The Mediterranean diet is a healthy way of eating. Why? Simply because its components are naturally grown from Earth, so they offer a lot of health benefits. They are basically plant foods that are cooked in good fat. The best Mediterranean recipes usually include:

• Vegetables
• Olive oil
• Aromatic plants
• Fresh fruits – most preferred for dessert
• Healthy meats such as poultry, fish, and goat
• Red wine – made from grapes, persimmons, and pomegranates and is consumed in moderate amount after meal
• Cheese – usually parmesan, feta, or goat’s cheese
• Cereals, pastas, or whole grain bread – these are the main course in the Mediterranean diet

Olive oil is used not just in cooking but also in garnishing and salad dressing. This oil is considered a good source of low saturated fat that also serves as an antioxidant. To add flavor, small amounts of dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt are used. Furthermore, poultry, fish, and other meat are never fried; they are usually roasted or grilled. If you are incorporating Mediterranean dishes into your meal plans, you will not only get deliciously-cooked food but you will also learn time-saving cooking techniques.

Where to Find Mediterranean Recipes

Mediterranean diet recipes are the most sought-after by diet-conscious people. It’s because they aren’t just exotic and mouthwatering, they are also famous for their positive health effects. So if you want to improve your health and nutrition, or you wish to lose weight, recipes from Mediterranean region will surely be of great help to you. Wondering where you can find these recipes? Here’s how:

1. Visit your local library or go online and search for Mediterranean cultural foods, spices, and produce. Jot down the ones that are very common in various Mediterranean countries.
2. Go to an international food festival. While there, ask about the cuisine in Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. Take note of the ingredients that are often used and start including these foods and spices in your meal plans.
3. Local groceries and food stores typically have recipe cards or leaflets alongside common ingredients. You can try a new recipe at least three times a week. This will give you time to be familiar with a certain food.
4. Watch television shows that provide kitchen and cooking tips, as well as delectable recipes.

Mediterranean diet recipes are unusual because of their extraordinary flavor and taste. What’s best is, these recipes do not contain processed food. This is one of the reasons most doctors recommend the Mediterranean way of eating to those who are on diet.

Mediterranean Diet Recipes: Natural, Healthy, And Tasty is a post from: Plan Mediterranean Diets

Do you know that the discovery of the Mediterranean diet was accidental when a research was conducted to find out the secret behind the longer life and low rate of heart disease among a certain group of people in some of the countries in the Mediterranean area? That’s right! This diet had already been working even before it was discovered!

What It Is and What It’s Not

Mediterranean diet is based on the premise of proper proportion of food intake. It doesn’t work on the principle of reduction in the consumption of food but on the concept of balance. If you’ll look at this dietary pattern, you will notice that there’s very little restriction. One of the things you’ll surely love about it is that it will allow you to eat the foods that you like, as long as you do this in moderation. The diet is composed of all-natural foods that include plant-based products like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, together with moderate consumption of fish, eggs, poultry, dairy products, and even wine. Olive oil is the main source of fats, while salt is replaced by herbs and other natural spices.

Unlike other short-term dietary patterns focused on temporary treatments of health problems, this diet is a lifelong program that’s geared more toward a healthy lifestyle. And because the types of food included in this diet is not limited (plus, Mediterranean diet foods typically taste good!), it doesn’t create the craving that often comes after a certain diet program has been finished. Therefore, there’s less tendency that you’ll get back into your old eating habits and encounter the same problems.

Benefits

This diet is ideal either for gaining or losing weight. Studies also show that it is useful in preventing heart disease and reducing death rate caused by heart problems. Other medical conditions proven to have been treated by this diet are diabetes, cancer, and other cholesterol-related medical conditions. This could be explained by its richness in natural foods and its avoidance of processed foods and unhealthy fats.

And if you think that Mediterranean diet is all about food intake, you’re wrong. It works best when coupled with activities like exercises and outdoor family gatherings. It provides a holistic approach to a healthy living, focusing not on immediate results but on steady long-term benefits. So if you’re thinking about getting into a dietary program, this is one of the good options you can go for. After all, dieting shouldn’t really be so much of a struggle.

