The Mediterranean diet is a popular diet recommend for heart health. This diet promotes the consumption of whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, olive oil, fish and seafood in large amounts, in addition to moderate amounts of red wine. However, these diets tend to encourage the consumption of a relatively high amount of carbohydrates from whole grains, legumes and fruits that may not be suitable for people preferring the low-carb approach to keep their weight within control. There is now the possibility of following a low-carb Mediterranean diet that takes the best out of these two popular eating plans.
Low-carb Diets
Low-carb diets usually provide between 50 and 150g of carbohydrates per day, although the carbohydrate target can vary depending on the individual and between phases of most low-carb diet plans. Low-carb diets are based on an abundance of non-starchy vegetables, an adequate amount of protein and healthy servings of fats, while avoiding or limiting the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods. Carbohydrates can be found under the form of starches or sugar in the following foods: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, all fruits and fruit juices, beans, lentils, candies, desserts, baked goods, soft drinks and all forms of sugars.
Mediterranean Diets
The Mediterranean diet was discovered in the middle of the 20th century after observing that people living around the Mediterranean sea benefited from a longer life expectancy and lower risk of chronic diseases. The Mediterranean diet is based on the consumption of whole and unprocessed foods with large amounts of monounsaturated fats, which come from their main source of fat: olive oil. Plant-based foods, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables, form the foundation of the Mediterranean diet, which is completed with an adequate source of protein, mainly provided by poultry and fish.
Combining Low-carb and Mediterranean Diets
A low-carb Mediterranean diet recommends eating between 20 and 30g of carbohydrates during the first phase, followed by the consumption of 40 to 100g of carbs a day during the subsequent phase. The basis of the low-carb Mediterranean diet is unlimited amount of protein, ideally half from fish and the remaining half from animal sources of protein. Two to three tablespoons of olive oil are encouraged, in addition to about 1 oz. of nuts, plenty of vegetables, one to two glasses of red wine and up to 3 oz. of cheese a day. To this foundation, small servings of carbohydrate-rich foods, such as fruits, legumes, whole grains, yogurt, milk and starchy vegetables, can be added according to the daily carb target.
Health Benefits
A study published in the October 2008 issue of the "Nutrition Journal" showed that a low-carb Mediterranean diet can bring many health benefits. In the 31 obese participants, the average weight loss reached over 31 lbs. in only 12 weeks. Moreover, their blood pressure, total blood cholesterol levels, bad LDL cholesterol, triglycerides levels and blood sugar levels were all significantly decreased, while their levels of good heart-protective HDL cholesterol were significantly raised.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Mediterranean Diet: Choose this Heart-healthy Diet Option
- The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: The Traditional Mediterranean Diet
- The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet
- The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Diabetic Mediterranean Diet
- Nutrition Journal: Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: A Healthy Cardiovascular Diet for Weight Loss
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