Are you wondering what the Mediterranean diet is? Have you always noticed how celebrities are always talking about how they can lose 10 pounds on the Mediterranean diet? If you enjoy drinking wine, eating tasty fresh foods and want a diet that will help prevent cancer and heart disease then you should check out this article about the Mediterranean diet.
There are many countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea that have amazing cuisines such as Greek food, Italian food, French food, Spanish food, Moroccan food, Lebanese food, Turkish food, Egyptian Food, Croatian Food, Israeli Food and North African cuisine. All these countries have extremely healthy and tasty cuisines that can help you lose weight and have better overall health. Generally speaking, the Mediterranean diet refers to foods that come from Southern Italy, Greece and Lebanon as they have many things in common such as the use of fresh virgin olive oil, natural cheese, eggs, vegetables, fruits, yogurt, chicken, beans and legumes, pasta, lamb, fish and very little red meat. On top of this there is a genuine love for wine that can be seen in the average Mediterranean kitchen.
Due to the heavy presence of olive oil, this diet is an excellent diet for those trying to stay away from saturated fat, as well as because there is an abundance of bean dishes and fresh vegetables this diet is shown to be an excellent source of dietary fiber, flavonoids and antioxidants.
The average Mediterranean kitchen is host to a wonderful array of fish dishes, obviously being from the fact that the Mediterranean Sea is an excellent source of fresh fish and seafood. Eating fish can help prevent heart disease because fish contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. There are tons of fish dishes available from fresh sardines to even seafood delicacies like octopus and squid – known as calamari.
Also being in an excellent wine producing region, this diet allows you to drink a glass of red wine and even two per day! Generally, wine is enjoyed alongside a delicious and healthy meal and it is full of excellent health benefits such as the ability to help lower LDL cholesterol and is full of heart healthy antioxidants and phytonutrients.
There is a huge reliance on fresh fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes. Tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants, especially lycopene which has been shown to prevent cancer and heart disease. Whether they are in a fresh salad, pasta sauces, served with a plate of fresh grilled fish or even as a drink, tomatoes play an important part into the Mediterranean diet.
So if you are looking at different diets on the internet for the perfect diet program that is tasty, healthy and easy to cook then you must try going on the Mediterranean diet as 10’s of millions of people enjoy eating the Mediterranean diet on a daily basis.