Is The Mediterranean Diet The Best?

The Mediterranean diet is a fantastic choice for improved protection from dangerous diseases due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. The it is both tasty and nourishing since it is full of rich components, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats, making it easy for anyone to follow a healthy lifestyle.

If you want to revolutionize the way you eat, look no further! Keep on reading to find out about this healthy diet and the benefits it has in store for you.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet encourages consuming foods that are fresh, colorful, and naturally occurring. The diet is composed primarily of whole foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices as well as healthy meats such as lamb and fish. It also strongly emphasizes steering clear of processed meals high in sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a staple in any Mediterranean Diet due to its vast health benefits.

The diet follows a holistic approach. So instead of tracking calories or macronutrients like a traditional “diet,” it focuses on managing your eating habits.

Why is it called the Mediterranean Diet?

The diet is highly common in Mediterranean nations like Spain, Italy, and Greece. However, each country might follow a different type of diet. Moreover, it is popular all over the world as it has a low environmental effect and is more sustainable since it places a strong emphasis on whole foods, encourages the use of locally produced goods, and favors seasonal foods.

Although there are no specific directions for how to follow it, you can follow numerous general rules to incorporate the diet’s principles into your daily activities.

5 Reasons Why Mediterranean Diet is the Best & Healthiest

The Mediterranean diet, introduced in 1975 by American biologists Ancel and Margaret Keys, was not widely accepted until the 1990s. Later on, this diet became popular gradually because of its incredible health benefits.

Let’s take a look at why the Mediterranean diet is considered the healthiest:

1.) Improves Cognitive Ability & Reduces the Risk of Dementia

Newer evidence reveals that the healthy eating pattern in the Mediterranean diet preserves brain health. Also, adherence to the diet is associated with a slower pace of cognitive decline and a decreased risk of dementia.

It advocates a high intake of whole foods, moderate alcohol use, and olive oil. This dietary pattern is high in antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 fats, all of which have been linked to a reduced incidence of dementia and cognitive decline.

Additionally, a study evaluated the brain scans of 70 individuals who did not initially exhibit any signs of dementia. It graded them according to how closely their eating habits matched those of the Mediterranean diet. At the end of the trial, those with low scores had poorer energy use in the brain and more beta-amyloid deposits (protein plaques in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease).

2.) Helps with Weight Loss

Combining a healthy lifestyle with a Mediterranean diet may help you lose weight. That’s because it supports a range of nutrient-dense meals while restricting processed foods and added sweets.

An evaluation written in The American Journal of Medicine compared the Mediterranean diet to the American Diabetes Association. It was discovered that they all contributed to a comparable amount of weight loss and lowered cardiovascular risk. However, virgin olive oil (extra) is one of the major elements to support weight loss in a Mediterranean diet. Try to consume three tablespoons of EVOO daily to achieve a healthy balance.

3.) Keeps your Heart Healthy

It is rich in monounsaturated fat but low in saturated fat, meats, and dairy products. This appears to be an ideal nutritional pattern for cardiovascular health. Numerous studies have discovered that since Mediterranean diet plans are rich in dietary fiber and flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory characteristics, they reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

According to one study, consuming almonds or extra virgin olive oil together with a Mediterranean diet for three months significantly reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.

Moreover, researchers have linked it to improvements in blood lipid profiles. Particularly in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as decreased lipid oxidation and thrombosis risk (measured by fibrinogen levels). These changes all indicate improved endothelial function.

4.) Protects against Type 2 Diabetes

It has the added health benefit of preventing type-2 diabetes.

According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in August 2015 in BMJ Open, people at risk for the condition (such as those managing metabolic syndrome) may lower their chances of developing diabetes by 23%.

It has been shown that the Mediterranean eating pattern, when compared to low-fat diets, can significantly reduce fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and insulin levels in obese diabetic patients. Furthermore, another study shows that it can enhance the human body’s utilization of the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar.

5.) Reduces Risk of Cancer

According to studies, eating a Mediterranean style diet may lower your chance of developing a variety of cancers as well as your overall mortality risk from cancer. Researchers propose that postmenopausal women who follow a traditional Mediterranean diet may have a lower breast cancer risk after monitoring 15,000 women in Greece for nearly ten years.

Another study examined the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the risk of stomach cancer in a sizable cohort of men and women between the ages of 35 and 70. The research team came to the conclusion that the diet reduced the risk of stomach cancer by one-third after looking at data from around half a million people.