Although there are many countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, there's one particular country that maintained a healthy diet for the heart, that keeps the body in good shape, prevents aging and tastes great. It is the classic Greek diet. Unfortunately, modern Greeks have forgotten their old habits and now eat junk food, dine at the restaurant and base their diet on high saturated fat. The traditional Greek diet, found in the villages of this country, contains 60% fruit and vegetables, only 20% meat, 10% carbohydrate and 10% fat. I mean it's a diet rich in natural fiber, vitamins and minerals, small quantities of bread and starchy foods and a daily dose of the wonderful olive oil.
Typical Greek Diet
Breakfast: It will always contain fruits if it's the right season. In winter or spring they eat citrus fruits. Start your breakfast with fresh fruits. You can choose between tea or cafer but in the morning the ordinary Greek loves to drink a cup of coffee. You can also eat fresh bread (one slice, remember that you are on a diet!) with honey. A traditional Kasseri or Graveria cheese is also welcomed. Breakfast will be less than 250 calories and you start your day in a wonderful manner.
The morning snack: If you get hungry before lunch (and quite probably you'll do so, because the Greeks lunch at around 2 or 3 P.M), eat some fruits. A good choice would be an apple that you can find almost all year. Another choice would be melon (seasonal fruit). You will thus eat only 100 calories.
Lunch: Greek cuisine contains a lots of dishes. Try some that don't contain meat and starch together. For example you can eat spanakorizo (spinach with rice), but no meat. Or you can try kokinosto (a Greek goulash), but no potato. Eat meat with lettuce, other vegetables or with nothing. Never with bread. Doing so, dinner will not even add up 500 calories.
Dinner: Many Greeks eat at dinner what they eat at noon. But they apply the same rules, meat with vegetables, starch-based products with vegetables (do not mix starch with protein). A perfect dinner would be paidakia (or lamb). Eat it with cooked vegetables (the Greeks eat Horta or Vela, two native grasses that seem to grow anywhere in the world). You can also eat tomatoes with feta cheese (a typical Greek salad called horyatika) and drink some red wine. You will not exceed 600 calories.
Conclusion: Meat and vegetables are a good combination. Pasta without meat, again, a winning combination. Try eating 1500 calories a day and besides loosing weight, you'll find that olive oil is a medicine for your heart and you will detoxify while keeping this diet. Eating like the Greeks, but separating the starch from the meat, you will consume about 1400 calories and you'll start to lose weight. In addition, you will not be hungry.
So, follow the Mediterranean diet and you will look better, feel better and lose weight.
Because of this diet, Mediterranean populations have a greater life expectancy than those in other geographical areas, while the Greeks and Italians have one of the lowest risk rates of developing cancer, diabetes, bone disease, lung disease and cardiovascular disease.
The Mediterranean diet is based on very simple principles and does not require a menu that must be strictly followed through the three main meals of the day. This diet is based on the consumption of vegetables, fruits and fruit juices, oilseeds, olive oil (extra virgin), whole grains, fish, seafood, cheese, eggs, yogurt, fresh spices, honey (instead of sugar ) and red wine (consumed in moderation).
The consumption of red meat is recommended once or twice a month (beef, pork, venison, lamb).
Sweets, eggs, fish and chicken are recommended to be consumed weekly.
Every day you should drink six glasses of water, a glass of red wine, milk, olive oil, vegetables and fruits, potatoes and products based on wholemeal flour.
Foods recommended by the Mediterranean diet:
VEGETABLES: tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, pepperoni, lettuce, radishes, zucchini, onions, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, olives, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, nettles, eggplant, beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils.
FRUITS: orange, tangerine, pomelo, grapefruit, lemons, apples, pears, peaches, kiwi, figs, berries, cherries, strawberries, grapes, apricots, melons and red plums and figs
FISH AND SEAFOOD: octopus, squid, mussels, shrimps, crabs, lobsters and craw-fish.
