The Mediterranean diet is associated with longer life and reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. It’s a diet based on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal animal and trans fat and little red meat.

 

• Meals based on whole-grain foods: breads, pasta, couscous, polenta, bulgur

• Abundant fresh vegetables and fruits

• Generous amounts of beans, nuts, and seeds

• Olive oil as the principal source of fat

• Use of garlic, onions, and herbs as condiments

• Moderate use of fish

• Moderate use of dairy

• Minimal use of red meat

• Low-to-moderate intake of alcohol

 

 

What makes the Mediterranean diet healthy? Healthiest Diet - Mediterranean Diet

 

• Low in saturated fat and cholesterol

• Energy supplied by unsaturated fat (in olive oil and nuts)

• No trans fats (artificial fats in packaged pastries and margarine)

• High in fiber

• High in antioxidants

• Low in refined sugar and flour

• High in plant-based vitamins and micronutrients

 

Definition of the Mediterranean Diet

 

Researcher across the world have determined that the Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of heart disease and many types of cancer. Benefits of Mediterranean Diet

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Even though a large percentage of calories is determined from fat, mono-and polyunsaturated fats predominate, the kind that raise HDL (so-called good cholesterol). Almost absent are animal fats (saturated fats and cholesterol) and manufactured trans fats, which raise LDL (so-called bad cholesterol). The Mediterranean diet’s high levels of antioxidants and other micronutrients reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The typical American dinner, with a slap of meat in the center and one or two “sides”, consisting of an overcooked vegetables and a butter-drenched potato, is a far cry from a typical Mediterranean dinner: pasta made of unrefined flour topped with a variety of minimally cooked vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers), some beans (peas, fava beans), and a sprinkle of hard cheese (Parmesan or Romano). For dessert, the Mediterranean diet calls for almonds and fresh fruits, instead of cake, cookies, or ice-cream.

Its too much to ask Americans to replace generations of dietary habits overnight. However, there are ways to incorporate some of the healthier aspects of the Mediterranean diet without radically changing customary eating patterns:

Cut back on fast food, which is generally 50% saturated fat and cholesterol.

Replace cake/ice cream desserts with fruits salad and nuts. Replace meat-centered meals with grain- bean-centered ones. Replace doughnuts and sugar-laden snacks with fruits and mixed nuts.

Buon appetito!