Mediterranean Diet Plan Food
The Mediterranean diet plan is a modern nutritional recommendation inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of poor Mediterranean coastal regions of southern Italy, Crete, and coastal Greece in the 1960s. So kick out those low carbs or Atkins diets and eat the Mediterranean way! It is claimed people following the Mediterranean Diet Plan have a 70% increase in life expectancy and a 80% better quality of life, (and weight loss) providing they do not smoke! For more on Mediterranean Diet Benefits.
Despite its name, the Mediterranean diet plan is not typical of all Mediterranean cuisine. In Northern Italy, for instance, lard and butter are commonly used in cooking, and olive oil is reserved for dressing salads and cooked vegetables. In North Africa wine is traditionally avoided by Muslims. In both North Africa and the Levant, along with olive oil, sheep’s tail fat and rendered butter are traditional staple fats. The Mediterranean Diet menu is varied and delicious.
Mediterranean Diet Plan – Basics
The most commonly-understood version of the Mediterranean diet plan was presented by Dr Walter Willett of Harvard University’s School of Public Health in the mid-1990s. Based on “food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s”, this diet, in addition to “regular physical activity,” emphasizes “abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts”. Total fat in this diet is 25% to 35% of calories, with saturated fat at 8% or less of calories. Even alcohol such as red wine is allowed in moderation. You do not have to be a vegan, veggie or vegies. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid illustrates how the foods and lifestyle can be easily implemented for a healthier life. The Mayo Clinic also endorse the Diet program.
Mediterranean Diet Plan – Foods
The principal aspects of this Mediterranean diet foods include high olive oil consumption, high consumption of legumes, high consumption of unrefined cereals, high consumption of fruits, high consumption of vegetables, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate to high consumption of fish, low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption. The diet is not boring and the sample Mediterranean diet recipes demonstrate this can be a diet that works for you and you will enoy the food you eat.
Mediterranean Food
Mediterranean Diet Plan – Olive Oil
More than any other food ingredient, olive oil represents the Mediterranean diet plan. Olive oil confers excellent flavor and mouthfeel to all foods on which it is used. Olive oil is also nutritious and contains a very high level of monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid. Epidemiological studies suggests that a higher proportion of monounsaturated fats in the diet is linked to a reduction in coronary heart disease risk. There is also considerable clinical data to show that antioxidants in olive oil can provide additional heart health benefits such as positive cholesterol regulation and LDL cholesterol reduction, and that it exerts additional anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects in humans. Want to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet Plan?
Mediterranean Diet Plan and Disease Prevention
The Mediterranean Diet is also the best way to prevent many diseases. For the latest information on Mediterranean Diet News. The most important are strokes (first cause of death in women and second in men) and heart attacks (the main cause in men), but are many more that could be included. It has been proved that the Mediterranean Diet Plan has a role in the prevention of the metabolic syndrome (some health disorders of which the most important are: too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure and/or insulin levels and unbalanced levels of cholesterol). Interested to learn more about the Mediterranean Diet Plan?
