Diets and a variety of exercise routines that have been popular for a long time weren’t exactly accessible to the general public. Not everyone can do it consistently because of the commitment it requires. But the pursuit of knowledge and advancement of technology is making many things more accessible. Hence, many once-inaccessible diets are more common when one digs around enough.
The internet is one such tool that has made diet menus and lifestyles more accessible to the public. You can research the kind of food you should eat when doing a Paleo Diet or a Ketogenic Diet. And if you’re too busy to cook, you can find services that will help you sustain your healthy lifestyle. If you’re doing the Mediterranean Diet, you can contact a Mediterranean Diet meal delivery service. If it’s a Low FODMAP diet, maybe they have a menu for that specific diet too.
Let’s talk about what the Mediterranean Diet is all about and what diet plan is great for healthy weight loss. We’ll also talk about the different benefits you get from doing a Mediterranean Diet and more.
How Do You Define a Mediterranean Diet?
Back in the 1950s, researchers took an interest in the Mediterranean Diet because the people there have better overall health. The populations have lower rates of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. They also exhibited greater longevity than nations in the West, therefore piquing great interest.
Like its name, the diet refers to the traditional food and culture of countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Examples of these countries are Greece, Italy, Spain, and Egypt. The Mediterranean Diet staples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seafood. There are also nuts, legumes, and olive oil in their food recipes. Meanwhile, they use poultry, eggs, and dairy in lesser amounts.
But unlike many fad diets, the Mediterranean Diet isn’t restrictive and encourages nutrient-dense foods. It doesn’t count calories as much nor does it completely omit any one type of food. Hence, it’s a lot easier for people to adopt this diet into their lifestyle unless they’re very busy.
Often, you find yourself wanting to eat healthy food and have a healthy lifestyle, but it can be too time-consuming. Hence, you can opt to look for Mediterranean Diet meal delivery services to help with your meal plans. They offer Mediterranean Diet meals that have been designed by doctors and dieticians.
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Mediterranean Meals: What are the Benefits?
Much research has been done about the benefits of having Mediterranean meals, like this research with 26,000 women. Among those, the ones who adhered the most to the diet were 28% less likely to develop heart disease. The diet consists of food that reduces inflammation and has hydroxytyrosol, like fruits, nuts, and olive oil.
Aside from heart health, the Mediterranean Diet also has good healthy weight loss potential. Eating healthy can help you lose weight and this particular diet stabilizes your weight without feeling deprived. That way, you won’t be having hard cravings or suddenly binge eating food you direly miss. Hence, it’s no surprise that it’s recommended by dieticians and doctors around the world.
A group of obese adults on a Mediterranean Diet can lose weight and lower total cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol. That’s because a standard American diet consists of food rich in saturated fat, sugar, and salt. Meanwhile, a Mediterranean meal has a lot of unsaturated fats and Omega-3 that keep you healthy.
To summarize, the Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest ways you can eat without straying far from your usual diet. You can still eat meat and have red wine occasionally or have other sources of protein. It’s a very balanced diet that won’t restrict you so much that you’d give up in a heartbeat.
Mediterranean Diet for Weight Loss
Diets naturally involve meal plans and here, we’ll give sample Mediterranean meals for each day. That way, you’ll have an idea of what a healthy weight loss plan can look like involving this diet. Weight loss can help you lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so you’re not entirely dependent on the Mediterranean Diet. Your bones and joints will also experience less stress which means less work for your heart.
1. On Monday
For breakfast, you can have greek yogurt with strawberries and chia seeds. It might seem light, but it’s healthy and filling enough to get you through the morning. Because for lunch, you can have a sandwich with hummus and vegetables. The sandwich can be made of whole grain which is a core part of a Mediterranean meal.
And then, you can have a tuna salad with greens and olive oil for dinner. You can even add some fruit salad on the side as well.
2. On Tuesday
For breakfast, you can have oatmeal with blueberries which is a similar idea to the previous breakfast. But to shake it up a bit, lunch can be Caprese zucchini noodles with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Don’t forget to add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for that Mediterranean staple.
Your dinner can consist of a salad with tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and some grilled chicken. You should also add farro and feta cheese to the mix for more flavor. Cheese may be dairy and that’s moderately allowed in Mediterranean meals.
3. On Wednesday
Who doesn’t love omelets for breakfast and why not add ingredients to make them healthier? You can put some mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions to maintain your diet and enjoy your omelet. For lunch, you can once again have a whole-grain sandwich but with cheese and vegetables this time. And for dinner, you can prepare some Mediterranean pasta or order it from a Mediterranean meal delivery service.
4. On Thursday
Once again, you go with yogurt with sliced fruit and nuts for breakfast. But for lunch, you can try a quinoa salad with chickpeas for that protein. And for dinner, you can have broiled salmon for some omega-3, with brown rice and vegetables.
5. On Friday
You can have eggs again for breakfast, but with sautéed vegetables and whole-wheat toast. Your lunch can consist of stuffed zucchini boats with pesto. And you can add some turkey sausage, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a bit of cheese too. Then, for dinner, you can have meat with grilled lamb with salad and baked potato on the side.
6. On Saturday
Just because it’s a weekend doesn’t mean it’s a cheat day so have some oatmeal with raisins for breakfast. You can put some nuts and apple slices on the side for a healthier start to the day. For lunch, you can have a whole-grain sandwich with vegetables. And for dinner, you can have Mediterranean pizza. It’s made with whole wheat pita bread with cheese, vegetables, and olives at the top.
7. On Sunday
Your Sunday breakfast can consist of an omelet with vegetables and olives. For lunch, you can try a falafel bowl with feta, onions, tomatoes, hummus, and some rice. The rice may come as a surprise to you, but you can still eat it moderately. And for dinner, you can have grilled chicken with vegetables, sweet potatoes, and fruit.
Conclusion
A Mediterranean diet is an accessible diet for many people who want to eat healthily. Mediterranean meals consist largely of fish, nuts, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and olive oil. And it’s inspired by the food, culture, and tradition of nations around the Mediterranean sea. It’s a balanced diet that won’t restrict your food choices too much but keep you fit and healthy.
Many studies have been conducted about the Mediterranean diet and it certainly helps with heart health and longevity. However, many people are also too busy to plan and make their meals for the week. In such cases, Mediterranean Diet meal deliveries are available to ensure you maintain your weight and health.
In the end, there is no doubt that the Mediterranean diet is a great way to lose weight in a healthy way. To keep yourself and your family healthy, it is important to eat healthily and follow the diet as per your needs. So, you must know or learn how to cook healthy food as per diet. In that case, you can follow websites, like Food Jewellery, which focuses on healthy cooking and provides diet tips.
