The beautiful Mediterranean Sea surrounds Europe, Africa and Asia. It is because of this eclectic mixture of cultures that Mediterranean cuisine has a wide variety of food items to choose from. Healthy eating plans are part of this culture’s diet. Mediterranean people eat foods that have more healthy fats than do Americans. This is how the term “the Mediterranean diet” originated. Many western cultures like the United States have adapted to this way of life better than many other dieting plans because of its wide variety of foods. This is because it emphasizes simple yet filling food that is easily sustainable.
Many people who live in the Mediterranean have been known for eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, and seeds, which are part of their everyday diet. Mediterranean people are also known for eating meats such as poultry, lamb, rabbit, seafood and pork. These meats have less saturated fat than red meat.
There is a myriad of cuisines within the Mediterranean culture, which can also be considered to be weight loss foods. Mediterranean people generally have healthy habits and eat healthy foods that Americans tend to lack in their everyday diet.
The reason why the people of this culture tend to favor foods and ingredients such as fruits, vegetables and grains involve sustainability. The Mediterranean has an abundance of plant-based foods, thus making it easily available and accessible.
When people begin to realize the differences in the healthy habits that the people of this continent adopt, they can make changes to their diet. Mediterranean people also cook with a lot of olive oil. Not only does olive contain less saturated fat, but the fat it does contain is considered to be healthy fat.
By combining some of their eating habits people can learn how to eat healthy and lose weight.
Common Foods in the Diet-Mediterranean Style
Below is a list of foods commonly found in the Mediterranean diet:
dishes prepared with grains seeds and nuts
yogurt and cheese (eaten daily)
fresh seafood, lamb, poultry and pork
plant based foods
fruits for dessert
less than four eggs weekly
foods high in omega-3 fatty acids
Because the Mediterranean people consume high amounts of healthy fat such as omega-3 fatty acids, many of the foods within their diet are excellent weight loss foods.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Eating healthy foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have a number of positive effects on the body.
According to the American Heart Association website, some of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids also include:
- promotion of cardiovascular health
- decrease in risk of abnormal heart functions
- decrease in trygliceride levels
- inhibition of the development of therosclerotic plaque
- slight lowering of blood pressure
With so many benefits, it’s no wonder why there are millions of people have incorporated many of these weight loss foods into their everyday living. Just by replacing unhealthy fat with healthy fat, people can begin to see the difference in how they look and feel. Not only can people who have heart problems benefit from this diet, but people who are interested in living a healthier life are also taking advantage of this diet. Mediterranean culture has taught many other cultures on how to incorporate healthy habits while implementing filling food that is optimal for overall health and weight loss.
