The local markets of France and Spain – Just another reason why the Mediterranean diet is so healthy

It is a well-known fact that the people who live in Mediterranean countries generally eat well and can often live for a longer time than their non-Mediterranean counterparts. Much of the world-renowned health and longevity of the residents of the Med is pinned on olive oil. Although it’s not just olive oil that is responsible for the long life-enduring properties of a Mediterranean diet.

Garlic was frowned upon for years by the likes of us Brits, who were all too conscious of bad breath rather than good health. The health properties of garlic are now well documented and a celebrity French chef recently pointed out that more garlic is sold in the UK than is sold in France.

Red wine may well be in our British supermarkets in vast and varied supplies but back in the seventies stocks were limited. By contrast, the Spanish, the French and Italians have, for decades, had ample varieties of red wine readily available. When drank in moderation, there are several health benefits of this antioxidant-rich alcoholic drink.

When you order a meal in the likes of Spain and France, it is almost always accompanied with a huge bowl of crispy and delicious fresh salad. Salad is naturally brimming with vital vitamins and nutrients and is certainly a core component of the longevity-enhancing Mediterranean diet.

Fish never fails to be on the menu in the bars and restaurants of the Med. Oily, fresh fish is certainly conducive with good health and contributes inexorably with the people of the Mediterranean’s healthy diet.

Then of course there are vegetables. In the British supermarkets, force-grown courgettes, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines are all vibrantly-coloured, firm in texture and blemish-free. The organic, simple and pesticide-free vegetables that can be found on markets in France and Spain rarely look like what we find in our supermarkets.

The best produce is grown naturally on the farms in the Mediterranean countryside and come in all shapes, sizes, colours and condition. Organic, home-grown, natural veg might not look as good but it certainly tastes better and without any chemicals used, is healthier.

Sadly the Mediterranean supermarkets of today seem to be following the same path of the international supermarkets, with all fruit and vegetables being uniform in size and blemish free. This said, local markets are still an integral part of Mediterranean culture where farmers and local produce growers still thrive.

Visiting the local markets of France and Spain is an experience in itself. There is usually a dishevelled-looking old man at the market with a few old cola bottles full of cloudy “uninviting” olive oil, or a woman with a huge misshapen butternut squash, which she sells in slices rather than whole.

These are the type of items, which you should purchase for your larder back in your Vintage Travel villa.