Lately, I've heard and read more about Sardines than I ever had before. Of course, the allure of these small guys and their health benefits, are indeed intriguing, and people who eat them seem to experience a long healthy life, and that peaks my interest. Sardines are named after Sardinia, the Italian island where large schools of these fish were once found. While sardines are usually enjoyed fresh, they are most commonly found canned, since they are so perishable. With growing concern over the health of the seas, people are turning to sardines since they are at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, feeding solely on plankton, and therefore do not absorb heavy metals, such as mercury, and contaminants as do some other fish.
1-Cardiovascular / 2-Bone & Joint Health /3 -Cancer Prevention / 4-Eye&Hair /5-Skin&Health /6- Protein
While there are six different types of species of sardines belonging to the Clupeidae family, more than 20 varieties of fish are sold as sardines throughout the world. What these fish share in common is that they are small, saltwater, oily-rich, silvery fish that are soft-boned. In the United States, sardines actually refers to a small herring, and adult sardines are known as pilchards, a name that is commonly used in other parts of the world. Sardines are abundant in the seas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean with Spain, Portugal, France, and Norway being the leading producers of canned sardines.
No one is certain when sardines came onto the scene, but in 1795 Napoleon Bonaparte needed to feed his men, he helped popularize these little guys, (no pun intended)… by initiating the canning of sardines. They were the first fish to be canned in order to feed his army and the citizens of the land which he controlled. It took hundreds of years for the positive results to be discovered. But now with people living to be well in their 100's... and I'm talking healthy peeps. They all have something in common…Sardines
Acciaroli Italy
Residents of Acciaroli, a costal village nestled on the Mediterranean Sea, consume a diet rich in wine, rosemary and anchovies. Let's take a look at the lovely rosemary herb.
Rosemary is not only fragrant, it's a good source of iron, calcium, and vitaminB6. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth. Just one more reason to add or increase rosemary into our diets.
Over the weekend I decided to get creative with a few sardine recipes.
Avocado toast with chives / cherry tomatoes / olive oil / No need to add salt. Sardines are already naturally salty. Hermès China. Sardines are one of the highest sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids on the planet, along with other important minerals and vitamins.
Always looking for a moment to mentally escape to Italy. Pizza with basil / cherry tomatoes / chives / Bela Sardines. Why not add a little Rosè for your Italian get-away lunch.
Here's a healthy quick, and light dinner - Arugula salad with green asparagus, poached in water (or grilled) for 1-2 minutes / anchovy filets in olive oil and lemon / Parmesan cheese with fresh lemon and olive oil mixed with chives / slices of toast for dipping in your olive oil / Of course we continue to hear more and more about the benefits of Red Wine. Maybe we don't live in Italy, but we sure have a lot to learn from the healthy Mediterranean. We are living longer so why not live it in good health.
Creating a healthy path for ourselves is not only important it's fun. There is so much to learn about the benefits of healthy eating. When you begin to educate yourself on food, herbs and your body, it will change your life...for the better of course. You can then walk a little further for a little longer with a lot of joy. There's still so much to see in this big beautiful world...
"Ecco a vostra buona salute"... here's to your good health
“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” ~Unknown