The Mediterranean diet is part of a lifestyle, based on a healthy diet that can help you prevent many diseases and also to lose body weight.
In this article, we talk about the Mediterranean diet, how you can prepare it and also what are the benefits for your health.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is a type of diet that arises in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is a diet that is mainly based on the content of foods of vegetable origin in meals, although proteins of animal origin are also incorporated.
You should know: It has been proven that diets rich in saturated fats, trans fatty acids and refined carbohydrates, along with a low intake of antioxidants and fiber, added to a sedentary lifestyle, have been harmful to human health. (1)
Due to its wide recognition as a healthy diet, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared it Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Many have described it as a Mediterranean-style diet due to its origin.
One of the main benefits of this diet is that it prevents cardiovascular diseases, due to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, low content of saturated fats, great contribution of dietary fibers and a good contribution of healthy proteins.
Note: If your goal is to lose body weight using this diet, you should incorporate physical exercise into your daily routine and you will see very good results in a short time.
How is the Mediterranean diet made?
Below we explain how this diet is structured and some examples of how you can do it:
1. Foods allowed in the Mediterranean diet
For the success of this diet, it is necessary to include the following foods in the recipes and menu: vegetables, fruits and vegetables, nuts, cereals, virgin olive oil, quality proteins such as oily fish and plenty of hydration with water.
This is mainly due to the amount of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty oils, oxidizing compounds, proteins and carbohydrates that these foods contain. Even the consumption of wine in moderation is allowed due to its resveratrol content, a powerful antioxidant.
To highlight: The Mediterranean diet is made on the basis of a nutritional pyramid, where the base indicates the highest proportion of food that should be consumed. (two)
2. Foods prohibited in the Mediterranean diet
One of the main recommendations for this diet is the elimination of industrially processed foods , due to their high content of saturated fat and sodium, as well as other chemical compounds that are used as preservatives.
You should also reduce the intake of red meat, dairy products, refined foods such as sugar, non-integral flours, and in the case of eggs, they should be consumed in moderation.
3. Example of a menu in the Mediterranean diet
Next, we are going to mention some examples of how you can organize the Mediterranean diet for your daily eating routine:
Breakfast
For breakfast you can organize your menu in the following way: you can combine skimmed milk, cereals and a citrus fruit juice that can be orange or toast two slices of whole wheat bread with olive oil and tomato, or perhaps oat milk with whole wheat toast and low-fat, low-salt cheese.
Lunch
For lunch you can combine lentils with vegetables and some macaroni with tomatoes and cheese, for dessert a low-sugar chocolate custard. You can also try a zucchini cream with oregano and pepper, with pork and mushrooms, for dessert banana flambéed with cocoa.
Dinner
For dinner you can make a menu with the following characteristics: a Mediterranean pizza or carrot and pumpkin cream accompanied by grilled mackerel. (3)
Note: The menus shown here are simple indicative examples of how a Mediterranean diet can be formed in one day. On the subject of menus for this type of diet, there is a great diversity of written publications which you can consult on the web.
What are the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet?
Due to the natural composition of the foods that make up a Mediterranean diet, they have the ability to provide numerous micronutrients, as well as chemical compounds that directly benefit our health. Here are some of those benefits:
1. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
The vegetables that make up this diet make up the main source of numerous compounds with the property of eliminating free radicals that act against the degradation of low-density cholesterol.
In this sense, it helps to prevent the formation of fat on the walls of veins and arteries, being able to prevent cardiovascular diseases such as cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiomyopathies, heart attacks, among others. (4)
To highlight: Olive oil contains fatty acids of the 3 types in an approximate proportion of 79% monounsaturated, 13% saturated and 6% polyunsaturated, which are directly involved in the regulation of bad cholesterol. (5)
2. Regulates blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar
Antioxidants, dietary fiber , phytosterols, monounsaturated fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids, promote heart health, having the property of regulating the presence of cholesterol and glucose in the blood, either through the digestive tract or through through other interesting metabolic mechanisms.
In this sense, some studies indicate that the regulation of cholesterol and sugar in the organism achieved by this diet prevents problems in the circulatory system such as arterial hypertension. (6)
You should know: This type of food is also rich in potassium, a mineral that acts as a vasodilator of blood vessels, facilitating blood circulation .
3. Fights oxidative damage
Oxidative damage occurs in cells, due to the attack of excess free radical molecules in the body, deteriorating healthy cells and anticipating their aging, even stimulating the development and proliferation of cancer cells.
This diet provides, through vegetables, large amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C or vitamin E. In addition, it has another diversity of chemical compounds called polyphenols that enhance this antioxidant activity, preventing premature cell deterioration.
Important: In this diet , the consumption of saturated fats, processed foods, red meat and dairy products is limited, since there is evidence that they increase the presence of free radicals in the body. (7)
4. Stimulates intestinal transit
The consumption of dietary fiber through the Mediterranean diet facilitates the transit of food in the digestive tract. Its soluble fiber content absorbs the water content of food, forming a gelatinous ball with it that slows down and facilitates its passage through the small intestine and in turn regulates the absorption of nutrients.
While, insoluble fiber increases the density of fecal matter, facilitating transit through the colon until its excretion.
Note: The fiber contained in the foods of this diet helps prevent diseases such as constipation, colic, among others. (8)
5. Helps lose weight
Another of the characteristics of this diet is that it is low in calories due to its low content of saturated fats and the carbohydrates it contains are healthy, so there is no reason to worry about the amount of calories to consume.
In addition, among the antioxidants, dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, ensure a constant loss of body fat.
Note: Nuts and virgin olive oil constitute a healthy energy source for the body.
What risks does the Mediterranean diet have?
The fact that this diet tends to suppress or reduce the consumption of certain foods can cause a deficiency of other nutrients that the body needs. For example, the decrease in the consumption of dairy products could cause calcium deficiency, an important mineral for the body’s bone structure.
Important: You should consult your doctor or nutritionist about the additional recommendations in case you start the Mediterranean diet and thus guarantee the consumption of all the nutrients your body needs.
Another aspect to highlight could be the contribution of amino acids that come from red meat, which, as we know, contains them all, and is essential for building and repairing muscle mass, unlike protein of plant origin.
Key Findings
- The Mediterranean diet is considered as part of a healthy lifestyle.
- This diet is based on the consumption of foods mainly from the vegetable kingdom, although it includes some from the animal kingdom.
- It is considered as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
- This diet brings benefits to cardiovascular health, the circulatory system, the digestive system and strengthens the immune system.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.