The Mediterranean diet, also called the Mediterranean diet, is based on the consumption of fresh and natural foods such as olive oil, fruits, vegetables, cereals, milk and cheese, which forces to avoid industrialized products such as sausages, frozen cakes and powder.
This diet is actually a type of food that helps change your lifestyle and doesn’t always need to be low in calories to help you lose weight because it naturally improves metabolism and promotes weight management.
To make the Mediterranean diet, you need to change your diet as follows:
The diet should consist mainly of natural products, mainly of vegetable origin, such as olive oil, brown rice, soy, eggs and milk. In addition, it is necessary to change the foods you buy ready to use, such as cookies and cakes, preferring homemade versions.
Removing industrialized products will help reduce the production of toxins in the body, reduce inflammation and combat water retention, naturally helping to deflate.
Fish or shellfish should be consumed at least 3 times a week, as they are good sources of protein and fat, such as omega-3, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, helping to relieve joint pain, improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease.Discover all the benefits of omega-3s.
Olive oil and vegetable oils such as canola and flaxseed oil are rich in heart-healthy fats, which help control cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.
To get the benefits, the oil should be added to the ready-to-use preparation, consuming a maximum of 2 tablespoons per day.Olive oil should also be used for cooking, sautéing and roasting meat or fish.Sunflower oil is rarely used. Check out the tips for choosing the best olive oil in the supermarket.
The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole foods such as rice, flour, oats and wholegrain paste, which are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals that improve body function, combat constipation and decrease the absorption of sugars and fats in the gut.
In addition to cereals, the diet should also be rich in plant proteins such as beans, soybeans, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds that also help strengthen muscles and improve metabolism.
Increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables is an important point of this diet, as they will provide fiber, vitamins and minerals for metabolism, and will bring a feeling of fullness, helping with weight loss.It is recommended to eat at least 3 different fruits per day, a good habit is to eat 1 fruit after each meal, whether for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.
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To improve nutrition and reduce fat intake, you should prefer skimmed milk, natural yogurt and white cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage cheese, or choose light versions of the products.To sweeten some natural yogurt, you can add 1 teaspoon of honey or homemade jam.
Red meats should be lean cuts, where some of the fat is not observed, and are limited to a single consumption per week, so there is room for meals with eggs, fish and cereal mixtures that are also good sources of protein, such as rice.beans, rice, lentils or peas.
The most suitable drink to quench the thirst that accompanies meals is water, being able to choose aromatized water by adding lemon or ginger slices.In addition, 1 glass of wine is allowed per day (180 ml), especially after dinner.
Here’s an example of a 3-day Mediterranean diet menu
This menu should preferably be prepared with fresh vegetables, it is important to remember to add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the lunch and dinner dish.
The Mediterranean diet is not only a diet, it is a way of life, usually present in Mediterranean countries, whose main health benefits are:
To really follow the Mediterranean diet, you must eat daily foods of vegetable origin, fresh, unprocessed, seasonal and local, preferring to buy in small markets and fruit and vegetable shops, than in large supermarkets.
Discover the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in the following video: