In the 50s of the last century, the news spread around the world that the inhabitants of the Mediterranean lived longer and suffered less from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity.Scientists came to this conclusion after many years of research.The secret lies in a special diet called the “Mediterranean diet”.
Features of the Mediterranean diet
The term “Mediterranean diet” refers to a style of eating rather than a diet in the traditional sense of the word.The inhabitants of the Mediterranean eat quite a lot, rarely limit themselves to fats and carbohydrates, and drink wine almost every day.At the same time, the Mediterranean diet is considered the “gold standard of nutrition” among experts.Unlike most methods, the Mediterranean weight loss system has no medical contraindications.And her “permissiveness” does not allow her to collapse while losing weight.
The Mediterranean diet is recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of humanity.
The peculiarity of the Mediterranean diet is a balanced combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU).This normalizes the metabolism.The Mediterranean diet quickly gained popularity because such a nutritional system has a minimum of restrictions and is optimal for people with a modern lifestyle.
Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
This type of diet brings maximum benefits not only for weight loss, but also for health in general.This is proven not only by reviews, but also by numerous medical studies.
Mediterranean diet:
- reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease and cancer, especially colon and breast cancer;
- prevents the gain of extra pounds;
- rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants;
- improves quality and life expectancy;
- slows down the aging process;
- lowers cholesterol levels;
- has a beneficial effect on the skin.
Diet rules
The main condition is to avoid semi-finished products and so-called fast food (doner kebab, hamburger).The menu should predominantly consist of fresh and natural products.Must-haves on the table include herbs, vegetables, olive oil and fish.
The ratio of BJU in the Mediterranean diet contradicts many popular diets.So the daily menu should consist of:
- 10% from proteins – seafood, eggs, cheese, meat;
- 30% from fats – fish, olive oil;
- 60% from carbohydrates – fruit, vegetables, bread, pasta, cereal.
It is important not to violate the BZHU quota.For breakfast, it is recommended to choose foods containing carbohydrates, but dinner should be high in protein and also contain a large amount of fresh or stewed vegetables.Bread can be consumed during the day, but best in the morning and only in moderation.
Meals should be divided: it is important to eat often (5-6 times) and in small portions.This speeds up your metabolism and causes the body to process food into energy instead of storing it as reserve.
Every day you need to drink at least 6 glasses of water, preferably still water.Tea and coffee are allowed, but only without sugar.It is allowed to drink dry red wine, no more than two glasses a day.
What can you eat on the Mediterranean diet?
The basis of the Mediterranean diet is fresh vegetables.They should be present in the diet every day.Nutritionists recommend including eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes in the diet.Consumption of beets and potatoes should be minimized as these root vegetables have a high glycemic index.Diabetics are recommended to exclude these completely.
The central place in the Mediterranean diet is occupied by complex carbohydrates - pasta, bread, rice and other grains.It is advisable to soak the latter for a day before cooking.
Red meat is very rare in Mediterranean cuisine and consists predominantly of lamb.
The Mediterranean diet requires the mandatory inclusion of fish and seafood in the diet.It is recommended to consume them fresh.Both red and white fish are allowed.Trout, salmon, mackerel and herring are the preferred fish.These fatty varieties are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
The Mediterranean diet involves the intake of dairy products, mainly cheese and yogurt.The former contain a lot of protein.Yogurt should only be natural and without colorings.
The lion's share of Mediterranean dishes are prepared with olive oil.It acts as the main source of fat in the diet.The menu also includes olives in various combinations and variants - as an independent treat and as a decoration for salads, pasta and cold starters.
Olives and oil are rich in healthy unsaturated fats that protect against heart and vascular diseases.They also contain antioxidants that help maintain youth and beauty.
Herbs and spices play a special role in Mediterranean cuisine.They are added to almost every dish.Oregano, oregano, basil, rosemary, cumin – the choice is quite large.In some cases, spices can replace salt.
Sample menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner
To make it easier to create a menu for every day, nutritionists have compiled a pyramid of the Mediterranean diet style, using which you can easily choose products for a week or even a month.To follow this healthy diet exactly, you have to live somewhere in the Mediterranean.For this purpose, there are adapted versions of the Mediterranean diet, in which some products are replaced with cheaper analogues.Olives can be safely replaced with walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and red fish with linseed or cheaper mackerel and herring.
Breakfast
In the morning it is recommended to consume carbohydrates.Therefore, a good option for breakfast would be porridge, which can be supplemented with fruits, berries or honey, as well as pasta with sauce, steamed rice and omelet.Snacks are allowed between breakfast and lunch.Fruits or nuts are suitable for this.
Lunch
For lunch you can safely afford soup - vegetable, fish or meat, pasta, salad.The latter must be seasoned with butter or sour cream;It is advisable to exclude mayonnaise.
Dinner
Dinner should consist of protein foods.For dinner, you can bake or boil fish, stew green beans, or prepare poultry cutlets.A simpler option is cottage cheese and kefir.
The choice of products is quite diverse, but you need to know when to stop, otherwise the Mediterranean diet will not work.So, the average calorie content of the daily diet should be about 1100 calories.If you don't want to calculate calories or prepare meals, you can purchase special food sets designed based on the Mediterranean diet.