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Have you heard the name of Mediterranean diet before? If not, you must read this post… At least if you are a health and fitness enthusiast.
If you are interested after seeing the headline, there may be several questions coming up in your mind… Let me guess:
…… and so on
We shall answer them for sure. But first let us know about it.
Mediterranean diet is an age old time tested healthy diet. This is a dietary culture followed by some southern European countries around the Mediterranean Sea like Italy, Greece, Spain, France etc.
But please remember, this is not based on the internationally, food chain promoted food practice. The modern processed food from this region are something like pasta, pizza, French fries etc. These are not the original and ancient healthy diets from this region. It has been seen that people from this part of Europe has highest lifespan. Various lifestyle diseases and morbidities are really very less in people of this ethnicity.
What is so special about these guys? For ages the people of Mediterranean region have been following amazing lifestyle. They do regular exercises and follow an amazing diet full of true and whole foods. They had been avoiding all processed food, eat lots of leafy vegetables, nuts, beans legumes etc. and fruits, dairies with lower saturated and trans fat.
They even had been drinking wine (red wine) but that has been in true moderation. They cook, share and enjoy their food and that had been ingrained as part of their culture. Due to their geographical predilection around the Mediterranean Sea, the dieting pattern has been named ‘Mediterranean diet’.
Let us get down to the details of this amazing diet…
Mediterranean diet has been least controversial amongst all diets. It is based on the following principles :
Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lentils legumes and nuts. These constitute the bulk of the diet. Thus people get amazing nutrients, polyphenols, healthy plant based carbs from these sources. But foods from grains, do not fill up the plate.(unlike Indian food where the rice/wheat derived food constitute the major bulk of the meals). They form a part of the meal which has lots of fibers and antioxidants.
The lentils, legumes and vegetables are rich sources of different phytonutrients, proteins, fibers and complex carbs. Everything is taken as whole food which is cooked or taken raw. There has never been any practice of processing or preserving with any artificial preservative or chemicals. People actually get ample fresh food from plant sources.
Mediterranean diet includes eating fruits and vegetables of different colors. The different veggies contain lots of complex carbs and fibers. These do not cause insulin spiking and fat gain unlike the processed simple carbs, flour, bread, rice etc. The emphasis is on eating real food, unprocessed and as whole food. Whole fruits are also eaten. They are much better choice than eating fruit juice or soft drinks. As a drink, water is the main part (besides 1 or 2 drinks of red wine)
Not using butter or margarine but using healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil. The use of butter, margarine and other hydrogenated oils are minimized to bare minimum. Thus the unhealthy trans fat is avoided and saturated fat (should be kept under 10% of total as per international dietary guideline). Olive oil is used mostly here. It contains lots of MUFA (Monounsaturated fatty acids – rich in oleic acid) which is good for cardiovascular health.
Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods. Unlike processed food with chemical preservatives, mediterranean diet promotes eating fresh. Local spices and herbs will add to the taste. Thus the total salt is kept under control. (Those microwave ready preserved meat and sausages contains loads of salts and chemicals. These can easily exceed the RDA for salt and the chemicals may be even cancerous or otherwise harmful to the body).
Limiting red meat and not taking it more than a few times a month – American heart association has recommended limitations to red meat and saturated fat. Mediterranean diet is famous for promoting use of healthy fat only. These types of fat are obtained from mono unsaturated fatty acid like olive oils and those nuts and grains. Also there are ample nuts and seeds which contains very good fats.
Eating fish and poultry food at least twice per week. Fish and poultry are sources of great quality protein and fat. Chicken and turkey are lean sources lean protein. Sea fish contains lots of omega 3 fatty acids, which is great for heart health. Even the fat from the egg yolk is of good quality.
Enjoying meals with family and friends and promote social eating. It has been seen eating quickly and alone in stressed condition makes one eat more. Mediterranean diet promotes eating together and sharing food with friends and families. This increases socialization and tends to keep overeating at bay.
Drinking red wine in moderation (optional). Red wine intake 1 to 2 drinks (5 oz or 150 ml) per day in males and 1 drink for women is allowed in Mediterranean diet. As long as the limit is not exceeded, it is actually good for heart and overall health. By this way, please don’t think that this diet teaches people to go for binge drinking or taking bottles of beer. As for drink, all the sugary beverages are not allowed except only water to quench thirst.
Getting plenty of exercise is also an important part. Daily workout habit or at least 5 times a week of exercise or is a part of this diet.
Mediterranean diet is not very strict on macros restriction like popular weight loss diets like Atkins diet, keto diet or low carb high fat diet. Normally carb : protein : fat is kept around 55-60% : 15% : 20-30% of total calories in mediterranean diet.
Despite higher carbs, it does not cause much fat accumulation. The reason is that carbs here are mostly complex carbs and fibers, which are less insulinogenic. Also exercise is a part of the diet culture. Food sharing and socialization also prevents stressed quick eating or binging.
The abundance of polyphenol, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants are great for long term health. These reduce inflammation of the body.
The most important part is that this diet has cardioprotective effect. This is true even if one follows it for whole life. It prevents atherosclerosis and heart diseases in future. Besides, studies have shown continuing mediterranean diet helps in preventing cancer, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. The cardio and neuro protective effect of this diet makes it really a special. For this reason it is considered the best maintenance diet for for long term health.
But if you are fat, should you use mediterranean diet to lose weight? If you create enough calorie deficit this is a good diet to lose weight too. But there is one caveat, it is not the best weight loss diet around. It won’t cause quick weight loss like a keto or a standard low carb diet. But if your target is to lose weight slowly and this is the way to go.(international recommendation is not to lose more than 2 lbs per week). Thus, it is an amazing diet pattern for a slow, sustained and healthy weight loss style. It is preferable even more, when other weight loss diet may not be suitable.
Mediterranean diet is actually the least controversial diet. I’m last few decades, several diets have come, rocked the world and moved away. Some has stayed till today. Paleo, keto, LCHF, Atkins, South Beach diet etc. are to name a few. There are several pros and cons of these and overall verdict is still awaiting.
But is it the best choice for disease or condition specific weight loss? No, there may be better options here. Even for gaining muscles, protein intake needs to be increased and weight training has to be increased. Regarding disease or condition specific cases there should be tailor made diet for you by a qualified dietitian or nutritionist.
Conclusion :
All these newer low carb fancy diets need long term study and research. Whether one can stay lifelong (or even several years in these types of diet, even after reaching fat loss goal) is unknown. But, unless contraindicated, you can stay in Mediterranean diet for really long, even for life. You should keep yourself in maintenance calorie to avoid gaining weight. Need to consult with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist though, before such a decision.
[…] Olive oil and canola oil are MUFA rich. Other oils like almond oil, sesame oil, avocado oil or most nut based oils are MUFA rich. The Mediterranean diet, recommended by experts for long term heart health, is rich in MUFA. Read Mediterranean diet – the best diet plan […]
[…] For maintenance dieting pattern, diet like Mediterranean diet consisting of lots of whole food and good fat and proteins with minimum processed food have shown promising long term effects too. Read my post on Mediterranean diet. […]