Your guide to the Mediterranean Diet - Part 1

The Mediterranean Diet is a delicious and easy way to get your health in check. Mirroring the way people eat in the Mediterranean, this diet has vast amount of health benefits. This diet is high in fresh vegetables and fruit, olive oil, olives, wine, fish, and whole grains.
 I am a strong believer in this way of eating because this is how I grew up eating in Israel.

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Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet 

• Increases your life span 
• Decreases risk and deaths due to heart disease
• Improves brain function 
• Improves eye health 
• Decreases risks for some cancers
• Decreases risk for diabetes 
• Lowers blood pressure and LDL Cholesterol (The bad cholesterol) 
• Protects against Alzheimer's & Parkinson's disease 
• Improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis 
• Lowers risk of risk 

Basically, every person can benefit from this way of eating, and as a bonus, its delicious! 

The root of the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet is that it is anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the underlying cause to many chronic diseases. Also, this diet reduces oxidative stress because it is high in anti-oxidants. (Read more about the importance of an anti-inflammaotry diet in my previous post, here.)

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Features of the Mediterranean Diet 

• Grains, Vegetables, and Fruits are a part of most of your meals 
• These foods are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber
• whole grains, minimally processed 
• fresh vegetables and fruits, unsweetened 
• Olive oil and olives are the main source of fat 
• Limit all other types of oils and spreads which are pro-inflammatory  
• Eat olives whole
• Use olive oil in cooking, baking, preparing salad dressings, and cooking vegetables 
• Nuts, beans, legumes, and seeds 
• provide healthy fats, protein, and fiber
• Herbs and spices used in large amounts 
• Can add flavor to your food without sodium or fat 
• Most herb and spices have additional health benefits and anti-oxidant properties 
• Cheese and Yogurt 
• Low-fat dairy products 
• Important for bone and heart health in low amounts 
• Fish 
• High in omega 3s, high in protein, and low in calories and saturated fat 
• Eggs 
• Used in place of meat in meals, limit a whole egg to 1 per day. 
• Good source of protein 
• Meats are limited 
• Poultry breast is eaten most often 
• Lean meats are eaten less often 
• Sweets are limited 
• Fruits are used as dessert 
• Sweetened desserts are consumed less often and in smaller portions 
• Wine is consumed often 
• 1 cup per day for women, and 2 cups per day for men. 
• Red wine has vast amount of health benefits 
• Water is the primary beverage of choice 
• Portion sizes 
• limit your portions of meats, sweets, wine, poultry, and eggs 
• Moderation is key 
• You may enjoy all your favorite foods in this diet, but in moderation. 
• Daily physical activity 
• include activity daily, from swimming to biking, do your favorite exercise. 
• Enjoy meals in the company of others 
• Enjoy your meals among family and friends 

Come back tomorrow for easy ways to integrate this diet into your life. I will include a shopping list, and quick tips. 

xoxo, 

Danielle 

This information is from the may 2012 issue of Today's Dietitian, a periodical for health professionals