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Mediterranean Diet : Everything You Need To Know

By AradhyaGiri
Last Updated: 06/10/2021 18:31

Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality. Let’s take a look at this diet which is considered to be more of a lifestyle.The Mediterranean diet is a diet inspired by the eating habits of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. When initially formulated in the 1960s, it drew on the eating habits of Greece, Italy, and Spain because it was found that natives with this diet as a staple were noticeably living longer and had less chronic issues than most of the world. Numerous studies have now shown that the Mediterranean diet can help improve liver health, aid in weight loss, prevent heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and premature death.

The Inner Workings

The principal aspects of this diet include proportionally high consumption of minimally processed olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of non-fish meat products.

Foods To Avoid

Foods To Eat

This diet is high in healthy plant foods and relatively low in animal foods. However, eating fish and other seafood is suggested. The Mediterranean lifestyle is lively and involves regular physical activity, sharing meals with other people and enjoying life.You should base your diet on these healthy, unprocessed Mediterranean foods.

Impact On Liver, Heart and Overall Health

Increases Longevity : The diet reduces the chances of various diseases and quite possibly cancer, reducing your risk of death at any age by 20%
Protects Against Type 2 Diabetes : The diet contains a lot of fibre with aids in slow digestion and prevents sudden hikes in blood sugar.
Prevents Heart Disease & Strokes : Following this diet involves cutting off refined sugar, oil and processed grains and meat from your diet. It encourages drinking red wine instead of hard liquor, all these factors contribute to a healthy heart.
Helps Improve Fatty Liver Disease : Studies have shown this diet reducing fats on the liver, thus improving hepatic health significantly.
Aids In Weight Loss : Increased intake of fruits & vegetables with the restricted consumption of processed foods leads to weight loss.
Prevents Cognitive Decline : Following this diet reduces the risk of acquiring diseases like Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s.
Keeps You Active : The diet is very good for the muscles and prevents weakness.

In Conclusion

If there’s one so-called diet that is widely acclaimed for its health benefits, it’s the Mediterranean diet. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean diet No. 1 on its 2019 “41 Best Diets Overall” list, citing a “host of health benefits, including weight loss, heart and brain health, cancer prevention, and diabetes prevention and control.” It’s more of an eating pattern than a calorie-restricted diet, thus, very sustainable and effective in the long run.