Exploring the Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating rather than a formal diet plan. Includes foods eaten in Greece, Spain, southern Italy and France and other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on eating foods such as fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and high-fiber breads, and olive oil. Meat, cheese and sweets are very limited. Recommended foods are high in monounsaturated fat, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

The Mediterranean diet is like other heart-healthy diets in that it recommends eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and high-fiber grains. But in the Mediterranean diet, an average of 35% to 40% of the calories can come from fat. Most other heart-healthy guidelines recommend getting less than 35% of your calories from fat. The fats allowed in the Mediterranean diet are mainly from unsaturated oils, such as fish oil, olive oil, and certain nut or seed oils (such as canola, soybean, or flaxseed oil) and dried fruit ( walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds). These types of oils can have a protective effect on the heart.

Also read: Understanding Keto Diet Side Effects

What are the benefits?

A Mediterranean-style diet can help reduce your risk of certain diseases, improve your mood, and increase your energy levels. It can also help keep your heart and brain healthy.

The benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet reinforce the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, high-fiber breads, whole grains, and healthy fats.

For the heart and body , a Mediterranean-style diet can:

• Prevent heart disease.
• Reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
• Reduce cholesterol.
• Prevent type 2 diabetes.
• Prevent metabolic syndrome.

For your brain , a Mediterranean-style diet can help prevent:

• The brain attack.
• Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
• The Depression.
• Parkinson’s disease.

How can you introduce the Mediterranean diet into your eating plan?

There are some simple steps you can take to eat more of the healthy foods that make up the Mediterranean diet. First, check what’s included on the menu. Then see what Mediterranean-type foods you can add to your eating plan.

included in the menu

The traditional Mediterranean diet proposes:

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day, such as grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, figs, olives, spinach, eggplant, beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
• Eat a variety of whole foods each day, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, pasta, and couscous.
• Choose healthy (unsaturated) fats , such as nuts, olive oil, and certain nut or seed oils, such as canola, soybean, and flaxseed oil. About 35% to 40% of daily calories can come from fat, mainly unsaturated fat.
• Limit unhealthy (saturated) fats , such as butter, palm oil, and coconut oil. And limit the fats found in animal products, such as meat and dairy products made with whole milk.
• Eating mostly vegetarian meals that include whole grains, beans, lentils, and vegetables.
• Eat fish at least 2 times a week, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, river trout, herring, or sardines.
• Eat moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products , such as milk, cheese, or yogurt.
• Eat moderate amounts of birds and eggs .
• Limit red meat to only a few times a month in very small amounts. For example, a serving of meat equals 3 ounces (85 g). This is about the size of a deck of cards.
• Limit sweets and desserts to just a few times a week. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas.

The Mediterranean diet can also include red wine with your meal; 1 drink every day for women and 2 drinks a day maximum for men.

Tips for changing your diet

Here are some steps you can take to switch from a Western-style diet to a more Mediterranean way of eating.

• Soak the bread in a mixture of olive oil and fresh herbs instead of using butter.
• Add avocado slices to your sandwich instead of bacon.
• Eat fish for lunch or dinner instead of red meat. Brush it with olive oil and cook it in the oven or on the grill.
• Sprinkle your salad with seeds or nuts instead of cheese.
• Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter or oils high in saturated fat.
• Choose whole grain breads, pastas, rice, and flour instead of foods made with white flour.
• Add ground flaxseeds to cereals, low-fat yogurt, and soups.
• Reduce the amount of meat in meals. Instead of eating the pasta with meat sauce, try it with olive oil and topped with pine nuts and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
• Switch from whole or 2% milk to skim or 1% milk.
• Soak raw vegetables in a vinaigrette or hummus dip instead of dips made with mayonnaise or sour cream.
• Eat a piece of fruit for dessert instead of a slice of cake. Try the baked apples or eat some dried fruit.
• Use medicinal herbs and spices instead of salt to season food.

A dietitian can help you make these and other changes to your diet. You can find information about the Mediterranean diet, recipes, and sample menus online and in cookbooks or videos.

Also read : 10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Keto Diet

How to stay active

The Mediterranean diet is not just about eating healthy foods. It is also about being active. Therefore, try to do at least 2½ hours of aerobic activity moderate a week. It’s okay to do blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout the day and week.

Choose exercises that make your heart beat faster and make you breathe harder. For example, go swimming or take a brisk walk, or ride a bike. You can also make aerobic activity part of your daily routine. Vacuuming, housework, yard work, and yard work can all be aerobic activities.

Please note: This information is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims all warranties and liability for the use of this information. Your use of this information implies that you accept the terms and conditions of our website.