- These are the insane health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
- Here’s your essential Mediterranean diet food list.
They really seem to have it figured out in the Mediterranean: gorgeous weather, primo vino and an iconically healthy eating style.
The Mediterranean diet – modelled after the Italians and the Greeks – has been around since the 1960s. And when it comes to food philosophies, this one just keeps getting buzzier. In fact, it just won best diet of 2019.
Good Life Organic Origanum
While trends like the South Beach and alkaline diet may come and go, what is it about this style of eating that makes it a perennial favourite among healthcare providers and the public alike?
The Mediterranean diet packs a lot of benefits
The Mediterranean diet’s biggest selling point is its health benefits. It’s been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, among other illness. Research shows that it may even slow ageing.
READ MORE: 3 Tiny Eating Adjustments That’ll Help You Lose Weight Long Term
But the real secret may be its flexibility.
“The wonderful thing about the Mediterranean diet is that it’s not really a ‘diet’ at all, but rather a style of eating,” says registered dietician Cara Harbstreet. “The wide variety of foods that comprise the Mediterranean diet leaves plenty of room for taste preferences, seasonal or local eating, and can help you eat in a way that feels authentic to you.”
Harbstreet says that instead of focusing on weight loss, this approach supports the development of healthy habits, like eating more fruits and vegetables. “Because of its flexible nature, there is more opportunity to adapt it to fit your individual lifestyle,” she says.
READ MORE: The Best Probiotic Foods Ands Supplements For Weight Loss
The Mediterranean diet is pretty simple to follow
“The premise is avoiding over-processed, packaged foods and enjoying fresh, whole foods whenever possible,” says Emily Kyle, registered dietitian nutritionist. That means keeping processed meat (think: hot dogs), refined grains (white bread), refined oils (vegetable) and added sugars to a minimum. “This simple approach makes the Mediterranean diet a bit easier to understand and, ultimately, implement in real life.”
The best part is that there are a variety of cuisines and ingredients in the Mediterranean region, which means a ton of options. “The Mediterranean diet is a more flexible approach to eating than other diets,” says Harbstreet. “It even allows for moderate alcohol consumption, such as red wine.” Yes, please!
READ MORE: Can Drinking Lemon Water Really Help You Lose Weight – Or Is That A Myth?
Use this Mediterranean Diet food list
If you’re interested in following a Mediterranean style of eating, here’s your cheat sheet of which foods to eat:
Fruits: Any and all fresh fruits such as apples, oranges, pears, melon, grapes, berries, dates, figs, peaches and grapefruit. (Kyle says it’s okay to include frozen fruit with no added ingredients, and canned fruit in water or light juice, too.)
Vegetables: Any and all fresh vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, kale, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, peppers, squash and onions. Don’t forget about root vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, turnips and parsnips. (Frozen vegetables with no added ingredients and canned vegetables like tomatoes are okay, too.)
Whole Grains: Whole grains, plus bread and pasta made with whole-grain ingredients. This includes wholewheat, oats, barley, rye, quinoa and brown rice.
Biona Spelt Penne Organic Wholegrain
Nuts and Seeds: Whole nuts like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and pistachios. Seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseeds.
Faithful to Nature Pumpkin Seeds
Legumes: Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas and fava beans.
Goodness Me Red Split Lentils
Healthy Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, avocado oil, walnut oil, olives.
Prince Albert Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dairy: Moderate amounts of dairy items like Greek yoghurt, cheese and milk.
Fish and Seafood: Wild-caught fish and shellfish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, prawns, tuna, trout and clams.
Other Animal Protein: Moderate amounts of poultry, pork and other lean options. Save red meat for special occasions.
Herbs and Spices: Garlic, origanum, basil, thyme, mint, sage, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg and more.
Kalyan Organic Ground Nutmeg
As you can see there’s a LOT to choose from. So go forth and make the Mediterranean diet your own.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