FRESH SPICES: basil, oregano, parsley, tarragon, mint, cumin, coriander, rosemary and garlic
OIL SEEDS: cashew nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and walnuts (raw, not fried).
Extra virgin olive oil
RED WINE: one drink per day at dinner.
- Vegetables are rich in fiber and low in fat. They are an excellent source of vitamins C and E and minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium) and phytonutrients to protect against the appearance of cancer.
- Fruits and oil-seeds are rich in unsaturated fats, minerals, vitamins and protein. They strengthen the immune system and lowers the LDL cholesterol in the blood.
- Whole grains contain soluble and insoluble fiber and anti-inflammatory antioxidant which prevents constipation and multiplication of cancer cells.
- Fish and shellfish contain high quality protein, minerals (iodine, calcium, phosphorus, potassium), vitamins (A, D and E), essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6). Daily consumption of fish lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as osteoporosis.
- Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, a great protector for the heart. In addition, it improves intestinal transit and prevent constipation.
- Red wine contains antioxidants and is beneficial to heart health, prevents blood clots and reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Don't forget to exercise !
In order for the Mediterranean diet to have a full effect, keep exercising. Specialists say that in addition to the benefit of burning calories which helps you lose weight, daily exercise helps reduce stress and improve general health. For begginers, it's recommended at least 30 minutes of walking and then gradually changing the intensity of the effort (running or exercises practiced in the gym, if your doctor recommends).
Example of a daily Mediterranean diet plan:
Breakfast: Omelet, a full roll of black bread and an orange.
Lunch: A mixed vegetable salad with a tablespoon of olive oil, a roll of bread and a grapefruit.
Dinner: Bean salad, a grilled chicken breast drizzled with a tablespoon of olive oil, an oven baked apple with cinnamon and a glass of red wine.
Demographic studies have shown that populations of Mediterranean countries have a higher life expectancy.
Moreover, it seems that the Greeks and Italians have a lower rate of illness for cardiovascular disease. Dietitians asked themselves what could be the reasons of the Mediterraneans health and found a number of common features in the traditional cuisines of the Mediterranean countries. Ancel Keys was one of the first experts in nutrition who made a thorough study on the dietary habits among the populations of seven countries in three continents in the early 60's. A shocking conclusion was that the population of Greece, but especially the population from the island of Crete have the lowest rates of morbidity and mortality caused by heart disease. From here to research the factors that lead to such results was only a step.
Ancel Keys's theory on the close existing links between diet, blood cholesterol levels and incidence of cardiovascular disease is now recognized worldwide and no longer needs confirmation. Ancel Keys was the nutritionist who founded the diet which is today called "Mediterranean diet" and on which principles today are written cookbooks aimed to improve our diet.
The Mediterranean diet's Basic Principles:
1. The main Meals of the day should be based on vegetables.
2. Eat couscous, polenta and bulgur instead of bread and the usual pasta.
3. Search to base your diet on unprocessed foods, preferably fresh.
4. Add flavor to dishes using garlic, onion and fresh herbs such as basil, oregano and thyme.
5. Opt for cheese and yoghurt as product always present in daily meals. These foods contain a large number of bacteria that activates digestion.
6. Eat fish and seafood at least twice a week.
7. Eat eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and fresh peppers, vegetables characteristic to the Mediterranean region.
8. Use extra virgin olive oil for cooking and avoid unhealthy fats.
9. Enjoy chicken meet once a week or even often, and red meat only a few times a month.
10. Eat fresh or dried fruits as dessert. Avoid eating sweets often than several times a month.
Characteristics of the Mediterranean Diet:
1. High consumption of vegetables and fruits, black bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds.
2. Olive oil is the monounsaturated fat source of this diet.
3. Daily consumption products: poultry meat consumption is moderate and red meat is consumed in small quantities.
4. Eggs are consumed no more than four times a week.
5. Wine is consumed in minimal amounts or, at most, moderate.
If you think to follow this diet, ask your doctor before doing so.