Mediterranean Diet: A Holistic Way To A Healthier Living is a post from: Plan Mediterranean Diets

1. Mediterranean diet is not as stringent as other dietary programs. This diet covers a variety of foods with little limitation. Therefore, you won’t feel deprived when you follow this eating pattern.
2. The foods included in the diet are tasty, so you’ll still enjoy your meals while you stay healthy.
3. This diet is a long-term eating pattern that targets overall well-being instead of being focused on individual problems like obesity and cancer.

All these reasons make this diet popular among those in search of a better health. If you plan to go into this diet, there are just a few things you need to remember. These things revolve around two main principles: first, more raw and natural foods and less processed products and, second, more plant-based foods and less meat.

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid

The Mediterranean diet guidelines are summed up in the Mediterranean diet food pyramid. This pyramid presents the different types of food in a hierarchy according to the recommended amount of consumption.

At the bottom of the pyramid are those that should be consumed more often. These include food rich in carbohydrates like pasta and bread, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables, and dairy foods like cheese and yogurt. Olive oil is also recommended as the main source of fat while wine is advised to be taken moderately together with meals. These are to be consumed daily, and the ideal serving of fruits is up to nine times a day. Recently, herbs and spices have also been included in this group to replace salt as flavorings.

Following this group in the pyramid are fish and other sea foods, eggs, and poultry. These are to be consumed in moderate amounts several times a week. For eggs, the ideal number is four pieces each week or fewer. And although Mediterranean diet favors fruits for dessert, sweets are also fine as long as they are taken moderately. An ideal example is honey.

The last in the pyramid is meat. Although it’s not totally banned in the diet, it’s only advised to be consumed in low amounts several times a month.

Together with this food pyramid, Mediterranean diet also stresses the importance of enjoying your meal (this is probably the reason this diet emphasizes flavors, albeit natural ones). These guidelines also highlight the importance of sharing meals with friends and family, and engaging in physical activities like walking and sports.

Right foods, more physical activities, and meal enjoyment—these are the core of the Mediterranean eating pattern. The rules are simple and the diet is ideal for any of your health goals, be it to lose weight or to simply live a healthier lifestyle. With these few reminders and Mediterranean diet guidelines in mind, you’ll be on your way to a healthier living.

Living Healthy By Following The Mediterranean Diet Guidelines is a post from: Plan Mediterranean Diets

The Discovery of Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet history can be traced back sometime around 50 years ago when this eating pattern was first discovered. But as to how long it had been existing prior to its discovery, nobody can tell for sure. This dietary model was uncovered during a health research conducted among seven countries in the vicinity of the Mediterranean Sea. Of the seven countries studied, researchers found out that certain areas in Greece and Italy exhibit the lowest rate of heart disease. Furthermore, people in these areas generally live longer than those in other countries. A further study traced these remarkable characteristics to the eating pattern of the people in the said region.

Background of the Mediterranean Eating Pattern

Researchers found the eating pattern of the Mediterranean people to be highly characterized by a proportionate distribution of food. Certain foods are consumed daily and in large amounts, others in moderate servings several times a week, and a few in very little portions. The hierarchy of the foods is as follows:

Foods consumed daily:

• Plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables
• Foods rich in carbohydrates like bread, rice, and cereals
• Olive oil as the main source of fat
• Dairy products like yogurt and cheese (moderate)
• Wine with every meal (moderate)

Foods consumed several times a week:

• Fish
• Eggs and poultry
• Sweets like honey and sugar (in little amount)

Food consumed a few times a month and in little amount:

• Meat

Mediterranean Diet at Present

Years after the study that introduced the eating pattern of the Mediterranean people, it was finally formalized and presented by Dr. Walter Willett. This eating pattern has now evolved into what we call Mediterranean diet. It has already been adapted by different groups of people, with certain variations occurring in each group according to their geographical conditions. There are areas, for instance, that use more lard and butter instead of olive oil simply because they do not have many olives available. Other factors that affect these variations are cost of products, taste preference, as well as modernization that result in the growing number of commercial establishments that process food instead of offering them in their natural state.

The growing number of dietary programs available today, all promising short-term and long-term benefits, can be confusing. But if you will look at them closely, you will notice that many are similar to the centuries-old diet practiced by the Mediterranean people. Despite this, you’ll also discover that only a few comes close to its credibility as proven by the rich Mediterranean diet history and the various studies that back it up.

The Mediterranean Region To The World: A Look At The Mediterranean Diet History is a post from: Plan Mediterranean Diets