The Mediterranean Diet in a Nutshell

The Mediterranean diet is based on the diet of people living in Greece, Italy, South France and Spain. Mediterraneans use the same amount of fat as Northern Europe and America but live longer, have lower incidence of heart disease and cancer, and lower cholesterol levels.

An American doctor named Ancel Keys was the first to give a good comment on the Mediterranean diet, back in 1945, but its popularity has been based on research and observation for the past twenty years. The surprising thing is that people living in the Mediterranean typically consume more fat than the countries of Northern Europe and the United States, but have a significant decrease in heart disease - an exact reason is unknown, but most likely the main reason is that most of the Mediterranean Diet comes from of olive oil and there are more physical workers involved in their lives.

However, we can all use Mediterranean diet recipes in our daily lives to become healthier.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, fish and whole grains. The Mediterranean people had a moderate consumption of dairy and wine products, and a low consumption of meat, meat and saturated fat products. The leading manufacturers of Mediterranean diets are: -

Olive oil

People living in the Mediterranean use olive oil, non-saturated oil, instead of saturated fat. They absorb the olive oil on their bread instead of butter, they use it as a salad dressing and cook with it.

Olive oil is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help prevent cancer, artery blockage and heart disease. Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, keeping our arteries healthy. It helps keep our digestive system healthy, good for the growth of the brain and is thought to help dissolve blood vessels.

Take a look at your recipe collection for diet recipes using olive oil and olive oil alternatives for saturated fat.

Fish

Northern Europeans and Americans eat high in red meat, Mediterraneans eat high in fish and shellfish. Red meat is a source of saturated fat that can cause heart disease while fish and shellfish are high in minerals and protein, and low in fat. Oily fish like salmon, fresh tuna, anchovies and fish are good sources of Omega 3 Fatty acids that help prevent heart disease.

Browse online for free recipes and Mediterranean diet recipes to incorporate more oily fish into your diet.

Fruits and Fresh Vegetables

The Mediterranean diet is high in fresh fruits and vegetables. Mediterranean people shop at markets and buy fresh and seasonal products. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals including antioxidants and do not contain cholesterol. High diets in fruits and vegetables help protect us against cancer and heart disease, as well as keep our digestive system healthy.

Full grain

Wholegrains are rich in essential vitamins and fiber. These fibers help maintain our digestive system. Wholesgrains help reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes.

Beans

Beans are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They help reduce cholesterol, keep our digestive system healthy and help balance blood sugar levels. Find dietary recipes that use dried beans and nuts and add beans to stews and casseroles.

Red wine

Mediterraneans enjoy a simple red wine drink. Red wine is rich in flavanoids that contain antioxidants.

It's easy to find Mediterranean diet recipes to add to our recipe collection, and it's easier to change our usual recipes to include more food on top, so why not give it a try.

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