Mediterranean Diet
The Rich taste
When describing the Mediterranean diet it’s impossible to over look the varieties of texture & taste, and increase in heart health.
Cultural traditions in this region of the world prize the deliciousness of food in a way that is almost legendary. The simplicity of good tasting food is a key factor in the healthiness of the Mediterranean diet. It’s also one reason why there is so much overlap between healthy foods and great taste that everyone likes.
Research shows that people in the countries that border the Mediterranean have lower rates of heart disease compared to Americans and others.
Extensive research in the past few years has isolated key diet habits as a major reason for lower rates of chronic disease.
The Building Blocks of the Mediterranean Diet
- Exercise
- Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes
- Vegetables:
- Fruit: Olives,
- Legumes: beans, peas
- Fruit:
- Oil of olive
- Milk and cheeses
- Fish and White Meat
- Eggs
- Red meat (veal, lamb, etc…)
- Water
Customizing the Mediterranean diet Building Blocks:
1. Exercise:
The base of the Mediterranean diet as well as many other diet plans is exercise. The people of the Mediterranean as well as other healthy regions of the world are had working farmers. If you are like me who works in front of a computer we must put some time and energy into an exercise plan.
2. Whole Grains:
Please notice this does not include white flour, but whole grains that contain lots of fiber and nutrients. This would include: Oats rye, barley, bran, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and buckwheat.
3: Veggies:
I think this maybe more important than Whole Grains. We get most of our phytonutrients form veggies, that include an array of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Kale, spinach, cauliflowers, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, garlic and onions.
4. Fruits:
Here is a great building block for preventing cancer and building strong resilient cells. Getting 3 servings of fruit a day is tough, so its a good snack food. Grape, Lemons, apples, cherries, strawberries, peaches, apricots plumes, and assorted berries.
5. Beans Nuts and Legumes:
Nuts make a great mid day snack, and beans are a excellent source of fiber and other trace minerals. Walnuts, almonds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds.
6. Olive Oils:
It’s hard to mention the Mediterranean Diet without talking about olive oil. Oils are a very important part of the process of digesting vitamins and minerals. Good fats include extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and a variety of nut oils.
7. Cheeses & Yogurt:
Yogurt adds lots of good bacteria to the digestive system. Low sugar yogurts and soft goat cheeses.
8. Sea food eggs & Poultry:
These are a great source of protein as well as other trace minerals. The sea has always provided plenty of food to the people of the Mediterranean as well as other healthy cultures around the world. Eggs are another important source of protein and new studies have shown eggs to be helpful in keeping the bad cholesterol down. Sardines, Wild Salmon , Tuna and range feed eggs with hormones or antibiotics.
9. Red Meat & Sweets:
Yes, these are an important part of a Mediterranean, but, in moderation. I like a good steak every once in a while and I’ve learned to not to eat the whole thing in one seating, it’s easier on the digestive system to eat smaller amounts. Some sweets include Figs, Maple syrup, Black Strap molasses.
Following a Mediterranean diet is good for everyone. Another huge population study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and involving almost 400,000 people, show that greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet greatly reduces the risk of death from all causes including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Breath Mints
Green tea mints are just that. Sugar free; no artificial additives; three mints equal to approximately same level of polyphenols as one cup green tea.
