Gyros are a delicious food that sends people flocking to their favorite Mediterranean restaurants to eat them. The soft bread, juicy meat, and authentic flavors of the Gyro are one of the most delicious foods in the world.

Like many foods with a long history, no one knows for sure where the Gyro originated from. Although it most likely came from Greece, during the time they popped up immigrants from many different countries were passing through.

The Gyro popped up in one of many hole-in-the-wall shops immigrants were selling food in, and quickly spread. It was considered one of the first original fast foods and spread through Europe and Asia along with the immigrants who were cooking them.

Delicious and Fast
Gyros (pronounced GHEE-ros) come from the Greek word that means, “To Rotate.” One look at how Gyros are made and it is clear why. Gyros are made of a stack of sliced meat, turning slowly on a spit. The person in charge of the Gyros will slice thin portions off of the meat stack for whoever is eating.

These are then often stuffed into a pita bun and served with tomatoes and other sliced vegetables. The result is a speedy but still healthy and delicious meal.
The fact that it is so delicious, but also available quickly, is likely some of the reason for its success as a street food all around the world.

Roots as Far Back as Alexander the Great
Although no one knows for sure exactly when or where the first Gyro was created, there’s good evidence it has a long history. Everyone from Greeks and Arabs all the way down to the Mediterranean coast. Shawarma, a very similar food with chunks of meat instead of thin slices, likely comes from this same location.

Although Gyros weren’t officially given that name until just a few decades ago, Alexander the Great’s army was known to skewer meat and roast them on their swords. It’s possible the practice of making Gyros developed from this ancient practice.

Others suggest this is an offshoot of the Turkish Kabob, another very similar food. Some theorize that immigrating Greeks who found their way into Turkey, were inspired by the Turkish Kebob and made their own spin on it. The Greek methods of seasoning combined with the Turkish preparation could very well have been the start of the Gyro. No one knows for sure.

Regardless of where they came from originally, Gyros are a delicious and healthy feast for anyone who wants to enjoy them. Succulent meat is roasted, sliced thinly, and seasoned to perfection. The result is an amazing food that people from all around the world now enjoy.
It’s no secret that Gyros are one of the most popular Greek foods in the world, and have spread from their home in Greece all the way around the world.
Although we no longer spit our meat on swords, Gyros have evolved for hundreds of years to be the food we love.

When you think of health food, what comes to mind usually isn’t delicious. Words like Arugula and Kale are trending, words like steak and potato chip are not. Yet when most of us are thinking of a tasty treat, we’re usually not snapping a leaf off a plant for snacking, we’re usually looking for something that tastes—well—good.

Mediterranean food is one of those few cross roads where tasty and healthy meet. When you tuck into some Baba Ganoush with it’s slightly smokey flavor, you are also getting vegetables like eggplant, citrus with its antioxidant effects, and spices that promote good health.
Every bite of Mediterranean food has something healthy in it, so you have the complete freedom of choice without trying to limit yourself to a diet. Freedom is one of the most important parts of determining whether you will stick to healthy eating or run away from it, and Mediterranean eating has a lot of variety.

There’s more than one secret to the taste of Mediterranean food. Part of it is that the fats used in cooking the foods are healthy, giving your body much needed Omega-3 fatty acids. Many fats are taken out of diets to help lose weight, in this food fat is added to keep you healthy.
Spices are also used to help improve the flavor of food, and even this very seasoning can be healthy. Tumeric is known to help reduce inflammation, improve heart health, and so much more. Ginger, cumin and chili powder also have their health benefits.

Seasonings are used liberally in Mediterranean food, helping to add both to its flavor and also to its value in nourishing our bodies. In fact, the seasonings are probably one of the biggest reasons besides the healthy fats that help contribute to the amazing flavor of this style of eating.
Finally, there’s a huge variety in the types of food available in Mediterranean food. Everything from Hummus to lamb, salads to pita bread, are all available on a typical menu. Humans were designed to eat a huge variety of different foods, and narrowing what you eat to a small section of that can be unhealthy.

Rather than shrink down what you eat to just a couple of things, the Mediterranean diet offers a huge expanse of healthy eating to choose from. No matter what type of food you like to eat, or whether you are a vegetarian or a tried and true omnivore, there’s something in the Mediterranean diet to please you.

The people along the Mediterranean coast have been eating this way for centuries. They’ve learned just the right way to cook their food and season it to make it absolutely delicious. On top of this, that delicious food is also healthy to eat, with people in this area among some of the longest lived in the whole world.

If you love Mediterranean food, you’ve found a way of eating that not only tastes good but helps you live longer too.
Come stop by Aladdin’s Restaurant and see what flavors are available in this rich and wonderful style.

The first day of the New Year, many of us made New Year’s Resolutions about eating healthier, losing weight, and getting in shape. Our first few days of the New Year are a bustle of activity, as we set our sights on attaining those goals.

Unfortunately, as those days turn into weeks those ambitions are slowly eroded by time. We might not want to go for a walk because of the cold weather, or we’re tired from work. We’re tired of home cooked meals, so we decide to order out.

The result is that by early February, we’ve lost all that momentum from the New Year, and may have given up on those resolutions entirely. Yet, there are huge benefits to be gained if you don’t quit. We’d like to encourage you to keep your healthy goals, with a few suggestions on how to stay motivated.

Eat with us!
You’re tired and don’t want to cook, but you don’t have to order a calorie-packed pizza. Instead, come and dig into our fresh, handmade, Mediterranean cuisine. Not only will the work be done for you, but you’ll be keeping that resolution with some of the healthiest foods on the planet.

Nearly every aspect of Mediterranean food helps you maintain a healthy weight or benefits your body in some way. From the lemon we squeeze over our foods to the nutrition packed salads, every food on our menu has healthy ingredients.

Stay inspired
Why do you want to lose weight, or get fit? Do you want to finish a 5k? Do you want a beach body? Stay inspired by keeping regular reminders of what your end goal might look like. It’s also a good idea to break these goals up into smaller, more achievable ones.

If your goal is to win a 5k, you might not be able to achieve that your first race. You may instead want to make ‘finish the couch25k program’ your first goal, and continue with smaller goals like that until winning something is within sight.

Make Nutrition First
Feeling tired all the time isn’t just from having a busy day at work or not getting enough sleep. A lot of that tiredness comes from what you put in your body. You may not be able to sleep well if you’re not getting the right nutrition, or if there’s too much caffeine in your system.

If you’re too tired to work out, make food first. Always choose the healthiest option available, and don’t give up if you binge once or choose the wrong thing. We don’t make great decisions when we’re hungry or tired, so plan for those moments.

When you eat right, you often have the energy to make other healthier choices along the way. If you know you’re going to have a long day or be too busy to cook, plan on a healthy choice for eating out. If you frequently don’t have time to home cook a lunch, at least grab a piece of fresh fruit.

These small changes can make a huge difference, and help keep you going on the road to a healthier life. If you ever need encouragement, feel free to stop by our restaurant and let us help you with a healthy and refreshing meal to help keep you going the whole year long.