based on olive oil

Honey mustard sauce. Honey - 2 tbsp. spoons - mustard - 1 tbsp. spoon, olive oil - 50 ml, lemon juice - 30 ml. Mix honey, mustard, olive oil and lemon juice.
Pesto sauce". Basil - 20 g, garlic - 2 cloves, pine nuts - 2 tbsp. spoons, olive oil - 50 ml, parmesan or any hard cheese - 30 g. Mix basil, garlic cloves, pine nuts and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Add grated cheese. Any fresh herb can be used in place of basil.
The Italians have their own secrets in eating. One of them is to use fresh herbs in all dishes.
Eating fresh herbs normalizes blood sugar levels, lowers blood pressure, improves digestion, and is also a source of vitamins and minerals. For example, parsley contains high concentrations of vitamin C, beta-carotene, B vitamins, vitamins A and E, fluorine, selenium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. In addition, parsley is rich in glycosides, terpenes, flavonoids, which reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Regular consumption of parsley improves eyesight. Pregnant women are not recommended to consume a lot of parsley because of the risk of miscarriage. Dill contains the same minerals and vitamins as parsley.
Plus, dill contains vitamin P, which is necessary for capillaries and blood vessels, since makes their walls elastic and durable. Dill removes toxins from the body, improves metabolism and normalizes blood pressure. In folk medicine, dill has been used since ancient times to improve digestion, with flatulence, bloating and spasms.
In Mediterranean and Oriental cuisine, basil is most often eaten, which has a special aroma. In Greek, the word "basil" means king. In Rus', basil was also called the royal herb for its valuable and healing properties. In India, basil is used to improve memory and increase the intensity of brain activity, as well as a powerful immune stimulant.
In Iran, doctors have been using this plant for more than 5 millennia. Let us examine in more detail the composition of the basil.
The basil herb contains nutrients: proteins (3%), carbohydrates (5%), 1% fat, fiber and ash. The calorie content of 100 g of fresh basil is only 23 calories, which makes it an indispensable product for people who are watching their weight. Contains the following vitamins: group B - represented by thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic and folic acid, pyridoxine, niacin, choline;
A (beta-carotene); carotene (provitamin A); C (ascorbic acid); E (tocopherol); K (phylloquinone); PP (nicotinic acid).
It is worth noting that a small sprig of basil can give the dish a special taste and aroma. We offer a variant of a simple Mediterranean appetizer, which is served before the main courses.
The inhabitants of the Mediterranean use all the gifts that generous nature has given them. One of these gifts is the herb oregano, which grows literally under your feet. In the middle lane there is an analogue of this plant - the common oregano, familiar to us from childhood. For the first time the name of this spice is mentioned in the works of the Greek physician Dioscorides, he described the healing properties of oregano in one of the volumes of his book Medicinal Plants. In cooking, both fresh and dried oregano leaves are used. In Greece, oregano is added to meat and fish dishes, as well as to olive oil and cottage cheese.
What do centenarians eat in Greece?

