Recommended Reading
The Mediterranean Diet
A Fundamental Guide to Using the Mediterranean Diet
for Improved Health, Weight Loss, Reducing the Risk
of Heart Disease, Blood Pressure & Common Allergies
The Power of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is the name that has been given to a particular dietary regimen that was originally used by people in poorer regions of Italy and Greece for many centuries. This diet was not originally thought to be particularly healthy in these regions, as the people ate these foods because of necessity, rather than because of the Mediterranean diet weight loss and excellent nutrition benefits they experienced. This type of cuisine is far different from what you might expect from this region, but it is overall much healthier because things like lard and butter are rarely used.
What It Entails
Basically, a Mediterranean diet calls for people to eat a great deal of fresh fruit, plant foods, fish, poultry, some dairy products, while using extra virgin olive oil as the primary source of fat. Also, a moderate amount of eggs can be eaten each month, while red meat is to be avoided as much as possible. Red meat can be eaten in low amounts, but meals should not be centered around it because of how it affects the heart. The Mediterranean diet is meant to lower the risk of heart disease, since olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which have been known to reduce this risk substantially. This also reduces the body's cholesterol levels, which is also a positive thing for the body.
History of the Mediterranean Diet
Even though this diet was first brought to light in 1945, it did not really hit mainstream levels until the 1990s, when people began to develop a newfound awareness of what they were eating. This is around the time that exercise shows began appearing on television and healthy eating began to become popular again. The Mediterranean diet is based on the idea that people in these regions have a much lower rate of heart disease than people with similar fat intake in other areas of the world. For example, a person living in the United States and a person living in Greece could consume the exact same amount of fat year after year, but the American would have a higher chance of suffering from heart disease because he or she is missing certain elements from his or her diet.
Influences on Health
The main ingredient in a Mediterranean diet that is believed to have the most influence on a person's health is extra virgin olive oil. This is because the diet is inherently low in saturated fat, but the olive oil makes it high in monounsaturated fat, which (as previously mentioned) is good for your heart. The Mediterranean diet is also very high in dietary fiber, which promotes regularity of the digestive system. The diet can sometimes be high in salt, when is contains:
- Olives
- Capers
- Salad dressing
- Fish roe
Exercise
One thing that many people might not realize about Mediterranean diet weight loss is that the people who originated the diet generally worked outdoors and reaonably hard. This means they were getting plenty of exercise each and every day, in addition to fresh air. This, in combination with the small portions these individuals would eat, led to very lean and muscular bodies. This assisted heart health of course, which is another reason why they suffered far fewer deaths from cardiovascular problems.
Medical Findings
A number of medical studies have been conducted on the Mediterranean diet and they have found that men who lived in Crete, which is one of the regions where this diet was originally used, had a low incidence of heart disease. This occurred despite the fact they actually consumed high amounts of fats in many cases. One of the main reasons for this finding is that many of these men switched from butter to extra virgin olive oil because it was less expensive. They also had a high vitamin C intake and reduced the amount of red meat compared to other parts of the globe. It should be noted that the findings of this study were so dramatic that the results were published before the study had been completed. This was because the people who were conducting the study did not believe they could keep the information to themselves any longer. Other diseases and illnesses which have been positively affected from this diet include osteoporosis, minimising the risk of some forms of cancer, allergies, alzheimers disease and there are more studies being undertaken as I write this article.
Weight Loss
Further studies have shown instances of Mediterranean diet weight loss, as 322 people participated in an experiment where some people were subject to a low-carb diet, others undertook a low-fat diet, and some ate only a Mediterranean diet. The results showed that those who were on the Mediterranean diet had the greatest weight loss of all, with the top two participants losing 12 and 10 pounds respectively. The study highlighted that Mediterranean diet weight loss is effective and should be considered by anyone who is having trouble losing weight.
Why Choose the Mediterranean Lifestyle
The Mediterranean diet is not just a way to lose weight, but is a way to entirely change your life, and in doing so, helping to prolong it. The health benefits are endless, especially when they are combined with exercise, making this nutrition adventure something definitely worth looking into. The bottom line is - those who are on this diet have lower mortality rates than those who are not, which is reason enough to give it a try. If you have a history of heart disease in your family, you really cannot afford to continue the same path and now you have an alternative.
