The Mediterranean diet, the best way of eating?

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet doesn’t really exist as a single fixed diet. It is more a set of nutritional principles that are not only good for your heart and blood vessels but also help you lose weight if you are overweight. These principles do not exclude fats and carbohydrates. The diet does not impose restrictions, which makes this way of eating easier to maintain over time.

Observational studies have also shown that the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower overall and cardiovascular mortality, and with a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer, especially colorectal, aerodigestive, oropharyngeal, prostate, and breast cancer.

These nutritional principles were established in the late 1950s by Ancel Keys. To do so, he conducted a study in seven different countries.

• 7 to 10 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
• Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Low in saturated fatty acids.
• A moderate amount of dairy products.
• A small amount of meat.
• A moderate amount of alcohol, especially red wine.

So this diet is mainly based on raw ingredients and does not involve restrictions.

Historically, this was the eating pattern of shepherds in Crete, who could not afford much meat or dairy, unlike the Finns. Today, however, Mediterranean eating principles are applied more in the North than around the Mediterranean.

How can we integrate it into daily life?

The Mediterranean diet involves few restrictions and is guaranteed to deliver results in the long term, which makes it very appealing. However, it is necessary to understand its nutritional principles, which is not always easy. What exactly are monounsaturated fatty acids?

Some tips to help you with your daily food choices:

• Monounsaturated fatty acids are found in olive oil, nuts, eggs, avocado, and fatty fish.
• Saturated fatty acids are found in dairy products, meat and poultry, and in all kinds of ready-made meals.
• For lunch, a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, and olive oil, for example, fits the principles of this diet perfectly.
• Wholemeal bruschetta with anchovy fillets also meets the various principles.

Is the Mediterranean diet better than other diets?

Researchers from Israel carried out a nutrition experiment involving a number of people with obesity. They were divided into three groups. One group followed a low-fat diet, another a low-carbohydrate diet, and the last the Mediterranean diet. All three groups were monitored throughout the experiment by a team of dietitians.

After two years, weight gain turned out to be greater among participants on the low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets than among those who followed the Mediterranean diet.

If you want long-term results, the Mediterranean diet is therefore the best choice, even if you lose weight more slowly than with the other two diets.

Remember that eating should remain enjoyable and should never become frustrating.

With the Mediterranean diet, everything is possible and allowed ... but in moderation!