Greece and the food culture of its inhabitants should be mentioned separately, since this country shows results in terms of health above the average, but below the average in terms of income. It just so happens that in Greece, according to a well-known saying, there is everything. Vegetables and fresh herbs grows literally underfoot and on rocky soil. The average life expectancy in Greece is 80 years. The famous ancient Greek philosopher Parmenides lived to be 95 years old, and the physician Hippocrates to 100 years old.
The secret of long-livers-Greeks is very simple. The Greeks have a well-known slogan in food - nothing superfluous, they prefer to eat everything in moderation and always serve fresh vegetables and herbs on the table. Tourists traveling in Greece always note that, eating national food, they never have digestive problems. Known in Greece and the island of Ikaria, where people live an average of 90 years.
The inhabitants of this island walk a lot, eat fresh vegetables, and eat fatty meat in limited quantities. Antonia Trichopolou, a Mediterranean diet specialist at the University of Athens, believes that the Icarian diet could provide up to four extra years of life expectancy compared to the standard American diet. A low intake of saturated fat from meat and dairy products is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. The inhabitants of the island also drink healthy goat milk and herbal teas.
What are the benefits of herbal teas?
Joanna Hinou, a professor at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Athens and one of Europe's leading experts on the biologically active properties of herbs, has researched teas consumed by Icarians and concluded that these herbs have strong antioxidant properties. Most are very weak diuretics that doctors use to treat hypertension. Icarians drink mountain tea as an evening cocktail, thereby gently lowering blood pressure throughout their lives.
What is the composition of life-prolonging tea?
The composition of this tea is very simple: oregano, sage, mint, rosemary, dandelion leaves and a little lemon. These herbs are used as traditional Greek remedies. Mint, as you know, is part of valocordin. It is rich in menthol, which has antispasmodic and antiseptic properties, promotes reflex expansion of the coronary vessels.
It must be said that all the greenery listed in this article can be grown in the middle lane on personal plots, as well as in early spring on the window.
Eating fresh vegetables and herbs, it is worth remembering that only a balanced diet will help maintain health. Средиземноморская диета или кухня предполагает следующий расклад по пищевой ценности: 60% углеводов, 30% жиров, 10% белков, умеренное количество мяса, например курицу без кожи и жира два раза в week. The rest of the time you should eat fish and vegetables, as well as legumes, low-fat cheeses, yogurt, cottage cheese and dairy products.
What do centenarians eat in Spain?

Spain is in 10th place in the ranking of centenarians. There are countries in the Mediterranean where food is part of the culture, such as Spain, and Spaniards live on average up to 85 years. The whole secret of longevity is associated with a properly selected diet, which includes vegetables, fish and seafood.
Many Spanish dishes were borrowed from the cuisines of other Mediterranean regions. For example, the famous rice and seafood pilaf, paella, is found in Greek and Italian cuisines. The dish is low-calorie and very healthy.
The Caucasus is another place of centenarians

One of the corners of the world, which has long been considered a place of longevity, is the Caucasus. For example, almost 4,000 people live in modern Abkhazia, whose age has already exceeded 80 years. In the USSR, the Abkhaz choir of 100-year-old elders was widely known. Gerontologists often came to the republic to study the phenomenon of longevity. All surveyed long-lived people preferred to eat at home. Abkhazians, like the Greeks, eat fresh vegetables, drink a natural antioxidant - good quality red wine. Interestingly, Abkhazians, especially older people, do not include pure table salt in their diet. Salt is part of seasonings, for example, in adjika. Also, centenarians practically do not consume sugar and sweet carbonated drinks, which can provoke the onset of diabetes and reduce metabolism. Centenarians get the required level of glucose by eating sweet fruits, dried fruits and honey, which is a natural antioxidant.
A folk Abkhaz proverb says: “If you want to live long, drink more sour milk.” And this proverb is supported by scientific data. The intestinal microflora of the Abkhazians and other Caucasian peoples is similar to the intestinal microflora of healthy children. The reason for this lies in the regular use of fermented milk drinks - matsoni, kefir, homemade yogurts, as well as various cheeses. On the basis of fermented milk drinks, you can prepare a cold tzatziki appetizer sauce that can replace everyone's favorite mayonnaise.
Do centenarians live in Russia?

Russia occupies only 122 place in the life expectancy rating. Moreover, we were bypassed by such countries as Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Moldova, Ukraine, Brazil, that is, countries with not the highest incomes. Obesity today in our country is the cause of diseases of blood vessels, heart, stomach, liver, reproductive system, in a word, leads to a noticeable deterioration in the quality of life and human health.
The problem of obesity in Russia
Russia is in 4th place in the world in terms of the number of registered obesity. And this, of course, is connected with the culture of eating food. It has become customary to eat sandwiches and hamburgers on the run, just as Americans do. But leading nutritionists advise eating only at the table and at a