Food Synergy: Why Columbia’s Mediterranean diet is good for your health!
What is food synergy? Well, the idea is that certain components of different foods can work synergistically to bring greater nutritional benefit to our bodies. Bottom line? Food synergy can help you keep healthy! And many of the foods praised for their synergistic properties are well-integrated into Columbia Beach Resort’s Mediterranean diet…
1. Banana and Yoghurt
The fact that yoghurt contains healthy bacteria has been well publicised. But did you know that by adding banana –which contains the plant-based carbohydrate, inulin –to your yoghurt, said healthy bacteria’s growth can be further boosted, thus leading to better-regulated digestion and a stronger immune system? Not bad for a combination that effectively constitutes one of the most prized and praised Mediterranean breakfasts!
If making at home, use Greek yoghurt (which contains more protein) as your base, and add sliced banana, a drizzle of honey, and chopped walnuts to taste. If staying at Columbia Beach Resort, head down to Bacchus for breakfast: we’ll take care of the rest
2. Vegetables and Olive Oil
Colourful vegetables –such as tomatoes, peppers, spinach and broccoli –are rich in carotenoids, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that by eating these vegetables with olive oil, diners will not only satiate their appetites, they will also increase the absorption of carotenoids, which lends a wealth of health benefits, spanning clearer skin and a stronger heart, to restore memory and better mood.
Why not try The Cypriot salad atApollo Tavern, which is bursting with fresh cherry tomatoes, rocket, ripe avocado, and pine nuts?
3. Spinach, chickpeas, and red bell peppers
Iron is vital in the metabolisation of proteins, and the production of haemoglobin and red blood cells. An iron deficiency, therefore, can impart a host of health problems, spanning a weakened immune system, depleted energy levels, dizziness, thinning hair and nails, and more.
Whilst iron found in meat and fish (also known as heme iron) is generally well-absorbed by our bodies, the iron present in legumes, vegetables and nuts (non-heme iron) does not fare as well. Fortunately, research shows that
vitamin C (ascorbic acid) assists in the absorption of non-heme iron, which is particularly important for those who follow a plant-based diet.
Spinach and chickpeas (rich in non-heme iron) combined with fresh red bell peppers (a good source of ascorbic acid) thus makes for both a delicious and healthy salad.
Columbia Beach Resort prides itself on its gastronomic offerings, which are created with care and flair using fresh, local ingredients growing abundantly in Pissouri and beyond.
Columbia Beach Resort’s Apollo Tavern is a haven of Mediterranean cuisine, with our team of chefs never tiring of reinvigorating the menu in the most wholehearted and rustic of ways.
Meanwhile, the Resort’s gourmet Italian restaurant, Bacchus, is spearheaded by our Michelin-star trained Executive Chef, who succeeds in marrying the staples of Mediterranean diet decadently and deliciously.