How to easily adopt the Mediterranean Diet
If you’re feeling daunted by the thought of changing your eating habits to a Mediterranean diet, here are some suggestions to get you started:
Eat lots of vegetables. Try a simple plate of sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and crumbled feta cheese, or load your pizza with peppers and mushrooms instead of sausage and pepperoni. Salads, soups, and crudité platters are also great ways to load up on vegetables.
Change the way you think about meat. If you eat meat, have smaller amounts and leaner cuts. Put small strips of chicken on your salad, or add diced prosciutto to a whole-wheat pasta dish.
Always eat breakfast. Fruits, whole grains, and other fiber-rich foods are a great way to start your day, keeping you pleasantly full for hours.
Eat seafood twice a week. Fish such as tuna, salmon, herring, and sardines are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams have similar benefits for brain and heart health.
Cook a vegetarian meal one night a week. If it’s helpful, you can jump on the “Meatless Mondays” trend of foregoing meat on the first day of the week, or simply pick a day where you build meals around beans, whole grains, and vegetables. Once you get the hang of it, try two nights a week. Be sure not to load up on cheese, though.
Use good fats. Extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, sunflower seeds, olives, and avocados are great sources of healthy fats for your daily meals. Some vegetable oils higher in polyunsaturated fats—like sunflower, safflower, soybean, and corn oil—are more heart-healthy than the mostly monounsaturated fats in olive oil.
Enjoy some dairy products. Try small amounts of cheese, and eat Greek or plain yogurt. You want to make sure to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
For dessert, eat fresh fruit. Instead of ice cream or cake, opt for strawberries, fresh figs, grapes, or apples.
Quick start to a Mediterranean diet
There is new, even stronger research backing up the Mediterranean diet as a way to prevent vascular disease. The diet includes generous quantities of olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish; limited portions of red meats or processed meats; and moderate amounts of cheese and wine. So how can you make the switch? Start with small steps, jump-starting your effort with these top five tips:
-
1. Sauté food in olive oil, not butter.
-
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables by having them as a snack, or adding them to other recipes.
-
3. Choose whole grains instead of refined breads and pastas.
-
4. Substitute fish for red meat at least twice per week.
-
5. Limit high-fat dairy by switching to skim or 1% milk from 2% or whole milk.
|
Instead of this: |
Try this Mediterranean option: |
|
Chips, pretzels, crackers and ranch dip |
Carrots, celery, broccoli and salsa |
|
White rice with stir-fried meat |
Quinoa with stir-fried vegetables |
|
Sandwiches with white bread or rolls |
Sandwich fillings in whole-wheat tortillas |
|
Ice cream |
Pudding made with skim or 1% milk |
Also, consider adding sliced avocado to your sandwich instead of cheese, or forgoing the tomato sauce on your pizza. You can opt for egg whites or tofu rather than eggs, snack on olives or nuts instead of cookies, and have a glass of red wine instead of a mug of beer.
Article courtesy of HelpGuide.org, based on Harvard Health Letter, October 2013. Found here: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/mediterranean-diet.htm
