Breaking Down the Mediterranean Diet

Healthy, Ethnic, and Diverse Beauty of the Mediterranean Diet. The word itself makes your mouth water and creates vivid images of sun, siesta, fresh seafood, and island-beach breeze. Nowadays, through a wide array of diets, the Mediterranean diet springs to the top as one of the healthiest and most pleasant. Unlike other strict eating patterns, you don’t need to drastically limit yourself to reach the desired body goals. You just simply enjoy rich-in-ethnic flavors and let the health benefits ooze.

Mediterranean Diet

Have you ever thought why Mediterranean people look so radiant, like demi-gods that stepped out of the swimming pool? The cradle of these eating habits came from the depths of Greece, Italy, and Spain. Meaning, the spotlight foods are fruits, vegetables, and seafood. To put it in a more nutritional way – healthy fats.

“I’d Like to Give It a Try…”

If you want to hop on the Mediterranean train – you’re more than welcome! Just remember that anytime you’re making dietary changes, you don’t want to completely overhaul your diet. Start small and do things you can stick with.

Since there is no calorie, micro, or macro counting, the main rule is to devote yourself to lots of vegetables, lots of whole grains, and fruits. What locals try to eliminate is added sugar, processed foods, sweets and reduce the consumption of red meat.

This equation will simply remind of the basics:

High in healthy plant-based foods.

Low in animal products and meat.

Of course, you have to eat in a way that works for you, so adopt the principles that will allow you to make it work and fit into your lifestyle. 

“What if I Hate Fish?”

Seafood is the icing on the cake of the Mediterranean diet, but it is far from the sole component. You can eat a lot of plant-based protein, legumes, nuts, avocados, and whole grains (anything that has healthy fats in it!). At the same time, aim to try the seafood at least twice a week. Maybe it’s not the fish problem but the preparation? Also, there is plenty of fish in the sea to choose from (sorry for this horrible pun): shrimps, salmon on the grill, scallops, prawns, and much more!

There is also an unlimited amount of Mediterranean dishes that do not require fish, are vegan, and are both incredibly delicious and healthful!

Insane health benefits of the Mediterranean diet

• Improves lipid and lipoprotein profile
• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Reduces inflammation
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome
• Lowers the incidence of obesity
• Keeps you agile, vivid, and productive

This is just the top tier of the loooong list of benefits. There was a significant difference in general health between Mediterranean countries and the United States, according to one study. The Mediterranean diet’s reduced saturated fat level was the primary cause of this. Higher adherence to a traditional Mediterranean diet was associated with significantly lower total, cardiac, and cancer mortality.

Moreover, the Mediterranean style can have a major impact on the gut microbiome and health. All you need to maintain a balanced and happy gut microbiome is veggies, fruits, greens, fish – all the vital bricks of the Mediterranean food pyramid. It’s already a huge boost of fiber that helps protect against intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Imagine you are detoxed, naturally cleansed, regular, and have the smoothest, healthiest stool – it’s a fine luxury these days!

Wrapping Up

The Mediterranean diet is arguably the best-studied and most evidence-based diet to prevent not only cardiovascular disease but also other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer.

The best part of the Mediterranean diet is that you’re not really dieting as much as changing to a healthy eating lifestyle and loving the foods for their natural flavor (not sweets, salt, or carbs).