Mediterranean diet is often considered to be one of the heart-healthiest diet plans. This kind of diet will be suitable the most for those who want to reduce the risks of heart diseases.
What Is Mediterranean Diet
Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating program which emphasizes on typical recipes and foods based on Mediterranean-style cooking. As it has been widely known that most people in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea are very fond to use olive oil and red wine in their cooking recipes.
The two ingredients are acknowledged to have health benefits on the human heart. The healthy menu included in the diet plan are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and a few unhealthy fats. No wonder that this diet program is so popular especially among people who want to live a healthier lifestyle.
The Health Benefits of the Diet Plan
Due to the healthy food resources mainly used in the diet plan, there are many health benefits that people can get from this Mediterranean diet. Consuming more vegetables, fruits, and less unhealthy fats will contribute to reducing oxidized LDL (low-density lipoprotein).
It is the bad cholesterol which is often associated with cardiovascular disease. In this way, people who follow the diet plan will likely have less cardiovascular mortality risks. In addition, this healthy diet will also help the dieters to lower the risks of cancer, as well as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Studies also reveal that women who go on this healthy diet and combined it with mixed nuts and extra-virgin oil will have lower risks of breast cancer.
Learn more about Optavia Diet
Key Components of the Diet Program
There are key components in the Mediterranean diet that the dieters should know to get the optimum result of the diet plan:
- Consume more plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and whole grain.
- Replace unhealthy fats such as butter with canola oil or olive oil.
- Consume poultry and fish at least twice a week.
- Limiting the consumption of red meats and make it not more a couple of times a month.
- Instead of using salt to give flavor to your cooking, replace it with spices or herbs.
- Drinking red wine for moderation. But you need to keep in mind that it is optional.
- Do more exercises to help you get the maximum result of the diet program.
Due to the benefits, this diet program is often recommended by major scientific organizations to help people to avoid major chronic diseases.
