The Mediterranean diet is one of the most popular diets recommended by many doctors and nutritionists. Unlike other diets, which promise short-term results and deprive you of essential nutrients, the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits and can also help you achieve your goals. In losing weight, according to the “Times of India” website.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is a vegetarian diet inspired by the eating habits of people who live near the Mediterranean Sea. It primarily includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats. According to experts, the Mediterranean diet is very healthy and can help with weight loss.
What foods can you eat in the Mediterranean diet?
If you follow a Mediterranean diet, your food plate will consist of foods such as:
Vegetables including broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes
Fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, pears, strawberries and grapes
Nuts and seeds
– Legumes, including beans, lentils, legumes, chickpeas and peas
Whole grains such as oats, brown rice, barley and corn
Seafood including salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, oysters and lobster
Poultry like chicken and eggs
– olive oil
Can you lose weight by following the Mediterranean diet?
Given that the Mediterranean diet includes plant foods, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil, choosing this type of diet can be effective for achieving your weight loss goals.
High-fiber whole grains, fruits and green leafy vegetables can keep you full for longer periods of time, while keeping food cravings at bay. Moreover, the foods that belong to this diet can also increase your daily needs for nutrients and minerals, keeping you energized throughout the day.
What’s really beneficial about the Mediterranean diet is that it limits your intake of sugar and processed foods, two factors that contribute to weight gain and obesity.
Basically, the Mediterranean diet helps you adopt healthy eating habits rather than give in to your cravings.
Other benefits of the Mediterranean diet
The good thing about the Mediterranean diet is that it limits a person’s intake of saturated fat and trans fat, two of the elements that contribute to high levels of bad cholesterol in the body. High cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease, including stroke and heart attack.
In addition, the Mediterranean diet includes foods that are low in sodium, which again is beneficial for those with high blood pressure.
Furthermore, the diet program limits the consumption of refined carbohydrates, including sugar, which can cause your blood sugar to spike, putting you at risk of developing diabetes.