The benefits of the Mediterranean diet
The benefits of the Mediterranean diet
Few diets have the honor of being considered healthy by the WHO and, furthermore, being listed as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The Mediterranean diet is one of them. And it is that its ability to prevent heart attacks, strokes and premature death make it one of the most recommended diets that exist.
- Here we present its most emblematic foods, and if you want to try it, we will tell you how to follow the current Mediterranean diet.
Olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is the star of the Mediterranean diet. In the 1950s, the mortality rate in Mediterranean countries was found to be lower than in the rest of the developed world; and it was attributed, among other factors, to the fact that oil was used as the main source of fat instead of butter, margarine or other less healthy fats.
- According to the Predimed Study, whose acronym stands for PREVENTION with MEDiterranean DIET, the consumption of extra virgin olive oil reduces the risk of having a first heart attack or stroke by 30%. It is a heart-healthy fat that helps regulate blood cholesterol levels, among other health benefits.
If you want to know more, discover why it is better for olive oil to be extra virgin.
Nuts
Nuts
Nuts are also on the list of foods in the Mediterranean diet that are essential. Due to their high fat content (between 50 and 70% of their weight) they got the bad name of not being suitable to lose weight. But it is a mistake because, like oil, they are a source of heart-healthy omega 3 and omega 6 fats and do not have cholesterol (the key is to eat them in just the right amount).
- They provide proteins of vegetable origin, essential vitamins and minerals with an antioxidant effect, and a lot of fiber. According to several studies, including Predimed, people who consume nuts daily suffer fewer cardiovascular problems, and their regular intake reduces the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by 30%.
Vegetables and greens
Vegetables and greens
Another of the pillars of the traditional Mediterranean diet is the abundance of vegetables, which are rich in water, have few calories and a lot of fiber, so they can be eaten in greater quantities than other more caloric foods. And there is evidence that its consumption defends us against numerous diseases: arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke or different types of cancer.
- Insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits is among the top 10 risk factors for mortality in the world. In the Predimed study, it was observed that people who ate more vegetables had a risk reduction of 24%.
Fresh fruit
Fresh fruit
Like vegetables, it is also recommended to eat several servings of fruit a day (until completing the famous 5 fruits and vegetables a day), something common in the Mediterranean diet of a lifetime. The fruit is rich in water, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help to strengthen the defenses, protect us from infections and prevent the appearance of many diseases.
- It has been calculated that increasing the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables could save more than a million lives a year (there would be 19% fewer gastrointestinal cancers, 30% fewer heart attacks and 11% fewer strokes).
Whole grain bread, pasta and cereals
Wholegrain bread, pasta and cereals
Along with pasta and rice, bread is another of the staples of the Mediterranean diet. All three have in common that they are or are made with cereals. Cereals are rich in carbohydrates, provide vegetable proteins and very little fat, and are a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, as well as phytosterols, plant substances that, among other properties, help reduce cholesterol.
- To take full advantage of the benefits of cereals, it is recommended to eat them daily in preference to whole grains as they contain more fiber and nutrients than refined ones.
Vegetables
Vegetables
They have always been present in the dishes of traditional Mediterranean food because they are very nutritious and inexpensive foods to the point that, in many houses, they constituted the basis of food together with cereals. Its consumption was decreasing for believing that it was a poor food, not very light and difficult to digest. But the scientific evidence of its multiple health benefits has made legumes one of the most recommended superfoods .
- They are very rich in complex carbohydrates, they provide practically no fat and are very rich in vegetable proteins, with the advantage that they do not provide saturated fat and cholesterol unlike many proteins of animal origin.
Find out where to find vegetable protein and how to incorporate it well into your dishes.
Blue Fish
Blue Fish
Another of the beneficial factors attributed to the lifelong Mediterranean diet is the high consumption of fish to the detriment of meat thanks to the proximity to the sea of the countries that traditionally followed it. Fish are rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids, a heart-healthy fat and also very beneficial for losing weight.
- Small and Mediterranean blue fish (anchovies, anchovies, sardines, mackerel …) is the most recommended because it is very rich in omega 3, accumulates less heavy metals than larger ones such as tuna, provides a lot of calcium if eaten with thorns, and being of proximity it is more economical and sustainable.
Here are quick and easy recipes with a can of sardines.
Sheep and goat cheese
Sheep and goat cheese
Within the current Mediterranean diet, it is recommended to take two daily servings of dairy, preferably yogurt and cheese, and in the case of the latter it is considered better to be goat or sheep.
- Apart from its high protein content, sheep's cheese has more calcium and vitamins than cow's cheese. And goat is better digested because its milk contains less lactose, casein and fat particles than cow's.
Seeds
Seeds
Like nuts, it is also recommended to eat seeds such as sesame, flax and poppy seeds daily, or pumpkin and sunflower seeds, which have been present in Mediterranean cookbooks since ancient times and are very beneficial for health.
- Sesame seeds. In addition to vitamins and minerals, they have a high amount of proteins of vegetable origin and unsaturated fats.
- Flax seeds. They are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and soluble fiber that are beneficial for the heart, and help to lower cholesterol and take care of the health of the intestine.
- Poppy seeds. They are a great source of calcium, iron and vitamin A with an antioxidant effect.
- Pumpkin seeds. They have a lot of fiber, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, and they have a large number of vitamins and minerals.
- Sunflower seeds. Its high percentage of fiber, minerals and folic acid stands out. And they are rich in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids that help raise good cholesterol and reduce bad.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit
Finally, we must not forget another of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet of a lifetime: the tradition of drying or dehydrating fruits (grapes and prunes, figs, dates, dried apricots …) to preserve the surpluses when it was in its best time, and thus be able to enjoy them all year round.
- Drying is a much healthier preservation technique than compotes or jams, since no sugar is added; and makes dried fruit on the list of tolerable processed foods as an aperitif or snack.
Find out here why added sugar is bad.
