The Big Picture on the Mediterranean Diet
A Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of fish, has been linked to many health benefits.
As with the beginning of any new year, many people will kick off 2012 with promises of going on a diet to improve their health. However, those who are looking for an easy-to-follow regimen are faced with a conundrum: which diet is the best? Low carb and high protein? Low fat and whole grains? Commercial diet plans? Eating nothing but rice?
However individuals decide to change their eating habits, they need to remember to consume the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals while maintaining a healthy level of energy. If these were the only criteria to consider, there may be one diet that has proven reliable for generations in one region of the world.
This is no celebrity crash diet—this is the Mediterranean diet!
Them's good eatin'—in more ways than one
The diets of people who live in the Mediterranean countries—Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco and others—are renowned in part for their links to a number of health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Mediterranean Diet is defined by:
- plant-based meals with small amounts of meat or chicken
- plentiful servings of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes
- high amounts of fiber
- a preference for fish and seafood over red meat
- olive oil as the main source of fat
- simply seasoned foods prepared without sauces or gravies
- minimal sweets, eggs and butter
This style of eating has been tied to healthy levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides, the NIH said. In fact, studies have shown that people with eating habits that even just resembled the Mediterranean diet may experience certain benefits. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which consisted mostly of Hispanic and black subjects, suggested that people who ate more fish, legumes and vegetables were more likely to have better heart health, which may be due to greater intake of fish oil and fiber.
Another study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, even found a possible link between the Mediterranean diet and fertility. Although the researchers could not conclude that this diet actually makes women more fertile, it did suggest that better regulation of blood sugar can have a positive effect on a woman's hormone levels.
Antioxidants galore
Besides heart health and fertility, the Mediterranean diet has also been linked to optimal immune system function. But how does this happen?
Some conditions which are the result of poor immune regulation may be driven in part by free radicals. These chemicals can damage cell membranes, trap bad cholesterol in the walls of the arteries and interfere with the proper processing of DNA, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Free radicals may be the product of environmental pollution or the simple metabolism of food into energy.
However, free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants, which are present in many foods consumed in the Mediterranean diet.
Researchers from Rome conducted an experiment in which they studied 300 individuals with different patterns of eating, and categorized them by how closely they followed the Mediterranean diet. As expected, eating patterns that adhered better to the diet included a lot more fruits and vegetables. Tests showed that study participants within this category had higher levels of antioxidants—vitamins A and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha and beta carotene—in their blood.
Other results from the Italian study, published in the Nutrition Journal, also showed that people who ate a Mediterranean diet had a better profile for heart health.
What can you do?
If the Mediterranean diet sounds attractive to you, remember to buy fresh produce instead of processed food. And if you feel like going the extra step and helping your community, buy from local farmers!
However, because a Mediterranean diet places less emphasis on red meat and dairy, consumers may want to remember to take supplements containing iron, vitamin D, magnesium and calcium, according to the NIH.
As with any diet, remember not to neglect exercise! The general recommendation for American adults is 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And one more thing: when you're in the kitchen, have fun! After all, you'll be taking up a lifestyle that's time-tested, so be proud
and get creative.