It has long been established that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest diets in the world, but it’s actually so much more than a diet – it’s a wellness lifestyle that can super-size your wellbeing and even add years to your life.
According to continuously emerging research, the healthy fats and plant foods that are staples of the Mediterranean lifestyle can guard your health against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, types of cancers and Alzheimer’s disease, and, overall, lead to a longer life span. For example, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology published a 2011 meta-analysis which, based on the results of 50 studies covering about 535,000 people, found that those who ate a Mediterranean diet had lower blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides.
The dietary patterns of residents of countries along the Mediterranean coast, such as those who live in southern Italy, Greece, and Spain, have been a huge source of inspiration in the Mediterranean diet. At its core, the Mediterranean diet is based on nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, unrefined cereals, high consumption of legumes, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of cheese and yogurt and occasional consumption of wine. It is also recommended to limit your consumption of red meat to a few times a month, and to exercise and enjoy food with family and friends when adopting the Mediterranean diet.
So why is the Mediterranean diet just so beneficial? The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables protect you from free radicals, which are chemicals that play a role in the development of cancer. This is also the case for the flavonoids in red wine, which also contributes to good health, and the high levels of monounsaturated fats in nuts, especially oleic acid, has been associated with a reduction in your risk of coronary heart disease. However, honey-roasted or heavily salted nuts should be avoided to get the optimum benefits in this area.
Furthermore, the olive oil that is a staple of the Mediterranean diet has been shown to play a role in lowering your ‘bad’ or LDL cholesterol, as well as showing signs of having anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects. Last of all, another important part of the diet is the whole grain, which contains very small amounts of unhealthy trans fats, and is often eaten with olive oil.
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