Tips for Eating Greek/Middle Eastern Food provided by the American Heart Association
Some Greek and Middle Eastern dishes are high in fat (usually from monounsaturated fat in olive oil), but others aren't. The more you know about them, the more you can enjoy them.
Tips: Ask for dishes to be prepared with less oil or served with high-sodium foods like feta cheese and olives on the side. Ask for salad dressing and sauces on the side, too. Phyllo pastry dishes are usually high in butter, so skip them. Most Greek desserts are high in fat and sugar. If you want to splurge, split one with a friend.
| Instead of |
Try |
| Meat-stuffed appetizers |
Appetizers with rice or eggplant |
| Fried calamari |
Dolmas (rice mixture wrapped in grape leaves) |
| Baba Ghanooj (eggplant appetizer) |
Tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber appetizer) |
| Moussaka (lamb and beef casserole) and other creamy or cheesy entrees |
Roast lamb; shish kabob; couscous or bulgar wheat with vegetables or chicken
Gyro Chicken pita sandwich |
| Spanakopita (spinach pie with egg and garlic) |
Plaki (fish cooked in tomatoes, onions and cheese) |
| Pastries like baklava |
Fruit |
|
