What is the Mediterranean Diet?
So what exactly is the Mediterranean Diet? Why don’t you hear more about it? Where did it come from?
The Mediterranean Diet is exactly what it sounds like: this is simply the cuisine that people living around the Mediterranean have
been enjoying for many years.
The diet consists of lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, cheese, nuts, oils, and a little red wine.
But for a long time, the assumption was that this diet would be bad for you. This came from the fact that we once believed fat was bad for us. In fact, government guidelines often still recommend a low-fat diet even though there is no evidence for this being effective or healthy!
So for a long time, everyone thought fat was bad and assumed that eating large bowls of salad drizzled in oil would be bad for us too. And it seemed to make sense!
But then researchers took a look at the data and were surprised. They found that countries that ate this diet actually had an older population.
Not only that, but the incidence of heart disease was much lower! Brain health seemed better, too and many illnesses such as diabetes were far less prevalent. So what was going on?
These were huge populations of people who ate large amounts of fat, drank lots of alcohol, and made a big thing about big, indulgent meals… but they were healthier!
Well, if you’re up-to-date with the latest diet research, then you probably already know the plot twist.
Of course, it transpires that saturated fat isn’t bad for us. In fact, it’s perfect for us. It improves cholesterol, but it also helps us to absorb nutrients better, it improves brain function, and the body uses it to produce more testosterone.
The real danger comes from simple carbs – things like cake, sugary drinks, and chocolate bars. There’s much more of that kind of stuff in the US and UK.
Meanwhile, the Mediterranean also enjoys many more fruits, vegetables, and salads – which fuels them with nutrients that improve their health in a wide range of different ways.
By eating fish, salads, nuts, and more, they’re getting iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, omega 3 fatty acid, amino acids… you name it!
And at the same time, Mediterranean’s also enjoyed their food. That means they eat more slowly. It means they feel fuller, and it means they have a much healthier relationship with eating.
And, because they also enjoy generally slower-paced lifestyles that revolve around eating big meals with family and spending less time at work, their bodies generally thrive.
Eating ‘low fat’ wafers is the complete opposite of this. And it’s completely misguided as it will do nothing but prevent you from enjoying your food properly and contribute to your rushed and consumable lifestyle.
It’s time to slow down and start to enjoy your food and enjoy your life with the Mediterranean diet’s benefits. When you do that, you feel and look much better. Who would have thought!
How to Start the Mediterranean Diet
Okay, so now you know the basics of how it works, the next step is to start eating the diet and living the lifestyle. So, where do you begin?
Obviously, the Mediterranean Diet’s central tenant is to eat more of the kinds of salads, pastas, and yes–even pizza–that they thrive on.
You’ll also start eating more wraps, more yogurt, and more of all the kinds of things that you can really sit down and enjoy with the family.
In the full ebook, we look at tons of recipes you can use to get started. Many of these are incredibly simple.
Take the Greek salad, for instance: it just involves chopping up a few fruits and vegetables, but in doing so, you get tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, vegetable oil, and delicious feta cheese.
It’s quick to make, but it’s something you can really enjoy with family or really enjoy with friends when they come to visit.
There are so many more meals like this on the Mediterranean menu, and as long as you start cooking them up occasionally, you’ll begin to feel a lot better.
This may mean taking a bit more time in the kitchen, but if you’re smart, you can reduce this time. Buy ready chopped onions if necessary, invest in a food processor and organize your kitchen to give yourself maximum space and reduce clutter and mess that can otherwise slow you down.
You can also try preparing meals in advance and learning a few ‘fall back’ options you can create quickly!
Simultaneously, though, it also means simply prioritizing your diet and your laid-back lifestyle a little. If you’re constantly too rushed to cook and eat properly, then you should view that as a problem.
The best health changes come when you look at your entire lifestyle as a whole. So if you’re coming home stressed and tired, then ask yourself why that’s the case and what you could really do to start feeling a lot better so you can invest real-time into your cooking.
What’s more, you should also start to try and rule out some foods that don’t fit into this lifestyle. For example, if you currently eat large quantities of processed foods like sausage rolls and store-bought sandwiches, it is time to cut them out! These foods might be quick and convenient, but they barely provide nutrition while simultaneously causing a sudden rush of sugar that leaves you feeling tired and triggers fat storage (lipogenesis).
Get rid of those ready-made meals and unhealthy snacks and start looking out for fruits, vegetables, and proper-home cooked foods.
Don’t worry, though, if this doesn’t happen overnight! You can take it slow and try introducing a few changes at a time. This is actually a much better strategy in the long run that will make it easier to stick to the new rules you’re following.
It’s better to make one small change and stick to it than it is to make huge overhauls. But give up after a few days!
Click here to get your Mediterranean Diet Cookbook!
Approved Food List
To help make your life a little easier, consider this list of ‘approved foods.’
So, what can you eat on the Mediterranean Diet? You can eat foods not on this list, but if you try and make these the staples in your diet, then you’ll find you feel a lot healthier and lose a good amount of weight easily.
Fresh Fruit: Fresh fruit is an essential part of the Mediterranean Diet and, in fact, should be included in any healthy eating plan. That’s because it provides you with lots of vitamins and minerals to boost your brain function, help you fight disease, and provide lots of energy. Many of our modern problems come from feeling tired all the time – fresh fruit can completely eradicate that issue!
Veggies: The same goes for vegetables which provide us with tons of minerals. In fact, vegetables are actually even better because they don’t provide as much sugar.
Vegetable smoothies are very underrated!
Nuts and Legumes: Nuts are a great way to get protein, fat, and potassium, as well as fiber. They make the perfect in-between-meals snack too!
Olive Oil: This is what you’ll be drizzling on a lot of your food. This is a great source of all kinds of nutrients while also helping you better absorb the nutrients in the rest of your meals and keep you feeling much longer. It’s something of a hidden gem when it comes to your diet!
Fish and Sea Food: There are also some red meats in the Mediterranean Diet (it is suggested you eat read meat sparingly), but it’s really the fish that provides the ace up its sleeve. Fish is very lean while providing lots of amino acids and essential fatty oils!
Garlic and Herbs: Garlic and herbs do all sorts of things. Not only can they turn a bland dinner into a gourmet masterpiece, but they also boost brain function, open up the blood vessels, and more!
Need More Help With The Mediterranean Diet?
Check out our proven 28 day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan. There have been over 1000 people that have tested it out and loved it!
So stop wasting your time and money on diet plans that don’t work, and check it out now. Click the image below:
