Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is a very healthy diet which is based on the eating habits of the Mediterranean people (Greece, Italy etc). It is comprised of eating the following:

• olive oil (with every meal)
• fresh fruit
• legumes
• fish (a few times a week)
• poultry (a few times a week)
• bread
• pasta
• cheese
• yoghurt
• red wine (1-2 glasses with the main meal)

The foods below are either restricted or not allowed:

• red meat
• processed foods

A variation of the Mediterranean diet is the Sonoma diet.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is a very healthy diet which:

• lowers the risk of heart disease
• lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels
• reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes

Why the Mediterranean diet works

The Mediterranean diet:

• includes high amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes in the diet (which provide fibre and low GI carbohydrates, together with essential vitamins and minerals)
• high in unsaturated fats (from regular olive oil and fish consumption)
• cereals and grains are included (providing fibre and low GI carbohydrates, together with essential vitamins and minerals)
• provides good amounts of essential fatty acids (from olive oil and fish)
• very little red meat is eaten (which means there is low saturated fat in the diet)
• high in antioxidants from fruit, vegetable and moderate red wine consumption with most main meals (purple grape juice is recommended for those that do not drink red wine)

These all add up to make this diet very healthy for the body, especially the digestive and the cardiovascular systems.

Is the Mediterranean diet good for you

The Mediterranean diet has been shown to be beneficial to all participants in studies performed.

• there has been a great deal of scientific research showing that the diet decreases cardiovascular (heart) disease and type 2 diabetes
• includes high amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes in the diet (which provide fibre and low GI carbohydrates, together with essential vitamins and minerals)
• lowers “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels
• provides a way to balance blood glucose (and insulin) levels, so extremely beneficial for diabetics, pre-diabetics and those with Syndrome X
• provides a healthy, sensible eating plan that can be maintained all throughout life

Cautions for the Mediterranean diet

• None
• Extra time required to prepare meals
• To try this diet, speak to your medical practitioner or dietitian.