Good humor, harmony and longevity are not a gift from the gods to the inhabitants of the Mediterranean.
This is all due to the traditions of healthy eating, which does not allow you to over gain and prematurely deactivate the heart, blood vessels, liver and other body systems. The term "Mediterranean diet" appeared in the middle of the 20th century thanks to American nutritionists - spouses Margaret and Ansel Keys.
Scientists tested the diet on themselves: their diet consisted of foods typical of the Mediterranean region. Together, the couple lived for almost 200 years. Margaret died at the age of 100, Ansel - 97. In 2013, the Mediterranean diet was granted UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status (no other regime has this status). It is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the healthiest nutrition systems in the world. Next, we'll talk about the basics of the Mediterranean diet and its health benefits.
The principles of the Mediterranean diet
Keyes nutritionists built a food pyramid based on the lifestyle studies of the peoples of the Mediterranean, which formed the basis of the Mediterranean diet.
According to the pyramid, carbohydrates make up 60% of the diet, vegetable fat - 30%, protein - 10%.
The basic principles of the Mediterranean diet are:
- Eat every day: vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, whole grain breads, herbs, spices, fish, seafood and olive oil.
- eat in moderation: poultry, eggs, cheese and plain yogurt;
- eat very rarely: red meat;
- do not eat: sugary drinks, sugar, processed meats, refined grains (processed white rice).
People following the Mediterranean diet avoid the following foods:
- refined cereals and products thereof (white bread, pasta and pasta made from high quality flour);
- refined oils (especially rapeseed and soybean oil);
- products containing added refined sugar (soft drinks, candies, cookies, etc. );
- processed meat (sausage, sausages, etc. );
- canned food.
What?
The diet should be dominated by vegetables and fruits. It is recommended to eat fish and seafood at least twice a week. Red meat is best eaten no more than once a month. Here is an example of a list of foods that can form the basis of your Mediterranean diet:
- Vegetables: tomatoes, zucchini, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, fine herbs;
- Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches;
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds;
- Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, legumes, peanuts, chickpeas;
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams;
- Whole grains: oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, wheat, whole grain bread and pasta
- Fish and seafood: salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimps, oysters, crustaceans, crabs, mussels;
- Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey;
- eggs: chicken, quail, duck eggs
- Dairy products: cheese, Greek yogurt;
- Herbs and spices: garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper;
- Healthy fats: olive oil, olives, avocados and avocado oil.
What drink?
The Mediterranean diet is categorical only for sugary carbonated drinks. Water, coffee, tea, this is what can be present in your daily life.
And. . a glass of red wine.
This is perhaps the only controversial point of the diet. The inhabitants of the countries around the Mediterranean usually dine with red wine. But official medicine still recommends not to introduce this ritual into a habit. Even a small amount of alcohol increases the risk of seven types of cancer, according to the World Health Organization. Therefore, it is preferable to adhere to the "safe dose principle" when it comes to alcoholic beverages.
Why do doctors follow the Mediterranean diet?
Scientists became interested in the Mediterranean diet in the 1960s. Then it was noticed that in Greece, Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, mortality from coronary heart disease is much lower than in the States. United and Northern Europe. Already in these years, studies have shown that this type of diet is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. What's new today?
Healthy weight - Healthy liver
Scientists at the University of Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (United States) have found that the Mediterranean diet does not gain weight, and therefore serves as a prevention of liver disease associated with the accumulation of fat in the body. body. People who follow a Mediterranean diet are much less likely to have fatty liver disease (NAFLD) than those who follow a Western diet. NAFLD, in turn, is a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. It turns out that a diet can "kill many birds with one stone": keep the heart, blood vessels, liver healthy and at the same time be thin.
Strengthens the heart, prolongs life
There are many scientific studies that specifically prove the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in strengthening the cardiovascular system. In 2006, the results of the PREDIMED study showed that the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial effect on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. A 2013 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine claims that Mediterranean people are 30% less likely to have stroke, heart attack and death. A first study in 1999 showed that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with omega-3s helped prevent a second heart attack.
The intestines will say "thank you"
Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina (USA) have found that followers of the Mediterranean diet have 10% more good bacteria in their gut than those who eat Western-style. The Western diet is the exact opposite of the Mediterranean diet. It contains a lot of unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates. Another study - carried out by Israeli specialists - showed that the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of bowel cancer.
Incredible but true: the Mediterranean diet - varied, delicious, nutritious - is also one of the healthiest diets in the world. There are no strict requirements and restrictions. There is no constant feeling of hunger. There is no feeling that you are constantly breaking yourself in one way or another in the name of health. But there is fun and good humor. It is understandable why the Mediterranean diet has become a UNESCO cultural heritage site. It is not just a phenomenon, but almost the eighth wonder of the world.