Mediterranean Diet: 7 reasons you will love it
The roots of the Mediterranean diet come from the eating habits of people who live near the Mediterranean Sea. It was formulated in the 1960s and includes cuisines from Italy, Greece, France, and Spain. The Mediterranean diet largely includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, seafood, and olive oil. Here's why you will love this diet.
Fat is healthy
Mediterranean diet includes monounsaturated fatty acid foods like peanuts and olive oil. Such fats are actually good for your health. They add taste to your food and simultaneously help keep diseases like diabetes and cancer at bay. Moreover, olive oil has a neutral taste, is rich in antioxidants, and can potentially reduce one's risk for heart disease.
The options are immense
The diet includes recipes from Turkey, Spain, Morocco, and several other countries apart from Italian and Greek cuisine. So there is no dearth of variety. However, be mindful of what you pick. Go light on the red meat and pick healthier foods, such as whole-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Chickpeas, lemon, garlic, cheese, and herbs are a staple in this diet.
Easy to prepare; packed with flavor
The Greek cuisine mostly comprises small platters of cold foods, such as cheese, olives, and nuts. This is why it is pretty easy to whip up a plate of salad or just a platter quickly. The Mediterranean diet is packed full of flavor, thanks to the variety of spices, such as rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, bay leaves used in it.
Reduces hunger pangs; healthy snacking options
The foods in this diet include sweet potatoes, hummus, and Lima Bean Spread. All of these are slowly digested which makes us feel fuller for longer and reduces hunger pangs. Snacking is fun and healthy in this diet. You have nuts, olives, and low-fat cheese to munch on. Then there is the red wine that has antioxidants beneficial for the heart.
Eat without worrying about weight gain
This cuisine isn't decadent but offers a lot of tasty options which do not lead to weight gain. You get to eat a lot of vegetables like beans, which we all know are healthy. Olive oil, which contains healthy fats, is used in almost every dish. Cheese is used in several salads and platters. You can even enjoy bread and wine.
