The Mediterranean Diet has Many Health Benefits
The Mediterranean diet has become extremely popular, and for good reason. Its popularity started soaring after 1993, in which year the Harvard Medical School announced the results of a range of intensive studies on the diets of the countries with a coastline washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The findings indicated that carbohydrates and fats were definitely not the chief cause of heart disease and obesity in this region. In fact, the study went considerably further with the announcement that the correct carbohydrates and fats should form the foundation of a diet that was extremely healthy. By way of proving this contention, the researchers laid stress on the extremely low rates of diabetes, heart disease and obesity throughout the entire Mediterranean region.
The Mediterranean diet has become extremely popular, and for good reason. It should come as no surprise to anyone that healthy eating is an obvious way of lowering your chances of suffering from health issues. So why did it take so long for Western people to eat healthily? Like regularly following the Mediterranean way of eating, for instance.
In recent years the Mediterranean diet has become increasingly popular as it is easy to follow and less restrictive than other diet plans.
Not only do many dieters, but also medical professionals and nutritionists, believe that the Mediterranean diet is perfect if you want to achieve a healthy weight, keep your blood pressure low and reduce your chances of heart disease.
Where does The Mediterranean Diet Come From?
The Mediterranean diet didn’t become well and truly popular until nearly twenty years ago when the Harvard Medical School published its findings on the extensive research it had carried out on the food eaten by the inhabitants of countries bordering on the Mediterranean Sea.
The findings of the research were remarkable. It was found quite conclusively that the diet eaten by the inhabitants of countries such as Italy, Greece, France and Spain was to be highly recommended to the rest of the world for naturally leading not only to a healthy weight loss but also to significantly lowering the chances of having a heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even premature death.
This diet sounds like the panacea for a long and healthy life, doesn’t it?
So what exactly is this diet and can it assist you in losing weight and increasing your chances of leading a healthy life? The first part of the question is easily answered, and the second requires some clarification.
What is The Mediterranean diet?
Technically there is no such thing as a 'Mediterranean' diet. There is no single way of following it. The diet combines the way in which the inhabitants of Mediterranean countries enjoy their food.
Naturally there are variations to the diet, sometimes because of locality and sometimes because of personal taste. In spite of these differences, all of the variations that were studied were based on identical amounts of food groups and calories. Moreover, all of them used olive oil as their major source of fat.
It’s worthwhile noting that olive oil helps to reduce cholesterol and decrease your risk of developing certain types of cancer.
Furthermore, at 40% of total calories from fat their diets consisted of much more than the recommended dietary reference intake (DRI) for fat in adults of 20% to 35% of total calories from fat.
There was no doubting the facts. So surely it must have been the type of fats and carbohydrates that made the difference.
Food Guidelines for The Mediterranean diet
The following facts and suggestions are based on the findings of the investigation:
1) Carbohydrates
A total of some 60 percent of your carbohydrates should come from grains, fresh vegetables, whole rice and fruit.
Included in the diet are whole-grain breads and cereals, polenta (boiled cornmeal), and pasta that should never be made from refined white flour.
It is far better to use whole-grain flour.
2) Red Meat, Poultry and Fish
Use limited amounts of red meat, poultry and fish. Typically, the average adult Mediterranean inhabitant consumes roughly 15 ounces (around 440 grams) of red meat and poultry each week.
And add another five to 15 ounces of fish per week, which accounts for the bulk of their meat-protein consumption.
The Typical American Diet
How does this compare with the typical American diet? There’s no comparison. The average American diet generally includes steak for dinner on one night, and chicken breast the following night, and so on. So a single US resident consumes, on average, 120.2 kilos of meat each year.
The Typical British Diet
An average UK resident eats 84.2kg of meat each year, putting it 30th on the list. So while we are cutting back we still have a long way to go as we’re consuming over three times the amount that should be eaten on a Mediterranean diet.
For an interesting map and further information you should have a look at The Telegraph website.
3) Is olive oil a wonder food?
No, of course it isn’t. There’s no such thing. But it is mono-unsaturated, which means that it’s a ‘good’ fat. Mono-unsaturated fats assist in lowering cholesterol levels – not increasing them. They are healthy ways of increasing fats to your diet, and your body needs a certain amount of fat. Don’t be put off by the word ‘fat’. It’s not a swear word that you shouldn’t use in public!
4) Physical activity
Physical activity is another vital component of the average Mediterranean adult’s lifestyle. A typical day in the region will include walking, not driving your car, and physical activity in the fields or in the home and in recreation. Physical activity is vital to your losing weight, and in sustaining your new weight after reaching it.
Healthy Carbohydrates and Exercise
Remember that, if you want to lose weight on the Mediterranean diet, then you should base your meals on healthy carbohydrates. These are brightly coloured vegetables, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and meals.
Eat only small amounts of meat, which means no more than three to six ounces per day. Get the fat you eat from vegetable sources or from fish oil.
The Mediterranean diet goes much further than being simply a weight-loss routine. It's a whole new way of eating that will help you to reach your optimum weight, and keep it.
And never forget that it’s also important to exercise regularly.
A Good Mediterranean Breakfast
So, bearing all the above in mind, what can be suggested as a good way of starting the day? A healthy breakfast should consist of plenty of fruit, vegetables, fish, whole grains and seeds. An alternative suggestion is to eat avocados and eggs, or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and flax seed.
Generally, the Mediterranean diet allows limited amounts of meat and bacon. Always avoid processed meats wherever possible, but for lovers of pasta there’s good news. Along with other foods such as fruit, vegetables, olive oil, beans, legumes, seeds, herbs and spices, pasta is the basis for the Mediterranean diet.
Milk and cheese are perfectly acceptable, as long as they are in limited quantities. Even chocolates are allowed. But remember that moderation is always the key. If you don’t drink wine then grape juice is equally good for you.
A final thought
To end off, the hustle and bustle of life in America and northern Europe is an important factor in the success of the Mediterranean diet. And it’s not so much because of what Westerners eat. It’s also because of the speed at which they gulp down their food.
Furthermore, reducing stress can help you keep your heart healthy and cut down on the amount of stress-induced eating that Americans in particular indulge in, whether or not they eat Mediterranean food. Have a look at the post detailing the surprising facts about a balanced diet and health.