Characterized By:

There’s more to Greek food than gyros, baklava and Greek salads. Many dishes include low-fat dips, but many desserts and pastries are loaded with fat. Overall, this is generally a healthy way to eat; even the higher calorie items are usually not that high compared to other cuisines.


Common Ingredients:

Olives and olive oils are a signature. Legumes (esp chickpeas), eggplant, okra, garlic, lamb, beef and yogurt are very popular. Feta cheese is also popular, especially in salads. Fresh meats, grains and vegetables dominate the menu.


Hidden Dangers:

• Take small portions of yogurt dressing, unless it’s low-fat.
• Feta cheese can be high in sodium.
• Falafel (vegetable patty with fava beans and chickpeas) is a deep-fried favorite that is surprisingly full of fat
• Spanakopita (spinach pie) has 290 cals and 21g fat
• Watch for pan-fried dishes
• Baba ghanoush (dip made with eggplant and olive oil) has only 70 cals but can be high in fat
• Saganaki (thick kasseri cheese fried and flamed in brandy)
• High fat salad ingredients include anchovies, kalamata olives and feta cheese
• Any pastry made with phyllo dough, which contains a lot of butter and oil
• Baklava packs 400 cals and 21g fat
• Moussaka has 350 cals and 22g fat
• Bechamel (rich white sauce)
• Tahini (ground sesame paste used in hummus) is almost all fat

Healthy Finds:

• Chicken or veggie shish kabobs
• Greek Salad
• Tabouli (bulgur mixed with tomatoes, parsley, mint, olive oil and lemon juice) has just 170 cals in a 4oz serving
• Dolmas (stuffed vegetables, such as peppers, cabbage leaves, eggplant or squash)
• Couscous (steamed wheat cereal)
• Pilafs (rice dishes)
• Midya Dolma (rice-stuffed mussels)
• Yalanji Yaprak (rice-stuffed grape leaves)
• Lah Me June (Armenian pizza)
• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Plaki (fish broiled with tomato sauce and garlic)
• Pita Bread, esp whole wheat pitas
• Tzatziki (creamy yogurt and cucumber dressing/dip, may also be listed as a salad)
• To boost fiber, look for dishes and soups with fava beans and other legumes
• One skewer of Kafta has only 85 cals and 5g fat