Mediterranean diet 101: a complete guide and meal plans for low-carb and traditional versions –

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that has been eaten in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. It is a diet that is considered healthy, delicious, and sustainable, but is it really as good for you as its reputation suggests? We will explore the concepts of the Mediterranean Diet, and provide you with the tools to make healthy food choices that actually work for you.

The Mediterranean diet has been on my radar for a while now, and after much deliberation, I finally decided to dive right in and try it for myself, despite all the warnings that it could make me fat. I started following the diet faithfully, and within just a few weeks of eating the way I should have been eating all along, I lost about 10 pounds.

Mediterranean diet is basically a healthy diet that’s based on the cultures of countries across the Mediterranean Basin. It’s characterized by a large variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, small portions of meat and dairy, small amounts of oils and red wine, and olive oil as a cooking oil.

Nutritional strategies that produce outcomes

Everything is planned for you with our customized meals. All you have to do is concentrate on preparing, eating, and enjoying nutritious and tasty meals.

Lunchtime suggestions

In restaurants, following a low-carb Mediterranean diet is simple:

• Choose from grilled or baked fish or meat, served without bread and with vegetables or a salad on the side.
• Inquire whether your meals are cooked with olive oil and if you may use it to dress your salad.
• Instead of potatoes, rice, or other starchy meals, request a double portion of veggies.
• Drink either water or a dry red wine.

5. What to include in a typical Mediterranean diet

You may increase the amount of carbs in your Mediterranean meals if you just need to shed a few pounds and do not have type 2 diabetes. This includes foods such as potatoes, brown rice, unprocessed grains, and whole grain bread. You can discover the carbohydrate quantity that works best for you.

The inclusion of carbs transforms your meals into something more akin to a Mediterranean diet. It will always be stocked with fresh, minimally processed goods that are much healthier than the typical American diet.

If you discover that consuming more carbohydrates makes you want more carbs, it’s possible that you’ve reached your personal carbohydrate limit and need to cut down.

Most meals include the following foods:

• Legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils), seafood, chicken, eggs, cheese, or yogurt; at least twice a week, fish or shellfish.
• Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, herbs, artichokes, eggplant, and broccoli are among the most popular vegetables.
• Pasta or whole grain cereals, brown or wild rice, quinoa, couscous, potatoes, and other starchy vegetables are examples of whole grain products and starchy vegetables.
• Fruits of all kinds
• Olive oil, olives, nuts, and seeds are all examples of olive products.
• Spices and herbs

Having fewer meals

• Red meat is a kind of meat that comes from (twice a week)
• Meat that has been processed, such as ham or prosciutto (once a week)

Avoid these products:

• Juice from fruits
• Foods that are sweet (candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream and other sweets)
• Products made using white flour (white bread, white pasta, white rice)
• Drinks with added sugar

What should I drink?

Water, carbonated or not, is always an excellent option of beverage. Also acceptable are coffee and tea with milk or cream.

There’s more good news for wine drinkers. Many Mediterranean diets include red wine with meals, and studies indicate that it may decrease some of the risk factors for heart disease, as stated above. This is, however, completely unnecessary.

Limit yourself to two glasses of wine a day if you’re a guy, or one glass if you’re a woman, if you’re following a Mediterranean diet.

6. A Mediterranean-style diet

Are you ready to embark on a Mediterranean diet that is both healthful and filling?

Here’s a week’s worth of dinner ideas. Other foods may be substituted based on your preferences and what is available or in season. Reduce the amount of bread, cereal, potatoes, rice, or fruit you eat if you want to cut down on carbs.

Day

Greek yogurt, oats, and berries for breakfast

Lunch: Olive oil-flavored pepper salad with chickpeas and quinoa.

Grilled fish, broccoli, and wild rice for dinner, with fresh pears for dessert.

Day 2

Frittata with spinach and onions for breakfast; melon for dessert

Feta cheese and fresh veggies for lunch, with wholemeal bread dipped in olive oil

Grilled chicken with basil, artichoke hearts, and potatoes for dinner; berries

Day 3

Ricotta with sliced apples and cinnamon for breakfast

Lunch: Wholemeal pita with chicken gyros; orange

Venus scallops with mushrooms, olive oil, and garlic on whole wheat linguine for dinner.

