Eating healthily worldwide - the healthiest diets in the world

Eating healthy worldwide: These healthy dishes you should try

Whether you try international restaurants in your area or travel on vacation, there are many reasons to look beyond your own plate and try different culinary delights. Not only are they incredibly delicious, but some are even healthier than our German cuisine. You can indulge in vacation meals with a clear conscience. We have embarked on a culinary journey around the world and selected the best and healthiest international dishes for you.

Here are popular holiday destinations for Germans with our dietary recommendations.

Greece

Greek cuisine, which essentially corresponds to a traditional Mediterranean diet, is a very healthy version of Mediterranean cuisine with a lot of vegetables, seafood, fish, as well as fresh herbs and spices. Legumes also appear in numerous main dishes. Particularly, the high-quality olive oil used in large quantities makes the dishes delicious, digestible, and at the same time healthy. This is because olive oil contains a high amount of healthy polyphenols and unsaturated fatty acids.

At the Greek restaurant, dishes can quickly become very greasy, heavy, and meat-heavy if you opt for gyros, bifteki, and the like. Make vegetables your main course and season them generously with the numerous spices of Greek cuisine:

• Anise

• Clove

• Chervil

• Mastic

• Mint

• Oregano

• Sage

• Thyme

An important factor that makes Greek food culture so healthy is time. Greeks take a lot of time, especially in the evening, and enjoy their dinner in a social setting. With good conversations and quiet background music, it is particularly enjoyable to indulge in the meal. As a result, they eat much more slowly, they eat more consciously, and they perceive the feeling of satiety more quickly.

These Greek delicacies will enchant your palate:

• Eggplant cream

• Stuffed grape leaves

• Grilled vegetables

• (Vegetarian) Moussaka

• Melitsanosaláta (grilled eggplant salad)

• Fasolada (Bean Soup)

Spain

According to the Bloomberg Health Report, Spaniards live particularly healthy lives and have one of the highest life expectancies for years. This is mainly due to their healthy eating culture, which is very similar to that of the Greeks. The main protagonists of the healthy Spanish cuisine are vegetables, fruits, legumes, and olive oil - a very healthy combination. In addition, fresh fish and seafood are regularly served. Red meat and highly processed products are consumed less here. Therefore, the (Spanish) Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world.

Typical Spanish and healthy dishes are:

• Gazpacho and Salmorejo (cold Andalusian vegetable soup)

• Paella

• Spanish omelette

• Escalivada (Grilled Vegetables)

• Pisto (Vegetable dish similar to Ratatouille)

• Tumbet (Mallorcan Vegetable Casserole)

Italy

Welcome to the land of pizza, pasta, and love. Italy is known for pizza and pasta dishes that can quickly become high in calories due to the generous amount of cheese. But Italian cuisine has more to offer, as it shares many similarities with Mediterranean cuisine. In Italy, hardly any meal is served without fresh vegetables or fruit. From vitamin A to B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, Italian cuisine provides numerous important micronutrients. The more colorful the dishes, the greater the variety of nutrients.

Among the healthiest ingredients in Italian cuisine are vegetables, legumes such as lentils, high-quality olive oil, fresh herbs and spices, as well as freshly caught fish. So how about a light minestrone or grilled fish?

You can enjoy these delicious dishes in Bella Italia:

• Caprese

• Appetizers

• Minestrone

• Vegetable Risotto

Israel

Israeli cuisine is becoming increasingly popular with us. Hummus, falafel, and more are now indispensable for many people's diets. Especially vegetarians and vegans often choose these delicious dishes, which provide plenty of proteins.

There is not just one Israeli cuisine, but it is shaped by various influences and traditions. However, a key characteristic is the abundance of aromas. Typical spices such as anise, baharat, cardamom, cumin, paprika, sumac, za'atar, and cinnamon, as well as fresh herbs like parsley or garlic, provide a unique flavor experience.

The stars of Israeli cuisine are chickpeas. They form the basis of many national dishes, such as hummus and falafel, and they are very healthy. Legumes are high in protein and rich in fiber, which ensures long-lasting satiety and serves as food for our important gut bacteria.

A popular national dish is also Shakshuka. This delicious pan dish is made from tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, and eggs, and is sometimes served for breakfast. Of course, it also tastes good at any other time of the day.

Feel free to help yourself to these Far Eastern dishes:

• Hummus

• Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish made of poached eggs in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce

• Baba Ghanoush (Eggplant Cream)

• Muhammara (Paprika-Walnut Dip)

• Chickpea salad

Asia

Asian cuisine is known for its curries, rice and noodle dishes, vegetables, fish, and meat dishes. Compared to European cuisine, they eat very unprocessed, fresh, and very spicy. Vegetables are usually only briefly cooked, preserving many nutrients. Instead of frying in fat, they often stir-fry in soy sauce. They also mostly avoid using salt completely. Instead, they season their dishes with nutrient-rich herbs and healthy spices such as garlic, ginger, chili, lemongrass, coriander, and basil. Nuts, which are rich in important Omega-3 fatty acids, also hold a high value in Asian cuisine. The healthy combination of good ingredients and freshness makes Asian cuisine very healthy.

In Asia, you can also find a lot of fried food, and many drinks have added sugar. If you order a freshly blended watermelon smoothie here, you will always find a generous amount of syrup in it. It is better to order drinks without sugar or to avoid fried food.

These Asian dishes are among the healthiest and most delicious:

• Pho (Vietnamese soup)

• Papaya Salad

• Gado-Gado (mixed vegetables with peanut sauce)

• Fruit salad

• Vegetable curries

• Fried Rice with Vegetables and Tempeh

France

France is known for its numerous delicacies: cheese, wine, macarons - French cuisine offers many delights. France alone boasts over 400 types of cheese and around 2900 different wines. The sauces are also famous beyond their borders: Béchamel sauce, Hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, and remoulade. And let's not forget the incredibly delicious pastries - éclairs, croissants, macarons, madeleines, baguette - and classics like tartare, moules frites, or crème brûlée. Admittedly, they are not the healthiest foods, and France has plenty of other greasy and heavy dishes to offer, such as the southern French stew Cassoulet, made of beans, bacon, sausages, and pork. It may not be so easy to eat typical French and healthy meals, but it is possible.

These dishes of French cuisine are healthy:

• Ratatouille

• Mediterranean oven-roasted vegetables

• Nice salad

• Tapenade (Olive paste)

• Endive salad

• Cream Cheese and Tomato Tart

• Pissaladière (Onion Tart)

• Tomatoes Provencal

• Vegetable gratin with basil

Mexico

Mexican cuisine is fiery and diverse - but unfortunately also very high in carbohydrates and fatty. Here corn and tortilla flatbreads, there baked with cheese and extra salsa. If you are looking for healthy food in Mexico, you should take a close look at the menu and possibly express a few extra requests. For example, swap beef with fiber-rich beans or choose a delicious guacamole as an alternative to salsa. This way, you can save a lot of calories and load up on fiber.

But there are also healthier dishes and options:

• Chili sin carne

• Vegan Quesadillas

• Guacamole

• Falafel Tacos

• Bean Burrito

• Vegetable Fajita

• Fresh fruits, such as mango, papaya