The Mediterranean diet dates back to ancient times but the benefit can help prevent modern day diseases such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. The menu features an abundance of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grain cereals and breads. Olive oil replaces butter or oils with unhealthy trans fats. Red meat, dairy products and processed or fast foods are replaced with moderate amounts of fish, dairy products and wine. The Mediterranean diet coupled with an active lifestyle promotes good health. It may prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes better than popular low-fat diets advertised in magazines and on TV.
According to a June 2008 Washington Post article, “people who consumed a Mediterranean diet had the lowest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This held true even for those who were older, heavier and had a family history of Type 2 diabetes – all factors that placed them at increased risk for the disorder.”
The Mediterranean diet may be more heart healthy than a low-fat diet. A study comparing a low-fat diet to two different Mediterranean diets – one high in olive oil and the other high in tree nuts – concluded that the Mediterranean diets provided greater beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors than the low-fat diet.
5 Key Ingredients of the Healthy Mediterranean Diet:1. Lots of fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds
2. Moderate amounts of olive oil
3. Moderate amounts of dairy products, fish
4. Limited red meat and eggs (2x per week)
5. Moderate amounts of wine (1 glass per day)
Read the full article, “Mediterranean Eating: A Delicious Way to Promote Health”, was published in the June 3, 2008 issue of The Washington Post website.
