Mediterranean Food Pyramid

Mediterranean Diet refers to the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece and southern Italy in the 1960's. Despite limited medical services available to populations in those areas, rates of chronic disease were among the lowest in the world and adult life expectancy was among the highest during this era. Since then, the Mediterranean diet has been long recognized by leading health professionals, educators and consumers as the gold standard.

The main tenets of the diet were based on abundance of food from plant sources, including whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and olive oil. Minimally processed, seasonally fresh and, in most cases, locally grown, these delicious plant-foods provided their health-promoting micronutrients and antioxidants.

The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid

A close adaptation of the traditional Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, the Vegetarian Diet Pyramid, was released in the late 1990s by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Oldways Preservation Trust. A guide to a healthy vegetarian eating lifestyle, this pyramid and its variations show the wide range of delicious foods available and recognize that a plant-based diet can be an excellent source of all the necessary nutrients.

Using the Mediterranean diet as our inspiration, we build flavors that provide delicious and clean vegetarian nutrition. 

Whole Grains – Nutritional Gains                   

Whole grains form the foundation of the Mediterranean diet and Ambrosial Granola. They are packed with the goodness of the naturally-occurring nutrients all three layers of the grain provide. Their carbohydrates are rich in fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, plant enzymes, and hundreds of other phytochemicals. All these elements work together to improve cardiovascular health by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels, improving digestive health and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Nuts the Nutrition Powerhouse

A staple of the Mediterranean diet and plentiful in Ambrosial Granola, nuts are power packed with heart protective mono-unsaturated fatty acids, the same fatty acids found in olive oil. They are rich sources of plant-based protein, fiber, B-vitamins, folic acid, calcium, iron, zinc, and antioxidants, vitamin E and selenium.  

Seeds of Health

The four seeds of health - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and especially sesame seeds - have been used extensively by Mediterranean people. Not only do we use all those seeds for flavor, but also for their nutrition profile. Seeds are a very good source of copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, zinc and dietary fiber.

Sweet Delicious Fruits

Cranberries, apricots, raisins, goji berries, dates - all these delicious fruits naturally sweeten our granolas and muesli and make them a real treat. Rich in iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamin B6, dietary fiber and antioxidants they generously offer exceptional nutrition.

Here are some easy recipes you can use to incorporate Ambrosial Granola’s organic whole grain granola and muesli in your daily diet. Please click here for delectable Mediterranean Recipes. You can also find a collection of time-honored Mediterranean dishes based on the same ingredients we are using today in our products.