The Mediterranean diet – the Healthiest Diet in the World

Mediterranean diet is very tasty and equally important, is healthy for the heart. So much, that it’s considered the healthiest diet in the world. The Mediterranean diet is a combination of many different traditions and cultures.

Basically, this diet has become popular due to ease in the acceptance of natural methods of living that enable people to stay fit and healthy. Mediterranean diet recipes also include the basics of healthy eating using natural ingredients and elements of traditional Mediterranean cuisine.

Mediterranean diet meal plan as one of the best means to prevent many diseases and promote good life, not only improves the overall health condition of your body, but also helps preventing the metabolic syndrome, which is frequently caused from too much fat around the waist or a high blood pressure.

An important ingredient that is required on regular basis in the Mediterranean diet plan is vegetarian food. Plant foods include all fruits, fresh and dried, fresh vegetables, nuts, legumes, potatoes but also includes grains, spices, herbs, rice and pasta. It’s also important to note that the Mediterranean diet uses olive oil as the primary source of fats. Mediterranean diet meal plan promotes the use of monounsaturated fats and dis-encourages people to use saturated fats.

Another feature of the Mediterranean diet plan is a moderate consumption of wine, which is voluntary. Studies have shown that small or moderate consumption of wine helps reduce the risks of heart disease.

While Mediterranean diet is based primarily on plant foods, it also combines all the other natural ingredients, from both land and sea. It is advised to consume fish, especially oily or blue. Poultry can be consumed in moderation but red meat only occasionally (two to three times a month).

Studies have shown that people who follow this diet have a 70% increase in life expectancy and 80% increase in quality of life. Mediterranean diet may be used as a guide on what to eat, but especially as a guide to what not to eat. Avoid modern artificial and processed foods since they contain trans-fats.

5 basic staples of the Mediterranean diet are:

Exercise
Regular exercise will keep your metabolism and help in the combustion of excess fat in the body.

Most of the Diet are Plant-Based Foods
Eating plant foods like fruits and vegetables is emphasized. Fruits and vegetables can make most of your meals, as they are available in great variety. Fruit is also considered best suited for desert in Mediterranean cuisine.

Nuts as Healthy Snacks
Eating nuts and nut products for snacks is recommended, while it’s important to avoid snacks with hydrogenated fats. Some nut products are walnuts, almonds and pistachios.

Eat Fish Instead of Meat
Consumption of fish and other sea food as a substitute for red meat is recommended. Grilled fish is desirable in relation to the fried, unless the fish are not prepared in olive oil.

Use spices
Mediterranean cuisine encourages people to use spices and herbs in substitution for salt.

Lose Pounds Following Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

Once again, the Mediterranean diet is growing in popularity all around the world, and particularly in the US, as a instrument of health and well-being.

The new Mediterranean diet has some peculiar features which are absent among other popular diets. For example, part of energy obtained from this diet comes from fat. How can that be, that a diet which consist of fats can help you lose weight?

The answer to this question is very simple, yet not obvious to all: it’s not the amount of fat consumed, but the quality of it!

A major proportion of the fat consumed in Mediterranean diet comes from olive oil. In fact, the first step in following Mediterranean diet menu patterns is to replace all classes of cooking oil with olive oil, preferably virgin. This oil, although fat, is very healthy and rich in Omega 3 so instead of making you gain weight it actually works in reverse direction. Olive oil speeds up your metabolism and make you lose weight.

Tasty foods – that’s the basis of all Mediterranean diet meal plans and recipes. Despite common misconception, many Mediterranean diet recipes are very easy to prepare and cooking Mediterranean diet meals is not much of a hassle. There are Mediterranean diet cookbooks available in all bookshops and online book stores. Just buy a Mediterranean Diet cook book and you’re set for life.

In short, just make sure there as as little as possible “bad” fats in your diet : avoid butter or margarine, cut down on red meat. If you moderate the amount of “good” fats you consume you will, slowly but permanently, lose weight in a healthy manner.

The key to success is determination and moderation. If you follow new Mediterranean diet it can take a little time for results to start showing, but you will lose weight, and you will lose weight in a healthy, steady and permanent way.

If that’s your goal, then Mediterranean diet meal plan is four you!

The Mediterranean Diet Menu and Meal Plan

Mediterranean diet recipes will predominantly contain ingredients specific to this region such as fish, olive oil, nuts, olives, and legumes. There are several health benefits now known of incorporating Mediterranean dishes into your meal plans.
If you want more Mediterranean Diet Menus, download our FREE Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan!

Mediterranean Diet Menu Basics:
The traditional Mediterranean diet meal plan originated in countries which border the Mediterranean Sea. These countries offer a host of cultural dishes and a healthy lifestyle that provide the foundation for a wholesome and nourishing diet.
When you make up your grocery list to buy items to make meals on the Mediterranean diet menu, you’ll have a list loaded with foods from the plant world. That’s right. Less animal products and more vegetables and fruits. Your list will include things like:

• fruits – Fresh fruit is eaten as a daily dessert, rather than sweets containing sugars and honey
• vegetables
• whole grains
• nuts
• legumes

Healthy Mediterranean Diet Menu Tips:
As you put together a Mediterranean Diet Menu, follow these tips:

1. Choose olive oil for your main fat source
2. Choose whole grains rather than grains which have been refined or processed
3. Limit unhealthy saturated and trans fats
4. Fill your plate and your belly with veggies
5. Eat fresh fruit for dessert.
6. Eat fish and poultry as your main sources of protein
7. Limit red meat
8. Add small amounts of yogurt and cheese to your diet as toppings or side dishes

Too busy for Mediterranean Diet Plan?

If you lead a busy and working life and don’t have much time to prepare your food, you can still plan your own Mediterranean Diet by combining meals you make at home with food intakes outside.

The benefit of Mediterranean Diet is that it allows almost any natural food! The most important things to pay attention to are the portions and the proportions.

Eating healthy means to avoid as much unnatural food as possible. Unnatural foods include hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats (like margarine compounds and margarine), as well as all fried food (fried in unknown oils or fats).

Food additives have to be taken into account when following Mediterranean Diet. Some food additives are good and other are very unsafe, so you have to control them. In origin, the Mediterranean diet has no artificial additives at all.

Mediterranean Diet basis are fruits (melons, pears, pineapples, oranges etc), vegetables (like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, celery, onions..), frozen fish like tuna, unsalted cod or any other dark meat fish (all are very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids). If you prefer white fish that’s fine also. Many Mediterranean recipes include sardines, tuna in olive oil, pasta, olives, normal bread, chick peas, eggs, milk, nuts, cereals and muesli. Use normal bread; beware of the sliced soft bread (ever read the label on in? Do it next time). Of course, some Virgin olive oil is required also. Olive oil can vary in color from light yellow to dark green; in both cases if it’s Extra Virgin it’s equally healthy.

With all these groceries, you can prepare most of the Mediterranean Diet recipes. Salads, tuna, grilled fish, pasta, many dish with rice, poultry (for example, chicken breast with olive oil)..
If you pack your lunch to take it with you to work, take two or three pieces of east-eating fruit (like pears and apples).

The Mediterranean Diet is one of the freest diets in the world with no strict restrictions and banner foods. So if you sometimes go to the restaurants (not to often!), you can allow yourself to order anything you fancy. This treatment will be the prize you deserve and will help you (psychologically) because in your mind you can eat freely.