Day 4

Wholemeal muesli with Greek yogurt and chopped pecans for breakfast

Lunch: Caprese salad with wholemeal breadsticks and figs

Roasted lamb with rosemary, couscous, asparagus, and olive oil for dinner

Day 5

Avocado toast with hard cooked eggs for breakfast

Lunch: feta and quinoa filled bell peppers; apple

Dinner: grilled fish, broccoli, and garlic and olive oil whole wheat pasta; melon

Day 6

Greek yogurt with chopped nuts and berries for breakfast

Leftover salmon, broccoli, and pasta for lunch

Dinner: skewers of chicken with peppers and onions, wild rice, and melon

Day 7

Spinach and mushroom omelette with wholemeal bread for breakfast

Tuna salad with couscous, herbs, and an olive oil dressing for lunch

Steak, roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil, and jacket potatoes; berries

Beverages

For breakfast and lunch, choose from coffee, tea, or water. If you’d like, you’re allowed to enjoy a glass of red wine with your meal.

Lunchtime suggestions

Many restaurants, fortunately, provide traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Here are some dining-out suggestions:

• With vegetables and salad, choose shellfish, baked or fried seafood, poultry, beef, or lentils.
• If at all feasible, inquire about the use of olive oil in the preparation of your meal.
• For the salad dressing, ask at the table for olive oil.
• Instead of chips, request additional veggies or salad, or whole wheat pasta or bread instead of refined white flour choices.
• Order a glass of red wine or a drink of flat or sparkling water.

7. The Mediterranean Diet’s History

In the late 1950s, people in Greece and southern Italy ate a typical Mediterranean diet. Simultaneously, the researchers discovered that individuals in these areas lived longer and had less chronic illnesses than those in other nations.

The classic Mediterranean diet has its origins with the ancient Greeks and Romans, who ate bread, olive oil, and wine as their main meals. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, beans, dairy, fish, and meat were among the things they consumed.

Various civilizations have impacted what is now known as the typical Mediterranean diet throughout time. Spices from the East and Middle East, tomatoes from America, and contributions from other nations have all contributed to the Mediterranean diet’s distinct tastes and traditional meals.

People in the Mediterranean ate whatever was available to them for many years, and many still do now.

In addition to plant-based meals, most individuals who follow the traditional Mediterranean diet consume meat and cheese on a daily or weekly basis (including sheep and goat cheese). Depending on their proximity to the sea, many people consume fish and shellfish on a regular basis.

People consume various kinds of cuisine depending on which Mediterranean nation they reside in, despite the fact that their diets are generally similar:

• Tomatoes, basil, garlic, cheese (mozzarella, romano, ricotta, and others), fish, pork, pasta, and smoked meats like prosciutto and pancetta are all part of the Italian cuisine.
• Olives, mussels, feta cheese, chickpeas, onions, bread, figs, and lamb are all common ingredients in Greek cuisine.
• Fresh seafood, roasted meats, beans, peppers, rice, and salty meats like ham and chorizo are common in the Spanish cuisine.

8. An investigation of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet has been associated to a longer life expectancy and a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer in observational studies.

This kind of proof, on the other hand, is regarded as very flimsy. Only correlations between food and health can be shown in observational research. They are unable to demonstrate that a certain diet promotes health or avoids illness.

To evaluate the possible health advantages of the Mediterranean diet, it is better to depend on the findings of clinical studies, particularly randomized controlled trials.

Is the Mediterranean diet a good way to lose weight?

The Mediterranean diet is an excellent choice for weight loss, but a low-carb Mediterranean diet is probably even better.

Adults with type 2 diabetes who followed the Mediterranean diet for 12 months dropped an average of 6.2 pounds, according to a research combining multiple randomized studies. According to several research, the Mediterranean diet may help you lose weight and slim down.

A analysis of five trials on the Mediterranean diet showed that it is more beneficial for weight reduction than a low-fat diet, but not as successful as a low-carbohydrate diet. A second research found that individuals who follow a low-carb Mediterranean diet lose more weight than those who follow a conventional Mediterranean diet.

