Hundreds of restaurants get new Meddiet label

The consumption of pre-packaged and processed food, rich in salt and saturated fats, has tripled in the Mediterranean area during the last decades. Bad diet habits contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and weight gain. 
The MedDiet project works toward the promotion of the Mediterranean diet, which is praised by scientists for its healthy benefits. This includes a quality label for restaurants. Over 300 restaurants in Egypt, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia have been awarded the MedDiet quality label. 

This label certifies that restaurants offer authentic Mediterranean meals complying with precise terms of reference. Among the main criteria are: 

• use of olive oil as main source of added fat, better if extra virgin olive oil; 
• use of local and seasonal products, including large quantity of fruit and vegetables; 
• dishes cooked according to traditional recipes and/or in line with the Mediterranean diet; 
• transparent food information to customers; 
• activities to promote the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. 

The MedDiet label also considers the design of the restaurants and cultural elements which are integral part of the Mediterranean diet.