Best meal plan: Yes, the Mediterranean diet is actually THAT good for your health

The emphasis is on plant foods in a Mediterranean diet. (Photo via Unsplash)

The Mediterranean diet has been long known as the bedrock of virtuous eating, for this delicious yet super nutritious healthy diet lowers the potential risks of heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes, and neurological problems. Here’s how you can begin your journey to better health through the Mediterranean diet.

Chances are you have heard how the Mediterranean diet is not only delicious but also has a series of long-lasting health benefits, from aiding high blood pressure to heart diseases to even depression. Convened in the 1950s, the famous Seven Countries Study that was the first major investigative research scrutinising diet and lifestyles across the globe, first asserted that those who lived in and around the Mediterranean had lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

Ever since then, the Mediterranean diet has become the stepping stone of heart-healthy eating, with well-studied health benefits including lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and symptoms of depression. In fact, a recent study published earlier in March this year in the medical journal of BMC Medicine states that the Mediterranean diet has the potential to lower the risks of dementia by nearly a quarter!

Here’s everything to know before you take up the Mediterranean diet plan:

What is the Mediterranean diet?

Instead of a strict meal plan, think of it as a healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet prioritises whole, unprocessed foods with no added additives. It is primarily a plant-based food plan that prioritises lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, herbs, spices, and olive oil. When it comes to animal protein sources, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids are preferred. Chicken or turkey, which are lean animal protein sources, are used to lesser extent. Eggs, dairy products, and wine are consumed in moderation.

What are its health benefits?

Research, over the years, supports the use of the Mediterranean diet as a healthy eating pattern for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, increasing lifespan, keeping tabs on cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and promoting healthy aging. When used in conjunction with caloric restriction, the diet may also support healthy weight loss. Studies also found that the diet can protect against oxidative stress, which can cause DNA damage that contributes to chronic conditions like neurological diseases, depression, dementia, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

To follow the Mediterranean diet plan, you must include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily meals (Canva)

What does the Mediterranean diet include?

To follow a Mediterranean diet plan, you must include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Spinach, avocado, broccoli, tomato, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, carrot, strawberry, fresh fig, apple grapes, and other seasonal produce must be included. Add fish like salmon, sardines, black cod, and tuna, and other seafoods like mussels, oysters, and clams must be eaten twice a week. Whole grains and legumes are allowed in small quantities while your food must be cooked in extra virgin olive oil. Dairy products, such as yoghurt and cheese (such as feta), and lean meat products can be added in moderate amounts. Pick nuts like almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds for healthy snacking options.

What to avoid in your Mediterranean diet?

Make sure to ditch saturated- and trans- fat products for good. Avoid red meat as far as you can to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Limit the use of refined carbohydrates, refined oils, and processed sugar in your meals. Additionally, cut down on heavily processed and fatty fast foods. Cutting down on alcohol and smoking is also important as part of this healthy diet.