Aspects Of The Mediterranean Diet

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 21: A bowl of hummous is served with olive oil, falafel balls and sprinkled with chopped parsley alongside fresh-baked pita bread, olives, a fresh onion, red chili paste and chili and lemon juice February 21, 2006 in a restaurant in Tel Aviv. Chick peas, the basis of both falafel and hummous, and olive oil are staple foods in many Mediterranean countries. The Mediterranean diet, a term used to broadly describe the eating habits of the people of the region, is widely believed to be responsible for the low rates of chronic heart disease in the populations of the 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. (Photo Illustration by David Silverman/Getty Images)