Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Staying healthy, keeping our bodies in good shape and our mind in “sharp” state are three of the primary goals in life,

Some History

“We are what we eat” was the first statement in history relevant to food and its benefits. The Greek physician and father of medicine, Hippokrates, expressed it at about 430 BC. Since then, food is thought to play an important role in body and spiritual health.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most ancient forms of dietetic pattern ever expressed and analysed. Scientists discovered its’ benefits after examining the diet of Cretan people who were, by far, the ones with the fewest incidents of every form of cancer and heart dysfunction. Moreover, Cretans were found to have increased longevity and minimised risk for other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes.

So what is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fibre breads and whole grains, and olive oil in daily basis.

Poultry, cheese and dairy should be eaten in moderation. And lastly red meat, sweets and processed food should be consumed on a monthly basis. This was the original idea of Mediterranean diet, however nowadays; red meat is thought to be essential to be consumed in weekly basis as it contains the amount of Iron that is needed by our bodies.

Health Benefits

Exceptional reductions in risk of early death, heart disease, cancer and chronic conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Also, there is scientific evidence that it is responsible for reductions in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease risk. Adoption of the Mediterranean diet has been proven as a successful strategy for healthy weight reduction.

Mediterranean diet and weight loss

Individuals following the Mediterranean diet lose weight and take care of their health without any health risk. It needs the cooperation of the individual with the dietitian for ideal results. Mediterranean diet is based on products from Mediterranean region, therefore it is advised to purchase products fresh from local markets and ideally from stores that sell exclusively Mediterranean products.