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August 6, 2021
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What's goes into a Mediterranean Diet? Learn about this tasty & healthy lifestyle

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What's goes into a Mediterranean Diet? Learn about this tasty & healthy lifestyle
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Cory McKane
Blog Post Summary:

Do you want to have a healthy meal without sacrificing the taste of your food? Try the Mediterranean diet plan now for a healthier lifestyle with all the taste you need.

Do you want to have a healthy meal without sacrificing the taste of your food? Well, you've come to the right place. You can try the Mediterranean diet plan for a healthier lifestyle.

Remember, if you want to live a healthier life then exercise is important but you have to consider first having a healthy diet. A lot of people like to believe that you only need exercise to make your body stronger and leaner but that's simply not true.

With that being said, there are a lot of diet options that you may find online. Here us out when we say that, with the Mediterranean plan, you can have the results that you want without sacrificing flavor. So, be ready to cut your weight and enhance your lifestyle with this diet plan. 

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet came from the native cuisines of countries in the Mediterranean region. Specifically, these countries, like France, Italy, and Spain, surround the Mediterranean Sea in Europe. Thus, its name.

As for this diet, meals usually have vegetables, grains, fruits, and healthy fats. What's more, this dietary regime encourages people to consume more nuts, seeds, and olive oils. So, expect that your diet will provide you with more vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats than you're probably used to with other diets.

Mediterranean Diet Macros

The Mediterranean meal has a different calorie proportion compared to other diet plans. So, to guide you better, here are the things to consider when you have a Mediterranean diet.

Carbohydrates

A Mediterranean meal usually provides you with at least 40% carbohydrates. However, the carbs for this diet plan are not from pasta or the other usual suspects for carbs. It's because the carbs in the Mediterranean are derived from unrefined foods that are rich in fiber.

You may include the following as your carbs in your Mediterranean diet:

  • Avocado
  • Chia Seeds
  • Broccoli (cooked and raw)
  • Cauliflower (cooked and raw)
  • Blackberries
  • Spinach

Protein

You will typically consume protein as at least 18% of your calories through the Mediterranean diet. But, your source of protein differs from the usual. Nuts, seeds, and beans will serve as your protein instead of meat. More so, you can still eat steak or fish but in small quantities only.

These foods are alternative sources of protein in exchange for the red meat:

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Whole grains
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Lentils and legumes
  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Egg

Fats

Your Mediterranean diet meal should have at least 35% fats to be effective. Remember, the only fats allowed in your Mediterranean meal are unsaturated fats and oils. These are essential to your body as they protect your heart.

For your reference, these are the foods where you can gain healthy fats:

  • Olive oil
  • Extra virgin oil
  • Omega-3 fats (from fish, seafood, or nuts)
  • Almonds
  • Margarine
  • Seed oil

What should I avoid If I'm on a Mediterranean Diet?

If you are new to this diet plan, you might be excited and maybe a bit overwhelmed with all the new foods you're introducing. So, to prevent any failure, you must know the things that you should avoid before starting. In addition to this, you must also be aware of the foods that you should not eat.

Red Meat

Too much intake of red meat products can lead to severe heart disease. So, to secure your healthy diet, you should minimize meat, including processed ones.

Alcoholic Drinks

You should limit your alcohol consumption if you want to truly embrace this healthy diet. Through this diet, you can only drink a glass of alcohol per day. You can still complement your meal with a healthy drink in moderation, like red wine.

Butter

If you have an eye for the Mediterranean diet, get ready to say goodbye to butter. This is because butter consists of high grams of saturated fat. So, choose olive oil instead if you want some fat on your food.

Refined Grains

It is recommended for the Mediterranean diet follower to consume whole grains. For this reason, you must lessen your consumption of refined grain products. The foods that you must avoid are white rice, white bread, and white pasta.

Benefits of Mediterranean Diet for Your Health

The Mediterranean diet brings a lot of scientific health benefits to you. Your body will improve as you cut refined foods, red meats, and processed foods from your meals. As you strictly follow the diet plan, you will experience the following:

Reduced Risk for Cardiovascular Diseases

According to a study, the Mediterranean diet can enhance your cardiovascular status. It can reduce the possibility of having cardiovascular complications by 25%. The monounsaturated fat from processed plant foods causes this favorable result.

It also helps to reduce your cholesterol level as you take a sufficient amount of healthy fats. What's more, it can help you to prevent systemic inflammatory diseases. As a result, people who follow the Mediterranean diet are less likely to die from a stroke. 

Anti-Aging

Another benefit of the Mediterranean Diet is it can help slow down your aging. Remember, most of the foods in this nutrition plan are rich in antioxidants. These elements are the ones that protect your body from oxidative stress. 

This outcome exists through less consumption of processed and red meat in your meals. Keep yourself on this diet plan, and you won't need that Fountain of Youth anymore.

Prolong Your Lifespan

A healthy eating habit can expand the longevity of your life. Again, monounsaturated fats give more protection against the risk of death. The olive oil and fruits are the most significant drivers of this factor.

The Mediterranean diet has set the standard in the industry of preventive medicine. It became possible because of the combination of antioxidants and healthy fats. 

Final Note

Mediterranean diet can be beneficial for your health. However, you can only benefit from its advantages if you follow the proper guidelines. Make sure to intake proper proportions, too. Consequently, you might need to prepare for an overall lifestyle change in order to keep up with the Mediterranean plan. In the end, the new you will achieve better life quality through these healthier eating habits.

Remember, a nutritious diet plan also requires a strong commitment. Are you ready to start?

Check out 25 Mediterranean meals here!

Want to up your Health & Fitness? Check out these articles:

About the Author:

Cory McKane is the CEO/Founder of WeStrive - a platform for personal trainers to manage & grow their personal training business. He enjoys working out and spending time working with trainers on WeStrive on how to manage/grow their business.


References:

mediterraneandietguru.com

mindbodygreen.com

healthline.com

news-medical.net

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Written by
Cory McKane
CEO | WeStrive
Huge fan of fitness - Even bigger fan of helping you with your fitness. I've been building up the WeStrive platform for over 5 years and I'm excited to keep building out the greatest Health & Wellness platform on Earth.

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What's goes into a Mediterranean Diet? Learn about this tasty & healthy lifestyle