The Mediterranean diet has no contraindications or strict restrictions. And most importantly, the lost pounds don't come back. Together with the doctor, we find out what her secret is.
How the Mediterranean Diet Works
The popularity of the Mediterranean diet is easy to explain. Scientists have found that, due to dietary peculiarities, residents of Mediterranean countries rarely suffer from heart disease and obesity. Although in the usual sense, this is not really a diet, but rather a set of healthy eating habits that are characteristic of Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Moroccans. There are no strict restrictions, rules and numbers here. Its main objective is to teach the body to a balanced diet and improve health.
At the same time, kilograms go very slowly and without problems: it can take about six months to see the first results. But there are advantages here. You don't have to starve, which means your body won't go through stress. This approach allows you to stay in good shape for a long time and avoid weight gain in the future. Another advantage of this diet is that it can be followed all the time, as it allows for a tasty, healthy and varied diet.
Foods to include in the diet
The Mediterranean diet menu is rich in plant foods, lean fish and seafood. It is balanced and contains all the important substances for the body, so it is suitable for almost everyone. You should not try such a diet just in case of individual allergy or intolerance to certain foods. Nice bonus: it is allowed to change the menu depending on your individual preferences.
- Focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses and whole grains. They should form the basis of the diet. That said, try to prioritize less processed foods, preferably organic.
- Save red meats and sausages for special occasions. They can be added to the menu a maximum of twice a month. You also shouldn't get carried away by eggs and chicken. But in fish and seafood, you can't limit yourself. With this diet, it is recommended to eat them every day or at least twice a week.
- Eat more low-fat fermented dairy and dairy products. The main thing is that they have no sugar, flavors and fillings.
- Drink plenty of clean, still water. Tea and coffee lovers can indulge in the usual pleasures, but they don't add sugar to their drinks. Also, if you wish, you can drink a glass of dry red wine a day.
- The Mediterranean diet has three main meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you get hungry along the way, you can pick up a handful of nuts, berries, Greek yogurt, or berries.
- With this diet, you don't need to count calories and monitor the proportion of macronutrients entering the body - proteins, fats, carbohydrates. If you decide to dine at a restaurant, opt for seafood or fish. In this case, it is advisable to ask them to fry in oil.
- Don't forget about healthy sleep and physical activity - move for at least 30 minutes a day. Moderate exercise will speed up the weight loss process. In addition, adherents of the Mediterranean diet pay special attention to communicating with their loved ones. Whenever possible, cook and sit with your family to lift your spirits and relieve the stress that often leads to overeating.
List of main products:
- Vegetables: tomato, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, spinach, onion, potato, Jerusalem artichoke, carrot, turnip.
- Fruits and berries: apples, pears, bananas, oranges, tangerines, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, Walnuts, Macadamia, Hazelnuts, Cashews, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds.
- Vegetables: beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, chickpeas.
- Cereals: Whole oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole grain bread, durum wheat pasta.
- Fish and seafood: salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, crustaceans, crabs, mussels.
- Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey.
- Eggs: chicken, quail, duck.
- Dairy products: cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt.
- Herbs and spices: garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper.
- Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocado and avocado oil.
Some expensive products, if necessary, can be replaced with cheaper and more familiar ones. So instead of Greek yogurt, you can have regular kefir or homemade yogurt. Whole grains are replaced by buckwheat, barley and oats, and trout or tuna are replaced by herring, which contain the same essential omega-3 fatty acids. White cabbage is a great alternative to broccoli, and seasonal fruits are great for figs and peaches. You can also save on oil. For example, unrefined sunflower oil contains more omega-6, phytosterol and vitamin E.
Foods to avoid
The Mediterranean diet has no taboos. However, the consumption of some foods must be reduced, or better, completely eliminated. This includes white sugar, wheat flour, convenience foods, refined butter, spirits, soft drinks, fast food and highly processed foods (chocolate bars, snack foods, sausages, sausages). Use dried herbs and spices instead of salt. It is better to gradually abandon normal eating - this will help to minimize stress on the body.
weekly menu option
Monday
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola.
- Lunch: lentil soup and wholemeal avocado sandwich.
- Dinner: tuna salad with beans, apple and olive oil.
third
- Breakfast: oatmeal with raisins and honey.
- Lunch: minestrone soup and seafood salad.
- Dinner: broccoli casserole and natural yogurt.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: omelet with vegetables, tomatoes and olives.
- Lunch: roasted fish and bulgur with green peas.
- Dinner: a glass of kefir and a low-fat cottage cheese casserole.
Thursday
- Breakfast: natural yoghurt with fruits and nuts.
- Lunch: wholemeal salmon and avocado sandwich.
- Dinner: white cabbage cooked with chicken breast.
Friday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with nuts and honey.
- Lunch: brown rice with egg, onion and avocado.
- Dinner: seafood pasta and a glass of red wine.
Saturday
- Breakfast: two hard-boiled eggs and fried vegetables.
- Lunch: durum wheat spaghetti and grilled meat.
