Mmm. Mmm. Good.

MONDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- The fried foods, salty snacks and meats that are staples of the Western diet account for about 30 percent of heart attack risk across the world, a new report suggests.

Meanwhile, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and lean protien is tied a low risk of heart attack, according to the study, published in the Oct. 21 issue of Circulation.

The research, which looked at dietary habits in 52 countries, found people who ate a Western diet had a 35 percent greater risk of having a heart attack. Those who followed a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables had a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack compared to those who went light on fruits and vegetables.

One thing I always miss when I leave the Middle East and return to the States is the delicious, fresh, low-cost food we enjoyed in Jeddah. Although Saudi Arabia certainly has been infected by the fast-food-bug, the traditional food that makes up the foundation of a Middle Eastern diet is still filled with healthy, tasty foods.

I learned a lot of my healthy eating habits from my dad, who grew up eating a breakfast of tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, and goat cheese every morning. Other healthy staples like watermelon, rice, fresh bread, boiled chicken, chickpeas, fava beans, oranges, apples, tea, pomegranate, guava, eggplant, and zucchini make up the average diet of any lower-income, "Ahmed the Plumber."

Fresh produce and piping hot, handmade bread can be obtained in Jeddah for a fraction of what we pay here in the States. In fact, apart from the franchises of McDonalds and the like, "fast food" for many Arabs would consist of a few giant rounds of fresh flat bread, a platter or two of hummus or "fool" (fava beans), some "salata" or babaganoush (eggplant mixture), and maybe some shawarmas (chicken or lamb with spices and veggies, wrapped in pita). To feed my family of six on such a repast would cost under 10 dollars, with leftovers to spare.

Not to mention the juice stands on every corner where you can get a 20+ oz glass of fresh squeezed orange, apple, guava, pomegranate, carrot, or mango juice for under a dollar. (sometimes with sugar added, though. Be careful!)

Of course, Saudi society is notorious for having a sweet tooth. (McDonalds in Saudi famously added sugar to their french fry recipe!) Hyper-sweetened tea and decadent baklava and gatayuf dripping with honey and syrup will do much to counteract the more healthy components of the Middle Eastern diet. However, I myself am blessedly indifferent to sweets (my weakness is salty snacks like nuts).

Moral of the story: we could learn a lot from the Middle Eastern diet--but focus on what lower income families *traditionally* eat (an explosion of cheap foods like hot dogs, sugary juices, etc have begun to overtake the customary diets of raw produce and healthy protien).

Hungry yet?