Mediterranean diet: Foods to eat, health benefits and how to get started

The Mediterranean diet is a well-researched way of eating that can help improve overall health. It focuses on whole, plant-based foods and healthy fats. These are scientifically proven to reduce the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease.

What do you eat in a Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet consists of many foods found in regions that border the Mediterranean Sea. These types of foods provide a variety of vitamins and nutrients that nourish our body. Food groups that are part of the Mediterranean diet include:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds, including almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds
• Beans and legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans
• Whole grains like whole wheat bread, quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta
• Fish and seafood
• Healthy fats and oils, including extra virgin olive oil and avocado and nut oils

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Try this recipe for Mediterranean spiced salmon

What foods are not part of the Mediterranean diet?

If you're trying to follow the Mediterranean diet, eat these items less often or in small amounts:

• Highly processed foods (such as sodas, sugary fruit juices and chips)
• Refined carbohydrates (such as white bread, white rice and pastries)
• Fatty or processed meats (such as bacon, sausages, hot dogs and deli meats)
• High sodium foods (such as salted nuts, instant soups and canned products)
• Foods high in saturated fats (such as beef, coconut oil, butter and processed cheese)

These types of foods are often linked to various health issues like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They tend to be high in unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium, which contributes to poor health.

Check out this guide to low sodium eating

What are the benefits of a Mediterranean diet?

There are several health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, including potential weight loss. Below are six benefits of this eating plan:

1. Heart health: Many researchers found that people who adhere to the Mediterranean diet had lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood glucose levels.
2. Sleep quality: Researchers found that the Mediterranean diet is linked to better sleep quality, improves sleep efficiency and reduces the time it takes to fall asleep.
3. Cancer risk: The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, healthy fats and anti-inflammatory foods. These can lower the risk of certain cancers.
4. Mental health: The Mediterranean diet is shown to improve mental health and quality of life. It can also reduce depression and cognitive decline.
5. Diabetes: Many studies have shown that people who follow the Mediterranean diet lower their chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Additionally, research has shown people who follow the Mediterranean diet have lower Hemoglobin A1C levels.
6. Weight management: Studies show that people on this diet have lower weight gain over time. This reduces the chance of becoming overweight or obese. The Mediterranean diet is also linked to weight loss.

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How should I get started with a Mediterranean diet?

Here are a few tips to guide you along in the Mediterranean diet:

1. Add more fruits and vegetables: Start small. Add a little bit of fruit or a few vegetables into your eating routine. For example, if you like to snack, try eating a cup of fruit or a couple sticks of celery with peanut butter. For meals, you can slowly add in steamed vegetables like broccoli or carrots. Be creative. Find something that works for your eating routine.
2. Incorporate whole grains: Slowly replace refined grains with whole grain alternatives. For example, if you like white rice, consider gradually switching to brown rice.
3. Switch to olive oil: Instead of using butter for cooking, use olive oil to help cut down on saturated fat.
4. Consider reducing red meat: Try to cut back on eating red meat. Eat more fish or seafood instead.

Learn about the health benefits of olive oil

Remember to take it slowly and add in one change at a time. These small steps can lead to big changes in your health and well-being over time. For this reason, the Mediterranean diet can be an easy gateway to healthy eating habits.

This blog was written by Fatima Catolos and review by our registered dietitian Haley Kanada.

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