Fresh vegetables and fruit are commonly available and we use a lot of olive oil in cooking, and less animal fats than is found in British dishes.

BBC: Why do the Italians live longer than us?

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a nutritional model that has remained constant over time and space, consisting mainly of olive oil, cereals, fresh or dried fruit and vegetables, a moderate amount of fish, dairy and meat, and many condiments and spices, all accompanied by wine or infusions, always respecting beliefs of each community.

UNESCO: Culture

These days my pack is filled with a small container of olive oil, dried herbs, salt and pepper and fresh fruit rather than packets of dehydrated beans and rice or bags of quick-cooking oatmeal flavored with desiccated strawberries.

NPR: Forget The Granola: Camp Cooking Goes Gourmet

Using a large fork to fluff up the rice and fruit mixture, turn it into a serving dish, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon orange juice, and combine using the fork.

NPR: Recipes: 'Screen Doors and Sweet Tea'

The need to drill for oil in 5000 feet of water and 20, 000 feet below the ocean floor is a dramatic illustration of how the low hanging fruit are long gone and the lengths to which our addiction to oil will drive us.

FORBES: Looking Beyond The Oil Spill