- Dinner: Wholemeal pizza with cheese and vegetables.
sunday
- Breakfast: steamed cheesecakes, fruit and honey.
- Lunch: fish soup and cucumber and tomato salad.
- Dinner: vegetable lasagna and a glass of red wine.
The effectiveness and benefits of the Mediterranean diet
The main advantage of the diet is the benefits for the body. It is no accident that nutritionists have attributed it the status of one of the safest food systems. This is evidenced by the results of many years of research. Here are some scientifically proven facts about how the Mediterranean diet affects the body.
1. Strengthen the heart
For the study, Spanish scientists invited 7, 447 volunteers aged between 55 and 80 years, who are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Participants were given three diets - a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with an emphasis on nuts, and a low-fat diet. Over the next five years, specialists monitored the health of the participants.
The results showed that people who followed the Mediterranean diet had a nearly one-third reduction in their risk of stroke and heart attack. According to scientists, the diet helps eliminate "bad" cholesterol from the body and also normalizes blood pressure and sugar levels.
2. Helps to prevent diabetes
The same scientists tried to find out how the Mediterranean diet affects the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. To do so, they evaluated the condition of 418 people who did not have the disease at the beginning of the study. Among those who chose the Mediterranean diet, the likelihood of developing diabetes was 52% lower than those who followed the low-fat diet.
3. Improves bowel function
According to a study by an international group of scientists, the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora. Experts monitored the health of 612 people aged between 65 and 79 from Poland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France and Italy. Subjects followed a Mediterranean diet for one year. As a result, they had a slower loss of bacterial diversity and an increase in the number of "good" bacteria and beneficial fatty acids. At the same time, the number of chemicals that cause inflammation and bacteria involved in the formation of bile acids has decreased.
4. Prolongs life
Cardiologists at the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne (France) found that a Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of premature death. The study involved 605 people who had suffered a heart attack six months earlier. They were also given two food options - a low-fat diet and a Mediterranean diet. The researchers monitored the patients' health for four years. In the Mediterranean diet group, the risk of mortality from all causes was 45% lower and of heart disease by 70%.
5. Helps to lose weight
On a Mediterranean diet, you can normalize your weight without counting calories. This is the conclusion reached by scientists at the Second University of Naples. The study involved 99 men and 81 women. They were divided into two groups. One was required to comply with the recommended ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, the other - to increase the consumption of whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, oil. Two years later, scientists evaluated the result: in the Mediterranean diet group, the weight loss was three times greater.
This is confirmed by the study by Canadian experts. According to him, the Mediterranean diet is no less effective than the low-carb diet. With its help, you can lose up to 10 kg per year. If you want to speed up weight loss, calculate your calorie intake and stick to it when designing the menu.
Italian doctors conducted another large study involving 32, 119 volunteers. For nearly 12 years, all of its participants adhered to the principles of the Mediterranean diet. Long-term adherence to this diet has been found to reduce the risk of weight gain and abdominal fat accumulation in the next five years after stopping the diet.
Doctor's Comment
Does the Mediterranean diet have any disadvantages?
The principles of the Mediterranean diet are in accordance with the WHO recommendations. It's rich in vegetables and fruits, correct complex carbohydrates, healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, complete proteins. Restrictions are only imposed for fast carbs, fast food, convenience foods and foods high in trans fats. Getting rid of the diet of these foods, those who follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet, for the most part, begin to lose weight. The process isn't quick, but it's for the best. Rapid weight loss is harmful to health.
As the Mediterranean diet involves the consumption of large amounts of vegetables, fish, seafood, high quality vegetable oils, the basic food basket will become more expensive. But it's not worth saving your health. Because balanced nutritious nutrition is the key to harmonious development.
Dry red wine is considered one of the most important components of the Mediterranean diet, which explains its benefits. It's really? And how much wine is safe?
As a rule, no more than 150 ml of wine a day is safe for women, and no more than 200 ml for men. It is preferable that this amount is not consumed all at once, but distributed throughout the day. Drinking wine is not an essential part of the Mediterranean diet. It can and should be neglected if you have liver or heart problems, or if you can't control your alcohol intake. Instead, wine is part of a geographical tradition.
Who shouldn't try this diet?
The Mediterranean diet is versatile and has no strict contraindications due to a balanced and varied diet. However, due to its high fat content, this type of diet should be treated with caution in those who have liver or gastrointestinal tract diseases. You must consult your doctor in advance. Of course, it should be limited to people with allergic reactions and intolerance to foods from the diet.
Some doctors recommend a Mediterranean diet for coronavirus prevention. Is this justified?
To fight viral infections, it's important to take care of immunity. And the activity of the immune system directly depends on what we eat. If your diet is balanced, rich in vegetables and fruits, you consume plenty of fiber, don't neglect cereals and legumes, get complete protein and all the essential fatty acids - it will be easier for the body to fight infections. The Mediterranean diet meets all these requirements. Therefore, it can be used to prevent not only coronaviruses, but other viral diseases as well.