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There are so many diet options available that choosing one can be dizzying. Should you get into the Zone or follow the Atkins diet? When you think diet it’s hard to get away from the thought of eating bland, low-fat, tasteless food. But if you’ve heard anything about the Mediterranean diet you’ll know that it’s full of flavors that you’ll enjoy. People in that part of the world enjoy a tasty, variety of foods which also happen to be healthy. This works to your advantage. Now you can follow a diet and still enjoy eating.
Now that you know about the flavor and variety offered by the Mediterranean diet you’re probably dying to try it and experience the health benefits as well. Though there isn’t one specific “Mediterranean diet,” you can follow the eating styles of the people in this part of the world. This modern nutritional model comes from the ways people eat in the Mediterranean countries including: Southern Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Turkey, and Spain.
Though it’s gaining popular exposure today, the Mediterranean diet was first brought to our attention in 1945 by an American doctor named Ancel Keys. He noticed that people in Mediterranean countries consume pretty high amounts of fat but because it was the good fat, they had lower rates of heart disease. Nobody really took any big notice about his findings until more recently; and now people all over the world are making the choice to redefine their eating habits and get control of their health.
The Mediterranean diet consists of eating a lot of fruit, vegetables, breads, wheat, cereals, olive oil, and fish. All of the foods that are used in this diet are high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber and low in saturated fat. Saturated fat should be eaten sparingly in order to stay healthy.
Many people like the Mediterranean diet because it has rich, flavorful foods, unlike many other diets. Olive oil is used for flavor instead of butter and it actually seems to add a better flavor as well. Olive oil is held as the key point in the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil lowers cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Red wine is also thought to be a main factor because of the flavanoids and antioxidants it contains. Red wine is only consumed in moderate amounts in order to get these benefits.
Also included in the Mediterranean diet are potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds. Dairy products, fish, poultry, red meat, and eggs are used in moderation. When following the Mediterranean diet you’ll want to keep your total fat itake around 35 percent of your total daily calories. Cheese and yogurt should only be eaten if they’re low or non-fat.
There has been a lot of speculation into the Mediterranean diet in order to rule out any confounds. People in these countries seem to be healthier and have lower cholesterol levels and heart disease as well as longer lives. But many people will argue that genetics have a lot to do with these differences. Nevertheless there are people on both sides of the argument; some say it’s wonderful, some say it’s not. There are even people that believe it will protect you from cancer.
The Mediterranean diet is said to be the tastiest diet for healthy living. With a vast array of seasonings and mixings of flavors there’s bound to be something to meet everybody’s likings. Believe me, this is not a boring diet. Always remember when choosing a diet to research as much as possible in order to make an informed decision, you wouldn’t want to put your health in jeopardy. And always know that nobody knows better than a doctor what would be best for you.