We all have heard that the Mediterranean diet is good for the health. People who want to make a change in their life can opt for the Mediterranean diet for health. For those who do not know what this diet really is, this article will provide the necessary information that can help you to understand this form of dieting.
Before we get into the integrities of the diet, let us show you what kind of a food plan you can follow if you are planning to go on a healthy diet.
- For breakfast
In this diet, you can have crumbled feta with some fresh herbs, red onion, chopped tomatoes a slice of sourdough bread. To give it a little taste, you can add some balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil. For those who love fruit, your breakfast can also include a slice of melon. Coffee lovers can opt for an Espresso or Greek coffee.
- For Snacks
Since we are looking at the Benefits of the Mediterranean diet, even the snacks options have to be beneficial as well. This is why; you can choose to have a handful of nuts like hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts along with some fresh fruits like a few figs, a small bunch of grapes and even pears.
- For lunch
Lunch will also be similar, with a small serving of rice along with some baked vegetables. You can make a Greek dish called Briami, which consists of vegetables that are roasted in the oven. You do have variations of this dish like Ratatouille or even Vegetable Stew.
- Post lunch snack
If you feel hungry after lunch, you can have a few crushed walnuts along with honey sprinkled Natural Plain Greek yoghurt.
- Dinner
The dinner for the Mediterranean diet for health will consist of a small glass of wine, cooked leafy vegetables in the form of a salad with a touch of lemon juice and olive oil and grilled or baked fish
- After dinner
For those with a sweet tooth, the post dinner selection will surely get your drooling. This is because you can indulge in a nice plate of fresh fruit salad by adding some stone fruits, figs, grapes and melon.
The above-mentioned diet is just one of the examples of a healthy diet. It is for those who plan to follow the traditional method of Mediterranean dieting.
Tips to understand what food items to replace and the options available
Since we are looking at a natural form of diet, it is important that you should know what options you have and what food items you should replace. It is essential to ensure that whatever you choose gives you the maximum benefit of the diet. Let us look at a small list to help you out
- Healthy oils are a perfect option for people who love to add margarine or butter. One such example of healthy oil is Olive oil. To add a little taste to your salad seasoning, you can replace salad dressing with a touch of lemon, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You also have the option of having walnut or canola oil.
- Protein intake is essential and one of the best sources of proteins is meat. Well, for the Mediterranean diet, the replacements for red meat are fish, turkey and skinless chicken. It is best to avoid any fried form of the meats mentioned. Fish is the most recommended form of meat since it is good for your heart and is a good source of Omega 3. You can break the monotony of your diet by having a nice bowl of pasta. Instead of the traditional red pasta sauce you can consider having pasta with a little diced pancetta and limit the portion you eat.
- Veggies are always good for health and since they come in various colors, they can make a very colorful dish. The best part about veggies is that you can eat them all day by dividing your potions to 3-8 servings of 1/2cup of vegetables per serving. You can also opt to have them in the form of salads or consider grilling or roasting them. You will see the real results and benefits of the Mediterranean diet in no time. You will start losing weight and your skin and body will start becoming healthier.
