Doctor Carvalho

The traditional Portuguese diet is one of the healthiest in Europe — fresh, seasonal, simple, and naturally Mediterranean in character. It emphasizes fish, vegetables, olive oil, and legumes, with moderate portions of meat and dairy, and very little processed food. Here’s a breakdown of its core components:

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🥖 Core Principles

• Fresh, local ingredients: Food is bought at local markets daily.
• Olive oil (azeite): The main cooking fat and salad dressing.
• Fish over meat: Portugal has one of the world’s highest fish consumption rates.
• Slow, social meals: Meals are family-centered and often include wine in moderation.
• Minimal processing: Bread, cheese, and sausages are usually handmade or locally sourced.

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🐟 Protein Sources

• Fish & Seafood:
  • Cod (bacalhau) — eaten in hundreds of recipes, often salted and dried.
  • Sardines — grilled fresh (sardinhas assadas) in summer.
  • Octopus (polvo à lagareiro) and cuttlefish (choco frito).
  • Tuna, mackerel, and sea bream are also staples.
• Meat:
  • Pork is the most common — chouriço, presunto, and leitão (roast suckling pig).
  • Chicken and rabbit are eaten regularly.
  • Beef appears less often, usually in stews or roasts.
• Eggs and legumes:
  • Eggs feature in many dishes.
  • Beans and chickpeas are central to soups and stews (e.g., feijoada, grão com bacalhau).

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🥦 Vegetables & Grains

• Common vegetables: cabbage, kale, collards, turnip greens, onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots.
• Soups like caldo verde (collard green soup with potatoes) are eaten daily.
• Rice and potatoes are the main starches. Bread (usually dense and whole-grain, like broa de milho) is always on the table.

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🧀 Dairy

• Cheese (queijo) is regional and varied:
  • Queijo da Serra (sheep’s milk, creamy)
  • Queijo de Azeitão
  • Queijo de Nisa
• Yogurt and milk are often taken at breakfast.

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🍊 Fruits

• Eaten fresh and in season: oranges, figs, grapes, melons, pomegranates, apples, and pears.
• Dried fruits (almonds, figs, walnuts) are common snacks, especially in the south (Algarve).

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🍷 Beverages

• Wine: Consumed moderately with lunch or dinner.
• Coffee: Strong espresso (bica) after meals.
• Water: Always present — sparkling or still.

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🍮 Desserts

• Often egg-based, a legacy of convent baking (doçaria conventual):
  • Pastéis de nata (custard tarts)
  • Pão de ló (sponge cake)
  • Arroz doce (sweet rice pudding)
  • Sericaia, ovos moles, etc.
• Fruit is also a common dessert choice.

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🕰️ Typical Day

Breakfast: Coffee or milk with bread, cheese, or fruit.
Lunch (main meal): Fish, rice, vegetables, and soup.
Afternoon snack (lanche): Bread, cheese, or pastry with coffee.
Dinner: Lighter — soup, omelet, or leftovers from lunch.