Why Mediterranean diet?

Mediterranean diet is a way of life that includes eating real food: fruits, Vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish & above all healthy fat. The world “ heart-healthy” is always attached with Mediterranean diet. All the food items listed above comes from ground, grows on a tree, grazes on field, or swims in water. So what is the biggest secret behind calling Mediterranean diet healthy? This diet has low saturated fat intake, getting fats from olives & fresh fish. Consumption of such diet results in lower instances of heart disease. 

So what can you eat as part of Mediterranean diet? The following are recommended food for Mediterranean diet:

1. Vegetables: Common vegetarian Mediterranean staples include artichokes, sprouts, celery & peas. Besides any vegetables you enjoy eating is good to go.
2. Fruits: Figs, Tomato & pomegranate are perfect ones to be part of Mediterranean diet. Apples & Oranges are good too. Avoid consuming high sugar filled fruits 
3. Wholegrains: Barley, Buckwheats, oats, rice & wheat( in form of fresh pasta), whole wheat bread & pitas. Here whole grains/whole wheat refers to minimal processed & are consumed in smaller portion that you are probably used to.
4. Legumes: Beans & Lentils are a great source of protein & fibre & are really delicious to consume. Hummus made from chickpeas is  also considered to be a great Mediterranean inclusion.
5. Dairy: Milk & milk products such as cheese (brie, feta, parmesan) & yoghurt should be consumed in small quantity since they have relatively high content of saturated fats
6. Fish: Fish is rich in Omega-3 which is non existent in american & western diet & is considered to perfect getaway for healthy heart. Preferred fish to be consumed include cod, salmon & tuna.
7. Poultry: Include chicken, turkey & duck which are great source of animal protein.
8. Healthy oil: Olive oils are the best since it has high content monounsaturated fats unlike other oil such as butter which has high content of saturated fats. One should prefer having a right proportion of healthy fat in their diet.

So how much of each food item should you consume? Depending upon the quantity of each food item, you may or may not lose weight. Some people may think dairy should be consumed in less quantity/avoided since it has a high content of saturated fat. It also depends upon which region /country you are based, your Mediterranean diet will be different.

What foods should you avoid in Mediterranean diet

If you are following Mediterranean diet, please cut back on the following

1. Added sugar:  Ditch ice cream, soda & candy( these have a high Glycemic index) & you will be on the path of healthy eating.
2. Refined grains: Reduce content of processed grains. Both refined grains & sugar have same effect on the body’s blood sugar 
3. Refined oils. Eliminate all soybean oil and canola oil. When they’re heated, like they do when undergoing refinement, they create free radicals which reduces their nutrient value
4. Processed meat: High quality meat offers better nutrients that the processed ones. Cut back consumption of processed meats with high salt content & hot dogs, meat deep fried in hydrogenated oils.

So if your current eating habits aren’t that good, moving towards a Mediterranean Diet would be a great idea since it helps you change your food habits and teaches you about portion sizes! If you consume real food in smaller quantities , there is a great chance that you will be able to meet your weight loss objectives.