The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy option for weight loss, notes the Mayo Clinic. The eating plan incorporates meals and ingredients common to diets in the Mediterranean countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, like Italy and Spain. A Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of complications from heart disease and can be a helpful weight-loss tool. A Mediterranean diet may decrease the risk of developing dementia and cancer.
Pile on Fruits and Vegetables
Skip red meat in a few meals each week and substitute dishes made from potatoes, avocados, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. Incorporate strawberries, oranges and grapes in desserts. Mediterranean diets typically include as many as nine servings per day of fruits and vegetables, high in antioxidants. Antioxidants can reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries and heart disease.
Snack on Nuts
Eat a handful of nuts every day as a source of healthy fats. While Mediterranean diets are high in nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecans and hazelnuts, they are loaded with calories, so eat them in moderation. Choose plain, roasted nuts over salted or honey-roasted nuts.
Use Olive Oil
Sprinkle olive oil on salads and cooked vegetables. Dunk bread in herb-infused olive oil. Olive oil is a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Use extra virgin or virgin olive oil for higher amounts of essential nutrients.
Choose Whole Grain Bread
Skip the butter and margarine on bread, like the people in the Mediterranean regions. Choose whole grain breads over white bread to add essential vitamins and fiber to your diet.
Drink Red Wine
Drink a glass of red wine or substitute a glass of purple grape juice to complete the Mediterranean diet. Red wine contains important antioxidants and serve as a blood thinner to combat clots, but has other side effects that are dangerous for those with heart or liver disease. The seeds and skin of grapes in juice also destroy free radicals and is just as effective as wine, report doctors at the Women's Heart Foundation.
Eat More Fish
Eat fish at least once or twice a week for another source of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish, another important ingredient in Mediterranean diets, also provides a good amount of the healthy fats that lower triglyceride levels.
Eat with Friends and Family
Eat with others to maintain your emotional health and self-esteem, which increase the odds that you'll maintain healthy eating habits at all times. People in Mediterranean countries tend to eat their meals with family and friends around. Traditional Mediterranean mealtimes are an integral part of a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise.
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