Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is truly sad in so many ways.  We have so much wealth and exposure to great education and technology, however the food industry continues to decline.  The consumption of processed foods is not natural and is wreaking havoc on our health. Too much processed food, fried food, caffeine, alcohol, medications and lack of hydration are some of the major problems with our diet here in America.  One of the best ways we can make changes and improve our diet is to look at healthier diets from other cultures. One of my favorite cultural diets is the Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet has a number of benefits for your health, including reducing your risk of heart disease. It is also associated with a lower level of “bad” cholesterol.  A study conducted in the United States found that both men and women who consumed a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of death from both heart disease and cancer.  Below I’ve listed the main components of a Mediterranean diet.

Key components of the Mediterranean diet:

• Get plenty of exercise and eat meals with family and friends.
• Eat a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Consume healthy fats, such as olive oil instead of butter, margarine or fried fats.
• Use a large amount of herbs and spices to enhance food instead of high sugar processed condiments.
• Eat raw nuts/seeds and raw nut butters – nothing processed. Nuts are high in fat (approximately 80 percent of their calories come from fat), but tree nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat.
• Eat mostly whole grains. Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats.  Bread is a part of the diet, however throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten without butter or margarine, which contain saturated or trans fats.
• Drink red wine, but mostly in moderation.
• Consume very little red meat.
• Eat fish and/or shellfish  3-5 times per week.
• Eat MUCH slower and truly enjoy food.  Never rush through meals or eat on the go like we do in America.

The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables, whole grain pasta and brown rice. For example, residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. According to the Mayo Clinic website, the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol that’s more likely to build up deposits in your arteries.

The focus of the Mediterranean diet isn’t to limit total fat consumption, but to make wise choices about the types of fat you eat.  The Mediterranean diet discourages saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans-fatty acids), both of which contribute to heart disease.

If you’re interested in the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, I encourage you to give it a try for a week or two.  Implement most or all of the components in the diet listed above, and then pay attention to how you feel.  With any changes you make in your diet, it’s always helpful to journal and track your progress.  You just might discover a healthier way of eating and living that can also add years to your life.