The Mediterranean diet: Benefits and How to follow the Mediterranean diet!

If you're looking for a diet plan that can keep your heart-healthy, the Mediterranean diet might be the right choice for you. This plan is less of a diet but more of a lifestyle change.

The Mediterranean diet is known to have an effect on long-term diseases. The Mediterranean diet:

• Lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Supports a healthy body weight
• Supports healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
• Supports digestive system
• Lowers the risk of certain types of cancer
• Slows the decline of brain function

Today, the Mediterranean diet is one of the most healthy eating plans as recommended by the American nutrition experts. The World Health Organization has also recognized it as  a healthy-eating diet.

We are sure after knowing all this, you must be thinking what exactly is The Mediterranean diet and how to follow it:

Let us first discuss what is The Mediterranean diet:

The Mediterranean diet is basically a plant-based diet with a focus on consuming vegetables, whole grains, fruits, legumes, seeds and nuts, fish and seafood, low-fat dairy, and herbs and spices. In terms of fat, olive oil is the recommended fat in place of butter or margarine.

5 things to consider on the Mediterranean Diet

1. Eat More Plants based foods
   • Your meals should mostly include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
2. Choose Whole Grains:
   • Whole grains include whole wheat flour, brown rice, quinoa, oats and barley.
3. Eat Seafood Regularly:
   • Eat fish or shellfish at least twice a week to reduce heart disease risk. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna have omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart.
4. Include Healthy Fats:
   • Olive oil is a great choice because it has antioxidants that are good for your heart and can help prevent some diseases. Use olive oil for cooking purpose.
5. Limit Sweets:
   • Avoid sweets and replace them with fruit for dessert. Fruit has fiber and antioxidants that are beneficial for your body.

What foods to avoid on the Mediterranean Diet?

• Foods with added sugar, like baked products, ice cream and even some healthy granola bars.
• Drinks with added sugar, including packaged fruit juices and sodas.
• Beer and liquor.
• Refined grains, like white bread and white rice.
• Highly processed foods.
• Fatty or processed meats.

Possible Health Concerns due to the Mediterranean diet

There may be health concerns with this eating style for some people, like:

• Weight gain from eating fats in olive oil and nuts.
• Lower levels of iron. If you are following the Mediterranean diet, also try to include some foods that are rich in vitamin C, which helps the body to absorb iron.
• Low levels of calcium from eating fewer dairy products. Ask your doctor if calcium supplements can be helpful.

Source:- 1 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet 

                2. https://hopkinsdiabetesinfo.org/5-tips-to-take-from-the-mediterranean-diet/