Mediterranean Diet: A Beginner’s Guide

To keep us healthy and fit most people practice diet. Diet refers to an individual or group’s habitual eating pattern. Diet is usually practiced for health goals, like weight loss, muscle gain, managing chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, or simply maintaining overall health and well-being.

There are different types of diet practices to keep us fit and healthy similarity some of the types of diet are, the Mediterranean Diet, Ketogenic Diet, Paleo Diet, Vegan Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Flexitarian Diet, Low-Carb Diet, Low-Fat Diet, DASH Diet, Whole30 Diet, Intermittent Fasting, Weight Watchers (WW), Atkins Diet, Zone Diet, South Beach Diet

In this article, we will discuss the topic, “Mediterranean Diet: A Beginner’s Guide”

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is one of the famous and well-practiced diets where people tend to eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, and fish while limiting cuts of red meat, sugars, and processed foods. Similarly, the Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, which includes France, Spain, Greece, and Italy. Also, when you practice the Mediterranean diet, you tend to live a happy and healthier life and have a lower risk of many chronic conditions.

If you are new to the Mediterranean diet, this article would be much more helpful.

1. Focus on Plant-Based / Whole grain Foods: If you are planning to follow the Mediterranean Diet then stay focused on plant-based foods. Take plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds every day. Serve yourself with 7–10 varieties color of nutritious foods daily. Replace your pizza, burger, pastry etc. with whole wheat bread/pasta, brown rice, oats, and barley are great sources of fibre. Also, you can add types of beans and lentils to your daily diet because they are excellent plant-based proteins. Where Nuts and seeds are loaded with protein and healthy fats which helps us to keep fill enough for the next meal. To increase the quantity of your food, increase the size of colorful vegetables.

   

2. Eat More Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids are the game changers for our Mediterranean diet, Fatty fishlike salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring are the main protein sources. This kind of fish contains high doses of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels. Besides this, white fish and shellfish are also good lean protein sources, but they are not quite as high in omega-3s. Replace your red meat consumption with fatty fish, especially salmon, sardines, and mackerel, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and are highly loaded with multiple health benefits.

   

3. Skip the Added Sugar (Most of the Time): Skipping the added sugar is the main part of any type of diet. If you are a Highly processed food lover, then you need to stop today because they are not part of the Mediterranean diet. However, it doesn’t mean you need to cut off your sugar you can enjoy smaller amounts of cookies and ice cream for special occasions. Besides this, your sugar craving can be satisfied by other foods like fruits and sweet potatoes. You need to take a proper look into the ingredients when you buy from the market because foods often contain unhealthy fats, added sugars, and refined grains, which can contribute to weight gain and chronic diseases.

   

4. Herbs and spices: Herbs and spices play a vital role in Mediterranean cuisine, when you add your favorite herbs and spices to your dish it gives extra taste, flavor, and fragrance, and also loaded with lots of health benefits. Besides, this culinary prowess they have extra health-promoting properties, from antioxidant-rich oregano to anti-inflammatory turmeric, nourishing both body and soul. Every sprinkle and pinch of herbs and spices enriches meals with flavor, culture, and a dash of Mediterranean magic. Some of the herbs and spices that give extra taste to our cuisine are Parsley, Cilantro, ginger garlic, mint thyme, Dill Sage, Rosemary tarragon, Basil and Oregano.

   

5. Cook with Plant-Based Oil Instead of Butter: Using Plant-based oil has many more advantages than using butter while cooking. Cooking food with healthy plant-based oils like olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil helps lower your cholesterol and improve your heart health. Whereas plant-based oils are a good source of unsaturated fats. This will not only help to maintain your Mediterranean diet, but this will also be very helpful for your healthy heart. So replace your butter with plant-based oil and enjoy your happy meal.

