The Mediterranean diet is like traditional food that was used to consume in countries like Greece and Italy in the early days. Experts studied that these people were so much healthy compared to people in many other countries and they had a low risk of several diseases.
Several studies have explained that the Mediterranean diet can help to weight loss and help to prevent premature death, strokes, heart attacks, and type 2 diabetes.
However, there is no right way to follow the Mediterranean diet, well, there are several countries around the Mediterranean sea, and people in different areas might have eaten different foods. So in this article, we will tell you about the Mediterranean diet that can help you to weight loss.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet means eating in the way that people who live in the Mediterranean region traditionally ate. This diet from the Mediterranean region comes with an abundant portion of whole grains, legumes, and fresh produce, as well as some healthy fish and fats.
The normal guidelines of the diet that recommend people to eat:
- Wide variety of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables
- Healthful fats like nuts, olive oil, and seeds
- Few red meat and white meat
- Moderate amounts of fish and dairy
- Moderation red wine
- Few eggs
The American Heart Association studies that the normal Mediterranean diet content the high percentage of calories from fat. However, more than half of the calories come from monounsaturated fat like olive oil, the diet might not be right for the people who need to limit their fat consumption.
The Basics
- Eat: Fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, potatoes, legumes, bread, whole grains, herbs, seafood, spices, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Eat Moderately: Cheese, eggs, poultry, and yogurt.
- Eat Rarely: Red Meat.
- Do not eat: Added sugar, Sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meat, refined oil, refined grains, and other processed foods.
Avoid These Foods
You need to avoid these ingredients and unhealthy foods:
- Refined grains: Pasta, white bread made with refined wheat.
- Added sugar: Candies, soda, table sugar, ice cream, and many more.
- Trans fats: Margarine and many processed foods.
- Refined oils: Canola oil, Soybean oil, cottonseed oil, and many more.
- Processed meat: Hot dogs, Processed Sausages, etc.
- Highly processed foods: Anything labeled like “diet” or “low fat” or any other that looks like it was made in the factory.
Foods to Eat
Exactly which type of foods belong to the Mediterranean diet is uncertain, partly because there are many variations between different countries. This diet is examined by many experts and searched high in healthy plant foods and low in animal foods.
However, eating seafood and fish is advised at least twice a week. This Mediterranean lifestyle also includes sharing meals with other people and regular physical activity. You should choose the diet on these healthy, unprocessed foods:
- Fruits: Bananas, oranges, apples, pears, strawberries, dates, grapes, melons, figs, peaches, etc.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, tomatoes, cauliflower, onions, Brussels sprouts, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, etc.
- Seeds and Nuts: Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Legumes: Beans, chickpeas, peas, peanuts, lentils, pulses, etc.
- Tubers: Potatoes, yams, turnips, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Whole Grains: Whole oats, barley, brown rice, corn, rye, whole wheat, whole-grain bread, buckwheat, and pasta.
- Seafood and Fish: Salmon, mussels, tuna, trout, sardines, crab, oysters, mackerel, shrimp, clams, etc.
- Poultry: Duck, Chicken, Turkey, etc.
- Eggs: Quail, Chicken, Duck eggs.
- Dairy: Yogurt, cheese, Greek yogurt, etc.
- Spices and Herbs: Basil, mint, garlic, sage, rosemary, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, etc.
- Healthy Fats: Olives, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and avocado.
What to Drink
Water should be your main beverage on the Mediterranean Diet. The diet also involves normal amounts of red wine–around 1 glass of wine per day. Although, it is totally optional, and wine should be avoided for those who have alcoholism or have problems controlling alcohol consumption.
Tea and coffee are also totally acceptable, but you must avoid fruit juices and sugar-sweetened beverages, which are high in sugar.
The Mediterranean Sample Menu for One Week
Below we will tell the sample menu for 1 week on the Mediterranean diet. Also, feel free to adjust the food choices and portions, based on the preferences and needs of your own choices.
Monday
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with oats and strawberries.
- Lunch: Vegetables and whole-grain sandwich.
- Dinner: Tuna salad covered with olive oil and a piece of fruit for dessert.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Raisins with oatmeal.
- Lunch: You can eat leftover tuna salad from last night.
- Dinner: Salad with olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Vegetables like tomatoes and onions with omelet and a piece of fruit.
- Lunch: Fresh vegetables with cheese and whole-grain bread.
- Dinner: Mediterranean lasagne.
Thursday
- Breakfast: Sliced fruits and nuts with yogurt.
- Lunch: Leftover lasagne.
- Dinner: Brown rice and vegetables with broiled salmon.
Friday
- Breakfast: Vegetables and eggs, fried in olive oil.
- Lunch: Oats, nuts, and strawberries with Greek yogurt.
- Dinner: Baked potato, with salad and grilled lamb.
Saturday
- Breakfast: Raisins, apple, nuts with oatmeal.
- Lunch: Vegetables with the whole-grain sandwich.
- Dinner: Mediterranean pizza – whole wheat for toppings cheese, olives, and vegetables.
Sunday
- Breakfast: Vegetable with omelet and olives.
- Lunch: Leftover Pizza from last night.
- Dinner: Vegetables and potato, with grilled chicken and fruit for dessert.
Mediterranean Healthy Snacks
You do need to eat more than three meals per day. In case you become hungry after eating meals, then there are plenty of healthy snack choices:-
- Handful of nuts
- Piece of fruit
- Baby carrots or carrots
- Berries or grapes
- Leftovers from the last night
- Greek yogurt
- Almond butter with apple slices
How Should I Follow the Diet at Restaurants
It is very simple to make many restaurant meals fit for the Mediterranean diet.
- Choose seafood or fish as the main dish
- Ask them to fry the food in extra virgin olive oil
- Take only whole-grain bread with olive oil rather choosing the butter
Easy Shopping List for the Diet
Well, it is always a good idea to shop at the edge of the store. That is generally where the whole foods are. Moreover, always try to select the most limited processed selections. Organic is good, but only if you can afford it easily.
- Fruits: Banana, orange, apple, grapes, etc.
- Vegetables: Onions, carrots, spinach, broccoli, garlic, kale, etc.
- Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, etc.
- Frozen vegetables: Select mixes with healthy vegetables.
- Grains: Whole-grain pasta, Whole-grain bread, etc.
- Legumes: Pulses, lentils, beans, etc.
- Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.
- Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Condiments: Pepper, sea salt, cinnamon, turmeric, etc.
- Fish: Sardines, salmon, trout, mackerel.
- Shellfish and Shrimp
- Sweet potatoes and potatoes
- Greek yogurt
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Olives
It is best to clear all the unhealthy foods from your homes like ice cream, sodas, pastries, candy, white bread, processed foods, and crackers.
READ MORE: Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Know The Benefits
Final Words
There is not one way to describe the Mediterranean diet. This is a way of eating is usually rich in healthy green foods and relatively fewer in animal foods, and with the focus on seafood and fish.
You can also find the entire world of information regarding the Mediterranean diet on the internet, and there are many amazing books that have been written on it.
At the end of the day, this diet is amazingly satisfying and healthy and you will not be disappointed. If you find this information useful, drop a comment below this section.