Author, Ray Darken has included access to more information at this link regarding the research and studies on Mediterranean diet weight loss. If you're eager to get started, you can also download his Mediterranean diet guide.
Recommended Reading
The Mediterranean Diet
A Fundamental Guide to Using the Mediterranean Diet
for Improved Health, Weight Loss, Reducing the Risk
of Heart Disease, Blood Pressure & Common Allergies
The Mediterranean cuisine is at once light, pleasant and excellent four our health.So, using mediterranean diet recipes is one of the best thing we can do for our health.
In particular, several studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet reduces risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the number of overweight people is much lower in Mediterranean countries and Europe. In the mediterranean region of North Africa, these benefits are less clear because of the high consumption of sugar and honey.
What causes these health benefits?
Let's take an example of a Mediterranean recipe:
Tuna Côte d'Azur-style
Tuna is a very meaty fish, the closest to red meat. It needs strong flavors to work with. This recipe provides you all the scents of Provence.
Servings: 4 Prep Time: 20 min. Cooking Time: 30 min.
INGREDIENTS
1-2 pounds tuna filet, about 1 ½ inches thick, cut into 4 filets by your friendly fishmonger
1 Tbsp olive oil
A few sprigs of savory
A few sprigs of thyme
A few rosemary leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sauce:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-28 oz can of Glen Muir crushed tomatoes with basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried savory
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp capers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup black small olives Niçoises, drained and chopped fine
2 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped parsley
PROCEDURE
- Ask your friendly fishmonger to cut you an nice thick slice of tuna steak, cut into 4 filets.
Prepare the fish:
- Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, then sprinkle the herbs all over them on both sides. Press them in. Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.
Prepare the sauce:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic until soft but not caramelized. Add the canned tomatoes with the juice. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for a while until the liquid has mostly evaporated
- Lower the heat, add the chopped capers and black olives. Stir in gently. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
Cook the tuna:
- Remove the herbs from the tuna. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
The consumption of monounsaturated fats that lower bad cholesterol. In particular, in olive oil, and white meat poultry. The absorption of omega3 fatty acids from fish, nuts and certain vegetables. These omegas3 help protect against cardiovascular diseases. They lower, too, the bad cholesterol level and increase blood flow...
The antioxidants decrease the production of free radicals. Free radicals are substances that the body uses to kill germs or cancer cells. But excess free radicals generates cardiovascular disease or cancer or even premature aging. There are antioxidants in large amounts in red wine (the Mediterranean regularly consume red wine in moderate amounts), the goat e and sheep cheese, as well as in fruits and vegetables.
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements. An optimal amount of these substances makes the proper functioning of our whole body. The enzymes that activate all the reactions in our body needs these substances to function properly. They are found in high quantities in fruits and vegetables, cereals, brown rice or complete, seeds (walnut, hazelnut, almond...)
Fiber helps decrease appetite and stabilize the sugar level in the blood. They reduce levels of bad cholesterol and improve bowel function. Can you enjoy the same benefits by simply taking vitamin supplements and anti-oxidants?
A French study (SU.VI.MAX) demonstrated the opposite. A study focused on lung cancer (but this also applies to other cancers or cardiovascular diseases). A high dietary intake of beta-carotene reduces the risk of lung cancer. But, in the contrary, smokers taking beta carotene pills increases the risk 18 to 28%. The likely explanation is as follows. The vitamin supplements reduced the production of free radicals in a way that does not meet the needs of the body. Free radicals are then insufficient to attack cancer cells. While a natural supply of beta-carotene helps regulate the production of free radicals in the needs of our immune system.
So, nothing can replace a balanced cuisine.
To find more Mediterranean diet recipes, and, even a free little e-book,I invite you to click on the link below.
- In a large frying pan on high heat, warm up the oil. Add your tuna filets and cook no more than five minutes.
Place on heated plates, spoon the sauce over each filet and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
At least, five substances are involved in these health benefits:the skin and serve
I am passionate about disease prevention and natural medicines. I firmly believe that many diseases can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle. About How to lower your cholesterol
Recommended Reading
The Mediterranean Diet
A Fundamental Guide to Using the Mediterranean Diet
for Improved Health, Weight Loss, Reducing the Risk
of Heart Disease, Blood Pressure & Common Allergies
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