Mediterranean Diet: Why Is It Different?

People that live in the Mediterranean area tend to live longer healthier lives, even though they eat of lot of foods that are rich in fat or other substances that are usually the cause of a series of diseases, some of them lethal. French, Greek and Italian people are among those that enjoy a good Mediterranean diet, while enjoying a good way of living. At a first glance at the way they eat, we will learn that they drink a lot of wine, beside the delicious recipes that they consume, which are so much better than grilled chicken meat and salads with no dressing at all. Lets see what other things the researchers noticed while observing the Mediterranean diet.


The differences


Italian food? Yummy! It is an indisputable truth: the Mediterranean recipes are extremely tasty, which makes the food prepared there so good to eat. Also, when gathering along a table, these people enjoy their company as well as the food, and eating is considered to be more of a social event than in other parts of the globe.


There are a lot of carbs in the Mediterranean diet. But, you may say, carbs are bad, right? Not exactly, and not if you eat the right carbohydrates. These are not sugary donuts, or extremely sweet cakes. The Mediterranean people eat a lot of breads made of whole grains, pasta and rice.


Another thing: fat is present, to a high extent, into the Mediterranean diet. These are the right fats, as well, and they are found in olive oil or in fish rich in omega-3 fats. So, without lard, or margarine, or too much red meat, you have no damaging fats in the diet.As said before, wine is an important part of a Mediterranean meal. Red wine is preferred and it is the main cause why these people do not develop heart diseases.


What about the food pyramid?


Researchers proved that the Mediterranean food pyramid is slightly different from the one promoted by the USDA. Lets take a look at how the food pyramid looks like in the Mediterranean diet:


- first things first: pasta is good, as well as other grain foods;- vegetables and fruits are good, even several times a day;- olive oil is good in almost any recipe;- cheese and yoghurt are great to be consumed daily;- fish is recommended even several times a week;- poultry and eggs can be eaten every week, without excess;- sweets are allowed every week;- a reduced consumption of red meat is recommended;- hydration is important, so drink six glasses of water every day;- red wine should not lack from the important meals; if you cannot stand it, try some grape juice.

About The Author:
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