The Mediterranean diet is not actually a diet – it’s a lifestyle. While people from countries in the Mediterranean region, particularly Greece and southern Italy, have followed this lifestyle for many years, the Mediterranean “diet” just became popular in the U.S. in the 1990s.
Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
Following a Mediterranean diet, which incorporates the basics of healthy eating, has a positive effect on your overall health. Studies have shown the benefits include a decreased risk of developing or dying from a number of medical conditions:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
A possible explanation for this is the Mediterranean diet emphasizes foods rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, and wine in moderation.
Components of the Mediterranean Diet
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the staples of a Mediterranean diet. In fact, Greeks eat an average of nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants. Some of the most popular vegetables eaten in the Mediterranean region include tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, capers, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, white beans, lentils, and chick peas.
Want to top off your meal with dessert? Those who follow a Mediterranean diet typically do so with fresh fruit as their dessert. Fruit’s natural sweetness satisfies a sweet tooth, but instead of empty, non-nutritious calories from processed desserts, you get fiber, vitamins and minerals instead.
The Mediterranean diet also includes whole grain foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes, polenta, rice, and couscous. As long as they are unrefined (in their natural state) whole grains contain heart-healthy nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals. The key is to eat foods made with whole grains, not refined white flour or rice, which has very little to no nutritional value. And when eating bread, don’t slather on the butter; dip it in olive oil instead.
Nuts such as walnuts, almonds and pecans are another component of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Although nuts are high in total fat (approximately 80 percent of their calories come from fat), they are low in saturated fat. Nuts are also high in calories, so they should be eaten in moderation – about a handful a day. And keep it simple – go for the unsalted, plain varieties. Flavorings and salt decrease their nutritional value.
The traditional Mediterranean diet includes a lot of fish and very little meat. Fish, especially albacore tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout and herring, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Of course, you should prepare it grilled or sautéed in a small amount of olive oil, but steer clear of fried fish and heavy sauces or butter.
Unlike most diets, the Mediterranean diet doesn’t limit fat consumption, but it includes healthy fats such as monounsaturated fat found in olive oil and nuts and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish. Mediterranean diets are extremely low in unhealthy trans fats and saturated fats because of the emphasis on fresh, healthy foods rather than processed and packaged foods.
Forget butter or margarine. Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, is the principal source of fat for the Mediterranean people, and they use it in nearly everything they eat. Olive oil, especially extra virgin and virgin, contain antioxidants that may help prevent heart disease, Diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune diseases, as well as certain cancers.
Many Mediterraneans accompany their meal with a small glass of red wine, typically about three ounces. Some studies have linked small amounts of red wine consumed daily to lower rates of heart disease. This may be because red wine has antioxidants like transresveratrol and oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC), which keep blood circulation healthy and prevent blood clots from forming.
Viva la Mediterranean
So head to your local market and stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish and olive oil. And if you like wine, don’t forget to choose a nice red like Merlot, Malbec, Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy with your meal. Remember, following a Mediterranean diet isn’t about depriving yourself. It’s about filling your life with healthier food choices.
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