The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest and most rational nutritional systems. This is a collection of eating habits that stimulate metabolism, help the body function properly and gradually get rid of extra pounds. On this diet you will not lose 5 kg in a week, but a fast pace should not be the goal, otherwise you can easily harm your body. At some point, there will be a failure, a setback in metabolism - and you will gain more pounds than you planned to lose.
The basic rules of the Mediterranean diet: eat healthy foods, eat in small portions. The diet is based on plant foods rich in fiber and protein. It is important to drink lots of water: 6 to 8 glasses a day. And be sure to exercise - this is an important component of the diet.
Mediterranean diet: what you can eat – permitted foods
Products that make up the diet:
- Fresh vegetables:tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, onions, potatoes, carrots;
- Fruits and berries:seasonal;
- Nuts and seeds:almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds;
- Legumes and grains:beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, oats, brown rice, corn, buckwheat, whole grain bread, durum wheat pasta;
- Fish and seafood:salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, mussels;
- Bird:chicken, duck, turkey;
- Dairy products:cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt;
- Herbs and spices:garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, cinnamon, saffron, pepper;
- Healthy fats:unrefined olive oil, olives, avocados;
- Red wine:a glass once a week.
When planning your diet, you must observe the following proportions:
- 60% carbohydrates;
- 30% fat;
- 10% proteins.
What you can't eat on the Mediterranean diet - prohibited foods
Another advantage of the diet: it is not forbidden to consume foods other than those to which an allergic reaction is possible. But to obtain results it is necessary to reduce or eliminate the consumption of chemical compounds: sugar, wheat flour, processed foods, refined oil, alcohol, soda, fast food, chocolate, ice cream, sausages, sweet bars, desserts and so on.
Red meat is allowed up to four times a month, eggs - up to four times a week.
Mediterranean diet menu for 7 days
Monday
Breakfast:slice of wholemeal bread, tomato, mozzarella;
To have lunch:roast meat, salad, grapefruit;
Snack:fruit salad;
To have lunch:wholemeal bread, cheese with nuts, orange.
Tuesday
Breakfast:muesli with berries and Greek yogurt;
To have lunch:100 grams of baked fish, durum wheat pasta;
Snack:curd casserole, tea;
To have lunch:fish cutlets, buckwheat, tomato and herb salad, a glass of dry red wine.
Wednesday
Breakfast:curd casserole with berries and coffee;
To have lunch:seafood soup, a few slices of wholemeal bread;
Snack:fruit salad with Greek yogurt;
To have lunch:roast turkey with vegetable stew.
Thursday
Breakfast:omelet with vegetables, tomatoes and olives;
To have lunch:baked fish and bulgur with peas;
Snack:yogurt or a few pieces of dried apricots;
To have lunch:a glass of kefir and a low-fat cottage cheese casserole.
Friday
Breakfast:corn porridge with vegetable milk with pumpkin and raisins, apple;
To have lunch:vegetable soup, eggplant cooked with garlic and herbs;
Snack:bran bread sandwich with cottage cheese, unsweetened tea;
To have lunch:white fish baked with tomato, zucchini stewed with carrots.
Saturday
Breakfast:corn porridge with milk diluted with pumpkin and raisins, apple;
To have lunch:vegetable soup, eggplant cooked with garlic and herbs;
To have lunch:white fish baked with tomato, zucchini stewed with carrots.
Sunday
Breakfast:two-egg omelet with peppers;
To have lunch:white fish baked with tomato, zucchini stewed with carrots;
To have lunch:a glass of kefir, cottage cheese with honey.
Contraindications
There are no serious contraindications, with the exception of individual intolerance to the products. The diet contains the necessary healthy substances that ensure the proper functioning of the body.
Pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet
A fact that many consider a disadvantage: slow weight loss. But it is precisely this diet that teaches you how to eat healthily, without interruptions and without worrying that your favorite foods will be banned. This eating pattern becomes a way of life, metabolic problems are leveled and weight reaches the desired level.
If you like sweets or foods that are difficult to give up, eliminate them gradually. Every morning after breakfast we drank tea with sweets - we do this every other day, eating no more than two sweets. Then organize morning teas twice a week and cleanse thoroughly. You will reduce your daily dose of sugar, the urge to burst will disappear and the body will perceive the situation without stress.
The diet has many advantages: it consists of a large amount of fresh fruit, fish, olive oil, which, combined with an active lifestyle, have a positive effect on health.
Research shows that this type of diet reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer. Adherents of the diet are less likely to suffer from excess weight, hypertension and diabetes. The risk of Alzheimer's disease also decreases. The strong medical effect is explained by the presence of a large amount of healthy foods in the diet: fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, butter and nuts, and a small amount of red wine.
If a person losing weight follows the rules and proportions, the diet becomes beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. This helps prevent hypertension, atherosclerosis, reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, prevent excessive blood clot formation as well as the development of atherosclerosis, improve blood circulation and strengthen blood vessels. The dietary fiber in the composition regulates blood sugar levels. Additionally: improves the functioning of the thyroid gland and metabolic processes.