Eating a well-balanced and healthy diet is linked to lower risk for many diseases and may help you to keep from becoming overweight. One diet that may be a good option is the Mediterranean diet. This is a diet that is similar to the way people eat in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Each country has its own typical diet, but there are similarities among them, and these similarities form the focus for the Mediterranean diet recommendations.
Features
The Mediterranean diet involves eating plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains. Fish should be consumed at least twice a week, and olive oil and nuts should be the main sources of dietary fat. Eggs, poultry, wine and dairy products are eaten in low to moderate amounts.
Foods to Avoid
Foods high in salt, sugar and saturated or trans fats should be avoided or consumed rarely when on the Mediterranean diet. This includes red meat, desserts, sweets, processed meats and butter.
Benefits
You may be less likely to be overweight if you follow the Mediterranean diet, according to an article on the Fox News website published in 2010. You may also be less at risk for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Considerations
The typical Mediterranean diet is higher in fat than what the American Heart Association recommends, which could cause weight gain if you don't watch your fat intake. Also, Medline Plus notes that reducing meat and dairy consumption may make you more likely to become deficient in calcium and iron if you don't get these nutrients from other sources.
Expert Insight
The American Heart Association, or AHA, recommends further research into the Mediterranean diet before recommending it as a heart-healthy diet because the benefits noted may be due in part to other lifestyle factors, such as having more social support or being more active. However, the AHA does note that this diet is similar in many ways to the diet the organization recommends, including the low intake of saturated fat and increased fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption.
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