The Mediterranean diet, which originated in Greece, Italy, and Spain, is now popular worldwide due to the immense health benefits it offers. This diet was noticed due to the low rates of coronary heart diseases in the Mediterranean countries compared to other countries in northern Europe and the United States. The risk of heart diseases like stroke and coronary heart disease is reduced to a great level by following this diet regularly.
1. Key components of the Mediterranean diet
The key components of this diet include the following:
- Limited consumption of red meat
- Daily consumption of vegetables and fruits
- Daily consumption of whole grains
- Daily consumption of healthy fats
- Weekly consumption of poultry, fish, and eggs
- Weekly consumption of beans
- Controlled and limited consumption of dairy products
- Reduced consumption of sugar
- A glass of wine with dinner
In this diet, meals consist of a good quantity of spices and various herbs. They add flavor to the meal, which, in turn, helps in reducing the consumption of salt. Also, in this diet, meals are cooked in olive oil, which promotes heart health.
2. The Mediterranean diet and heart health
Many studies have proven that this diet helps in managing and improving heart health. The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables and seafood and limits the consumption of meat and sugar, which consequently reduces the risk of various health ailments. Olive oil, which has monounsaturated fats, is used as the cooking medium in this diet. Also, it should be noted that wine should be taken in moderation only and as per the specifications as too much wine will lead to negative effects on heart health.
It is yet to be proven whether it is just one or two key constituents of this diet that play a major role in keeping you healthy or whether it is the combination of the whole diet. Dieticians recommend following the diet properly and regularly to enjoy the benefits. Merely changing the oil or eating seafood won’t get the desired results if the rest of the diet is not followed.
Another vital aspect of following this diet is that the meals are consumed in a group of family and friends, which adds to the sense of contentment while eating. It is important to adhere to these two aspects if you have decided to follow this diet.
3. Mediterranean diet and exercise
Along with following this diet, it is necessary to indulge in daily exercise and physical activities. This is an important and pertinent element of the Mediterranean diet as the benefit of exercise is to reduce stress, which has a favorable effect on both physical and mental health.