The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet–Old yet Very Effective

While everyone is busy in finding the right ways to reduce weight, there are a number of diets which help solve the prevalent problem of weight issues. However due to busy modern lifestyle, these diets end up back to square one where old unhealthy habits begin to come back. And this time around, weight gain is more aggressive once these unhealthy practices return. This is because the body has already adapted to the previous dietary program; rendering the program totally ineffective. However, there is one diet program which generally stands out from the rest, the Mediterranean Diet.

As from the name itself, the Mediterranean Diet originates from the typical food menus and patterns in Crete, the rest of Greece and part of southern Italy during the early 1960s. Later on, this was introduced by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University back in the 1990s. Unlike the typical diet programs which are short-lived and limited once certain goals are met, the Mediterranean Diet is a lifelong approach to a healthy living. Although the diet entails the intake of fats, it still proves to be relentlessly healthy for the individual.

The Mediterranean Diet acts on different principles and ideas. One of these ideas notes the importance of regular physical activity into the life long diet. The most commendable desserts, if you’re following this diet, are abundant plant foods and fresh fruits. These must be taken in daily to ensure a good healthy living.

Another important idea to note in the Mediterranean Diet menus is the presence of olive oil as the primary source of fat in the diet. Unlike in a typical home settings where animal fats are used, this specific diet relies mostly on olive oil as fat. Olive oil acts by lowering cholesterol levels in the systemic circulation. Likewise, it is also known to lower blood sugar levels and even blood pressure. It is also very beneficial in terms of preventing and treatment of peptic ulcer diseases. This is the main reason why their fat intake is healthier compared to the usual animal fats which can cause common cardiovascular diseases.

The Mediterranean diet food pyramid also encourages high consumption of legumes, unrefined cereals, fresh fruits, vegetables, moderate consumption of cheese and yogurt, moderate to slightly high consumption of fish, moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of meat and meat products.

The high intake of vegetables ensures a good percentage of calcium and iron in the body, which is ideally good to maintain a healthy living. Meat and other meat products entail the accumulation of bad cholesterol or low density lipoproteins, this is why it is limited to low consumption levels. Mediterranean diet recipes therefore center upon the above mentioned food and ingredients. Along with regular physical activity, the Mediterranean diet is indeed very formidable in the combat against cardiovascular diseases.

Though there are different kinds of diets being introduced today, the Mediterranean diet still shows to be most prudent. It is a lifelong healthy practice which gives in bountiful rewards in healthy living.