Mediterranean diet has actually been around for quite a long time. The diet is mainly based on fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seafood, olive oil, and dairy, legumes, whole grains and fish with perhaps a glass or two of red wine.
The traditional Mediterranean diet places an emphasis on fresh, colorful eating and shuns heavily processed ingredients.
Though “diet” is in the name, this plan is more of a holistic approach to eating that relies on real foods. You won’t be counting calories or macronutrients like you would with a typical “diet.”
It also doesn’t consist of a specific set of rules and restrictions, this makes it much easier to follow all the eating plans which then becomes an excellent lifestyle choice.
So take a look at some of the amazing benefits of the Meditteranean diet below:
1. You can have bread
This is one of the diets that bread can be included in your meals. But rather look for healthier breads such as loaves with whole grains. It contains more protein and minerals and is generally healthier than white flour breads. A great option is whole-grain pita bread dipped in olive oil, hummus, or tahini.
2. Easy to make
Greek meals are often small and really easy to create, these plates called ‘mezze’. With so many options to choose from, whether you’re meal prepping for the week or simply assembling casual meals for yourself, you’ll really enjoy how effortless this diet is.
3. No calorie counting
Surprise, this is one of the better diets out there today where you won’t need a calculator to plan your meals. Rather than tallying up numbers, you just switch out bad fats for healthier ones. Opt for olive oil instead of butter. Try fish or poultry rather than red meat. Enjoy fresh fruit and skip sugary, fancy desserts.
4. Fat is allowed
All you need to do is look for the good, healthier types of fats. Believe it or not but its actually really easy to find them, look for nuts, olives, and olive oil. These kinds of fats add flavor and help fight diseases such as diabetes or cancer.
5. You won’t be hungry
You’ll get a chance to eat rich-tasting foods like roasted sweet potatoes and hummus. You digest them slowly so that you feel full longer. Hunger’s not a problem when you can munch on nuts, olives, or bites of low-fat cheese when a craving strikes. Feta and halloumi are lower in fat than cheddar but still rich and tasty.
6. Good for your heart
When it comes to The Medditerian Diet, this is probably one of the biggest known benefits. It’s not only been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and strokes but is also associated with better heart health. The reason being is that this diet is high in healthy omega 3 all thanks to the seafood, nuts, and olive oil, along with antioxidants all those fruits and vegetables.