For one year, 259 overweight diabetics followed either a low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet or a traditional Mediterranean diet. Participants in the low-carb group dropped 10.1 kg, while those in the high-carb group lost 7.3 kg at the conclusion of the research.

The ketogenic Mediterranean diet has demonstrated remarkable weight reduction outcomes in limited trials. Even while the data from these research isn’t as strong as that from randomized control trials, there are still convincing studies that indicate the keto diet may help individuals lose weight.

What does a Mediterranean ketogenic diet entail? People consumed meat, fish, eggs, olive oil, cheese, country vegetables, and, in certain instances, red wine throughout the experiments.

Is it true that the Mediterranean diet is healthy for your heart?

The Mediterranean diet is often referred to be a heart-healthy diet. Is it deserving of its illustrious reputation? Maybe, but some of the advantages may be overstated.

A Mediterranean diet has been proven in many trials to decrease specific heart disease risk factors.

The PREDIMED research lasted almost five years and included over 7,000 individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Those who ate a Mediterranean diet (with nuts and olive oil) did somewhat better than those who ate a low-calorie diet.

Weight reduction coupled with a Mediterranean diet may help decrease the amount of plaque in artery walls, according to a two-year study of individuals with heart disease and obesity.

The high intake of olive oil and almonds in the Mediterranean diet seems to have a significant role in reducing the levels of low- and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles, which may contribute to the risk of heart disease, according to the authors of the 2019 research. While the findings are usually positive, a recent analysis of 30 research concluded that it is unclear if the Mediterranean diet may help prevent heart disease.

Summary: While long-term studies are required to make definite conclusions regarding the Mediterranean diet’s impact on heart health, it has been found to help decrease certain risk factors for heart disease.

Is there anything more the Mediterranean diet has to offer in terms of health?

A Mediterranean diet may also help with the following health issues:

• Diabetes and pre-diabetes: In 2015, researchers discovered that the Mediterranean diet was more successful in lowering blood sugar than a low-fat diet in patients with type 2 diabetes. For reducing blood sugar, a low-carb or ketogenic Mediterranean diet may be even better than the traditional Mediterranean diet. When individuals with type 2 diabetes adopt a very low-carb diet, their blood sugar levels frequently decrease to the point where their diabetic medication may be reduced or stopped.
• Foie gras: According to some research, the Mediterranean diet may help individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or those at high risk of acquiring it lose weight. Low-carbohydrate and ketogenic Mediterranean diets have been proven to decrease liver fattening substantially.

Go home

Seafood, meat, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, almonds, and berries are among the many fresh and delicious items included in the Mediterranean diet. If you want to reduce weight or manage your blood sugar, a low-carb Mediterranean diet centered on these items will probably give you the greatest results.

If you can handle additional carbs, feel free to add whole grain products, other starches, and sugar-rich fruits. These goods, on the other hand, are entirely optional.

Both the low-carb and traditional Mediterranean diets have been linked to potential health advantages. Choose the plan that best fits your health objectives and nutritional choices if you wish to attempt this kind of diet.

Begin your risk-free 30-day trial now!

Get immediate access to low-carb and keto meal plans, quick and simple recipes, medical experts’ weight reduction advice, and more. With a free trial, you can start living a healthy lifestyle right now!

Begin your risk-free trial now!

Over the past few years, the Mediterranean lifestyle has inspired several books, documentaries, and articles with titles that tell you exactly how to diet and what to eat. They are all about the Mediterranean diet, which is a diet that contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and a low-fat, low-calorie diet. However, the traditional Mediterranean diet may not be as simple as it seems. Though it is generally considered to be healthy, there are some negative aspects of it.. Read more about mediterranean diet recipes and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is oatmeal allowed on the Mediterranean diet?

Yes, oatmeal is a part of the Mediterranean diet.

Can Mediterranean diet be low carb?

Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating plan that includes foods like olive oil, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish. It is not low carb because it does not include bread or pasta.

What is a typical breakfast on a Mediterranean diet?

A typical breakfast on a Mediterranean diet consists of eggs, olives, and bread.

Related Tags

This article broadly covered the following related topics:

• mediterranean diet menu
• mediterranean meal plan
• mediterranean diet plan
• mediterranean diet meal plan
• mediterranean diet shopping list

About Author