Whether you dismiss it as an exaggeration or lap it up as an incentive, Mediterranean Diet is said to show benefits even a year after you have stopped the regimen. That is, provided you increase your level of exercise over the 8-week period of the diet featuring fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, legumes and whole grains, which are the basis of traditional Mediterranean food.
Described as one of the world’s healthiest diets, it is ideal to lose weight, feel healthy and stay fit. It follows the cooking and eating styles practised in Mediterranean countries like Italy, France, Greece and Spain. The Diet plan, however, should be considered as only a guideline, as the same can be adjusted and modified according to individual needs and preferences.
The Mediterranean diet ought to be combined with an active exercise programme if you want to improve blood flow in the endothelial cells, which line the interior of your vascular system. Studies have shown that vascular health improves with a diet high in essential oils from fish, olive oil and nuts, along with other traditional Mediterranean cuisines.
What you could eat on this diet:
Fruits and vegetables: Have 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables per day.
Fish: Eat (minimum of two 3-ounce servings a week) fish that has been prepared by poaching, broiling, grilling, or sautéing in olive or canola oil.
Beans: Consume half to a two-third cup of cooked beans – kidney, black, red, fava, garbanzo, cannellini, or any other type – at least three times a week.
Herbs and spices: Use herbs like Oregano, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, basil, anise, garlic, and pepper, liberally (to taste), at every meal.
Nuts and seeds: Have 30 to 40 grams of nuts daily, in combination with other foods, as they are high in calories.
Healthy oils: Have 3 to 5 teaspoons of monounsaturated fats in olive and other healthy oils like canola, sesame, walnut, peanut, and grape seed, daily.
Whole grains: Eat four half-cup servings daily.
While you could consume a whole lot of fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, bread, herbs, seafood, fish and the like, it is advised to eat poultry, cheese, eggs and yoghurt in moderation. Eat red meat on rare occasions, but do not be tempted to indulge your palate with sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meat, refined grains, oils, added sugars and other highly processed foods.
Although what to eat as a part of this diet has been well celebrated, it is important to note that you need to follow a few guidelines to make the diet work for you. Most importantly, ensure that your diet is divided in the ratio of 50 per cent carbohydrates (from vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains) 35 per cent fats (from healthy oils, nuts, seeds and fish); and 15 per cent proteins (from legumes, fish, nuts, dairy, poultry and eggs). Besides, keeping a check on the calories is also important to ensure that the weight loss is positive. And while you could eat poultry every other day, fish should be consumed at least twice a week.
Exercising on Mediterranean Diet
If you are strictly following the diet, it is important to complement it with regular exercises to benefit your health in the long run. Studies have shown that while the Diet itself can cut the risk of early death, undertaking 30 minutes of moderate exercise, on at least five days a week, could make one 27 per cent less likely to die early than those who did nothing (seven hours of moderate exercise could cut the risk by 39 per cent). And those who did 20 minutes of vigorous exercises, thrice a week, could cut the risk of early death by 32 per cent. What is more, even small doses of activity during a week could reduce the risk by 19 per cent.
Interestingly, studies also found that smokers, as well as obese people, could also benefit from a Mediterranean diet, health-wise, even if they do not stop smoking or lose weight. Apparently, staying active and eating healthy has a big say on the lifespan.
Mediterranean diet does help one feel better and live longer as its benefits are wide. In addition to lasting weight loss, dieters will enjoy a strong and healthy heart, will be able to prevent diabetes to an extent, enjoy better eyesight and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
