5 Healthy Benefits of Following a Mediterranean Diet Plan

The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries, but if you don't live in countries where this diet is prevalent such as Greece or Italy, you may not realize the many benefits of eating healthy foods "Mediterranean" style. According to studies, the Mediterranean diet encourages healthy weight loss and helps to reduce risks of many life-threatening diseases. Below are five of the top benefits of following this diet.


1. Fast Weight Loss


One of the key benefits of the Mediterranean diet is fast weight loss. This is not from the results of a diet pill or a crash starvation diet, but from healthy, portion-controlled eating. Weight loss rates will vary, but some have reported losing an average of 10 pounds per month. Delicious diet recipes are often provided when following the Mediterranean diet that help to speed up the weight loss process without depriving you of much needed vitamins and nutrients. Losing weight alone can offer many health benefits.


2. Good Heart Health


The delicious diet recipes provided while following a Mediterranean diet are all designed to promote good heart health. The Mediterranean diet consists of healthy doses of olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and oily fish. With some participants, a moderate amount of wine is consumed with meals. All these help to lower cholesterol and keep the blood flow to the heart at a normal level, thus, reducing the risk of heart disease tremendously.


3. Lower Cancer Risks


Having too many toxins in the body can cause some types of cancer, such as breast cancer. Eating the types of healthy foods promoted in the Mediterranean diet such as fruits and vegetables will lower the amount of toxins in the body because these foods are natural antioxidants.


4. Prevent Gallstones


Those who have fallen victim to gall stones realize how painful they can be. With around 639,000 people being hospitalized per year with gallstones, many studies are being conducted to help find a cause and cure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, vegetable oil, and fish. Though gallstones are not always diet-related, consuming these foods can help to reduce the risk of gall stones or eliminate them altogether for some according to recent studies.


5. Lower Blood Pressure


The healthy foods in a Mediterranean diet can also work to lower and regulate blood pressure. Blood cholesterol levels can return to normal when eating less fatty foods and salt, and more healthy vitamins and minerals. Cooking procedures on a Mediterranean diet usually involve roasting or grilling rather than frying, so more nutrients are retained in the food during preparation, and there is much less fat consumption.


These are only a few of the benefits. The Mediterranean diet also offers many other benefits such as reducing the risks of blood clotting, diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and other life-threatening diseases. Don't deprive yourself. Start eating delicious diet recipes on the Mediterranean diet for healthy weight loss today.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about The Mediterranean Diet: 5 Benefits or Majon's Health and Beauty directory.

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Mediterranean Diet information

The Mediterranean Diet was brought about by a study conducted in the early 90's at the Harvard Medical School. The basis for the diet is that certain types of fats and carbohydrates are healthy for us, when they are consumed properly.

But then, what exactly is Mediterranean diet and how does it help one to lose weight ? the fact of the matter is that there is nothing as ‘ Mediterranean diet’. It is simply the way people eat in countries bordering the Mediterranean. While there are differences in the specific foods, but the study was conducted where people were given same groups of food containing same amount of calories. Olive oil was the main source of fat in the food that was used in the study. Actually their food contained more fat (40%) than recommended by USDA (30%) for Americans. Even then, the results were startling. Thus, it proves that it is the kind of fat and carbohydrates that they consume which is more important.

The use of olive oil is very important on the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a mono saturated oil, which provides good fat content. Carbohydrates play a big role in the success of this diet they should be eaten in correct proportion to the other foods listed. Grain, fruits and vegetables constitute 60% of total carbohydrates.

Proteins
Proteins are the classification that includes all meats. About 2 pounds of meat should be consumed in a week. This meat should be balanced between 1 pound of red meat (suach as beef) and 1 pound of white meat (which is fish or chicken). Pork should be very limited and only consumed on a special occassion.

There are some excellent sources of dietary supplements that can also help, while you adjust to this new eating style. One such supplement is Hoodia Gordonii. Hoodia is great for helping to control your appetite...CONTINUE

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Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

The people who live in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea have a significantly decreased incidence of heart disease, chronic diseases, and cancer, and the highest adult life-expectancy rate. All of these health benefits even though the traditional Mediterranean diet contains 40% of total daily calories from fat. How is this possible?

Olive oil, a staple of a Mediterranean diet, is a monosaturated fatty acid and counteracts animal fats. This type of fat does not raise blood cholesterol levels and is an excellent source of antioxidants. Monounsaturated fats are, in fact, required for the body in order to function effectively.

Another staple of their diet, fish, is high in omega-3 fatty acids, something that most people do not get enough of. Because fish is such an important part of their diet, red meat is eaten very sparingly. This increases good health as omega-3 fats are considered to be essential to human nutrition.

It is also thought that a Mediterranean diet is healthier than the North European and American diet because, in addition to olive oil, more grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts are consumed. There is also much less processed food that is eaten, a large contributor to the poor eating habits of Americans.

The diet itself, instead of counting calories, focuses on a different approach to dieting. It is not concerned primarily with which foods are the best to eat, but how to eat them. Mediterranean style means eating food slowly and savoring the taste of the food.

FEATURES OF A MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Diets can vary between the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. However, there are some common denominators within all of these diets:
*High consumption of olive oil.
*High consumption of fruit, legumes, and vegetables.
*High consumption of grains, pasta, rice, bulgar, couscous, beans, nuts and seeds.
*High consumption of garlic. Garlic lowers your cholesterol level and protects you against cancer.
*Moderate consumption of grilled and steamed fish.
*Low consumption of lean red meat and lean pork.
*Low consumption of eggs and dairy products.
*Low consumption of red wine.
*Regular exercise is an important part of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF A MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Food that is eaten in the Mediterranean area has many health benefits. It has high quantities of:
*MONOUNSATURATED FATS – lowers cholesterol, reduces heart disease, protects against breast and colon cancer. It provides essential fatty acids for healthy skin and the development of body cells.
*ANTIOXIDANTS – act as scavengers, helping to prevent cellular and tissue damage that results in many chronic diseases and cancer.
*CAROTENOIDS – naturally occurring compounds that produce the red, yellow, and orange colors found in many fruits and vegetables and prevent a wide range of diseases.
*PHYTOCHEMICALS - plant chemicals that have disease preventive properties, protect our cells and reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
GUIDELINES FOR EATING THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY
Plan your meals a week ahead. Try to include a wide variety of foods in your menu plan.
*Replace butter and other fat with extra virgin olive oil in cooking and baking. Season your olive oil with garlic and/or herbs and spices.
*Instead of dessert, eat a plateful of fresh fruit.
*Eat lots of whole grains and beans.
*Replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes.
*Eat meals full of color! Add a variety of vegetables by eating salads and soups.
*Limit processed foods.
*Add fish to your diet twice a week and cut down on red meat.
*Drink lots of water, never sugar-sweetened sodas.

What are the benefits of a Mediterranean diet? The health benefits include reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke and an increase in life expectancy. Do your own research to see if the Mediterranean diet will work for you.
Chris Chenoweth, author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, writes articles pertaining to diet, exercise, health, and business.

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