When considering a diet, you have a multitude of choices but long-term benefits depend on adopting a healthy diet with the right amount of nutrients. A diet that is close to the U.S. dietary guidelines for optimal health is the Mediterranean Diet, an ideal meal plan incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables, fibrous legumes and nuts, whole grain cereals, omega fatty-acid fish and olive oil. Compared with the traditional American diet of red meat and dairy products, the Mediterranean Diet is much lower in saturated fat and supplies the essential vitamins, minerals and proteins for a healthy body.
Protein
Protein is essential for healthy skin, bones, muscles and tissue. The Mediterranean Diet encourages eating fish at least twice a week, including salmon, albacore tuna, sardines mackerel, trout and herring that contain omega 3 fatty acids which help regulate blood pressure and clotting. The Mayo Clinic lists the recommended protein at 10 to 35 percent of your total daily calories, equal to 50 to 175 g per day based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The Mediterranean Diet limits red meat, excluding sausage, bacon and other high-fat meats and suggests obtaining your protein from poultry and eggs or plant sources including beans, nuts and seeds, lentils and soy.
Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamin D
There is a close chemical relationship between calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus to promote strong bones, regulate blood clotting and provide strength and stability for the whole body. The Mediterranean Diet advises at least three servings of fish or eggs per week in addition to green leafy vegetables, cereals and beans that will help to meet your daily intake of 400 to 500 mg of calcium, as listed by HealthVitaminsGuide.com. Sources of phosphorus on the Mediterranean Diet, to meet your daily 1000 mg requirements, include dairy products, tuna and nuts and seeds.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins are water-soluble vitamins that need continuously replacement by food each day. The B-complex group of vitamins include riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin, folate and pantothenic acid and are important for healthy skin, eyes and nervous system and red blood cell formation, according to Colorado State University. All the foods included in the Mediterranean Diet --- enriched grains, lean meat, eggs, vegetables and low-fat dairy products, are sources of B vitamins. Vitamin C assists the immune system to heal wounds, form bones, strengthens blood vessel walls and help absorb iron. Since the Mediterranean Diet revolves around the consumption of fruit and vegetables, you will meet the DI of 75 to 90 mg daily for vitamin C.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins A,E and D are fat-soluble vitamins because they must be dissolved in fat before they can be absorbed in the blood stream. Because excesses are stored in the liver, they are not needed every day in the diet.
Potassium and Sodium
Too much sodium, in salt and many processed foods, can contribute to high blood pressure. The Dietary Guidelines 2005 recommends limiting salt consumption to 2,300 mg per day, less if you have hypertension. Cut your salt intake by flavoring foods with spices and herbs, garlic and pepper. Balance your intake of potassium to sodium at a ratio of 2 to1. Sources of potassium are Mediterranean Diet recommended vegetables such as potato, squash, tomato, carrots, broccoli and avocado.
Benefits
Low-fat diets rich in fruit and vegetables, such as the Mediterranean Diet style of eating has shown to reduce the risk of health issues including Parkinson and Alzheimer's, cancer and lung disease, asthma and allergies, according to the Mediterranean Diet website. The Lyon Diet Heart Study found the Mediterranean Diet reduced risk of overall cardiovascular mortality. Subjects in the study that ate a specific Mediterranean-type diet had a 50 to 70 percent reduced risk of recurrent heart disease.
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