The Mediterranean diet promote the addition of larger amounts of healthy fat into your diet while slightly reducing the amount of carbs compared to the standard American diet. However, the macronutrient ratio can be pushed further to lower the carb intake to a lower level while following the foundation principles of the Mediterranean diet, which encourages the consumption of healthy monounsaturated fats, plant-based whole foods and unrefined carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates on the Mediterranean Diet
The main carbohydrate sources on the Mediterranean diet come from whole and unprocessed foods, such as grains, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables. These carbohydrate-rich foods form the foundation of the Mediterranean pyramid diet, along with olive oil, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and it is recommended to include them at each of your meal when following a traditional Mediterranean diet. The consumption of soft drinks, fruit juice, sugar and desserts is discouraged by this way of eating.
Establishing Your Carb Target
If you wish to keep your carbohydrate intake lower while following the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet, all you need to do is determine how much carbs you want to include in your diet. A traditional Mediterranean diet easily contains at least 150 g of carbs a day, while a lower carb diet usually provides between 50 and 150 g a day. You may decide to only cut on you carb intake simply by decreasing your servings of bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, legumes or fruits to get around 30 to 45 g worth of carbs at each meal. If you prefer to further restrict your carb intake, you can eliminate grains, legumes and potatoes from most of your meals and only get small amounts of carbs, about 10 to 25 g at each meal, from non-starchy vegetables and fruits. Track your carb intake and see what amount appears to work the best for you.
Following A Lower Carb Mediterranean Diet
A healthy Mediterranean diet with a lower carb content should be based on an abundance of low-carb, non-starchy vegetables. Include leafy greens, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers or eggplants at each of your meals. Complement your meals with 4 to 6 oz. of lean sources of protein from fish, seafood, poultry, eggs and cheese and 1 to 2 tbsp. of healthy fats from olive oil. Add a small amounts of carbs from grains, legumes, fruits or starchy vegetables according to your carbohydrate allowance. Snack on nuts and seeds and on fruits if your carb budget allows it.
Health Benefits
A study investigated the impact of a low-carb Mediterranean diet in 31 obese subjects, as reported in the October 2008 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition." Participants had to include 2 tbsp. of olive oil and one to two glasses of red wine a day, along with plenty of leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables as their main source of carbohydrates and fish as their main source of protein, without limiting their calorie intake. In 12 weeks, the participants' average body weight dropped from 239.5 lbs to 208.3 lbs. Their blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels also improved significantly during the study period.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Mediterranean diet: Choose This Heart-Healthy Diet Option
- 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; Joaquín Pérez-Guisado, et al.; October 2008
Member Comments