Dieting can be an unappealing thought because it is usually associated with deprivation or having to endure the taste of flat-tasting dishes. If you are one of these individuals who would like to lose weight without having too many restrictions in your diet, you can try the Mediterranean Diet. It focuses on making healthy food choices and eating in moderation rather than restricting the consumption of certain food groups.
What Do You Have To Give Up?
In the Mediterranean, the diet consists of mostly whole grains, breads, fish and anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables. Their fat consumption consists of good fats found in nuts, olive oil and canola oil. Although the consumption of meat is not restricted, it is consumed in small amounts. The meals they also come with some red wine which is consumed in moderation.
Why Is It Good?
Aside from allowing you to enjoy your meal, the Mediterranean Diet can also help you prevent the occurrence of heart diseases and cancer. Since the consumption of fish is encouraged by this diet, you take in a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower the amount of triglycerides in your body and keep your blood vessels healthy. And, because it encourages you to load up on fruits and vegetables that are rich in anti-oxidants, it can also help you prevent cancer.
What Should You Eat?
- Fruits and vegetables. People who follow the Mediterranean Diet consume around 9 servings of vegetables and fruits in a day.
- Bread and whole grains. This is the source of carbohydrates for this diet. Of course, in order to lose weight, the bread should not be eaten with butter or margarine. Instead, it is dipped in olive oil.
- Olive oil and canola oil. Only monounsaturated fats are used for cooking.
- Fish. This is eaten regularly as a source of protein. The consumption of meat is done sparingly.
- Nuts. A small portion of nuts is also part of the diet. This can be another protein source and is also great for snacking. Try putting almonds in your diet as it has been proven to help in speeding up weight loss.
- Wine. This is consumed in moderation. It can be a great way to end lunch or dinner as it has been shown to stop people from craving for sweets.
The Disclaimer
No diet is perfect. For the Mediterranean Diet, you should always make sure that you do not consume a lot of olive oil or canola oil. Although it is filled with good fats, it does not mean that it will not make you fat if you eat too much.
Maryrose Roque - Maryrose Roque, a budding writer in the Health and Wellness section, joined Suite101 on April 23, 2009. Being a TESOL-certified English ...