Here is the list of fruits and vegetables that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Berries
• Apples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Pears
• Clementines
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Avocado
• Apricots
• Figs
• Dates
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Artichokes
• Greens (kale, spinach, collards, arugula)
• Cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• Beets
• Onions
• Zucchini
• Peppers
• Peas

Whole Grains

Here is the list of Whole grain that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Whole-grain breads
• Corn
• Oats
• Brown rice
• Bulgur
• Buckwheat
• Farro
• Barley
• Couscous
• Wheat berries

Fish/ Poultry/ Meat

Here is the list of fish/ Poultry and Meat that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Sardines
• Other seafood as desired
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pork
• Beef
• Lamb (a few times per month or less)

Dairy Products

Here is the list of  Dairy products that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Unprocessed cheeses like,

1. Feta
2. Brie
3. Cotija
4. Swiss
5. Halloumi
6. Ricotta
7. Manchego
8. Parmesan

• Plain yogurt
• Greek yogurt

Nuts, Seeds & Legumes

Here is the list of Nuts, Seeds and Legumes that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Chickpeas
• Black beans
• Kidney beans
• Pinto beans
• Lentils (all types)
• Fava beans
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Cashews
• Pine nuts
• Sesame seeds

Herbs & Spices

Here is the list of herbs and Spices that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Mint
• Thyme
• Dill
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Tarragon
• Basil
• Oregano

Plants Bases Oil

Here is the list of Plants-Based oils that help you in your Mediterranean Diet, 

• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Avocado oil
• Peanut oil
• Sesame oil
• Sunflower oil

Mediterranean diet for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

However, there is various Mediterranean diet that you can follow besides here are some tips that you can follow that can be more helpful for you to adopt it.

Mediterranean diet Breakfast:

1. Take whole-grain bread and add a topping with a small amount of low-fat cheese and slices of fresh tomato drizzled for extra flavor you can add olive oil Basil and oregano.
2. Take a crusty whole-grain bread and have a bite with a vegetable omelets made with mushrooms, spinach, and onions cooked in olive oil.
3. Take a plain Greek yogurt topped with nuts and fresh berries or fruits.

Mediterranean diet Lunch:

1. For lunch you can take Greek salad made with chopped mixed greens, kalamata olives, tomatoes, fresh parsley, and feta cheese make up it with extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon.
2. For the lunch, you can take soaked chickpea and farro salad garnished with red peppers, spring onions, and fresh oregano, and makeup with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
3. For the lunch, you can take vegetarian pizza topped with part-skim mozzarella cheese, roasted broccoli, onions, green peppers, and carrots.

Mediterranean diet Dinner:

1. For the dinner, you can take grilled vegetable kabobs with shrimp, toasted quinoa salad, and add a mixture of green salad with pine nuts.
2. For dinner you can take, chicken stir-fried in olive oil with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and yellow peppers, served over brown rice and add some spices and herbs to give extra flavor and taste.
3. For the dinner, you can take steamed mussels with spinach-orzo salad and minestrone.

Snacks Idea for the Mediterranean Diet

1. Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
2. Mediterranean Veggie Platter
3. Whole Grain Crackers with Cheese
4. Stuffed Grape Leaves
5. Mediterranean Antipasto Plate
6. Olive Tapenade on Crostini
7. Tuna Salad Stuffed with Mini Bell Peppers
8. Roasted Chickpeas
9. Caprese Skewers
10. Fruit and Nut Trail Mix

FAQS

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is one of the famous and well-practiced diets where people tend to eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, and fish while limiting cuts of red meat, sugars, and processed foods. Similarly, the Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, which includes France, Spain, Greece, and Italy.

What are the health benefits of adopting the Mediterranean Diet?

There are numerous of health benefits of adopting the Mediterranean Diet including reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers besides it also helps to improve weight management, cognitive function, and longevity.

Can I lose weight on the Mediterranean Diet?

Yes, you can lose weight with the help of Mediterranean diet, it supports you during your weight loss journey by combining portion control and regular physical activity.

Which foods should I take on the Mediterranean diet?

Foods that are commonly consumed in the Mediterranean Diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, seafood, poultry, olive oil, herbs, and spices.

Is wine a part of the Mediterranean Diet?

Probably yes, red wine during meals, is often included as part of the Mediterranean Diet. However, it’s important to drink alcohol in moderation consider individual health factors and avoid drinking wine in large amounts.

Also, read more about 20 healthy snacks to lose weight