Getting Back to Basics With Whole Foods The Mediterranean Diet Way

People living in the Mediterranean region love to eat natural, healthy and unprocessed foods. If you visit the Mediterranean region you notice there are not many fast food outlets. Most of the people of the Mediterranean region prefer choosing healthy, fresh cultivated fruits and vegetables for themselves and their family. The food market is usually stocked with locally produced natural products like vegetables, fruits, cereals, beans, legumes, grains, whole foods and nuts. Dairy products are also produced locally for consumption.

The Mediterranean diet is recommended by nutritionists because of its numerous health benefits including weight loss. This diet successfully reduces the bad cholesterol levels of our body because it is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Also, it promotes a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle, all through whole foods that are natural products of our planet and provide us with everything we need to live a healthy life...without the use of supplements.

According to the studies conducted by the scientist of the United States, a balanced and healthy diet is a foundation of health and long life. The Mediterranean diet consists of all the elements that fulfill the criteria of being a healthy and well-balanced diet. The suggestion for fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, whole foods, pasta, nuts, potatoes, along with a moderate intake of fish, eggs, and dairy products, and a little wine, all comprises a healthy diet.

Low fat yogurt and cheese used in the Mediterranean cuisines are usually obtained from sheep's milk. But, if you are unable to locate sheep's milk in your locality, you can find other alternatives in your local grocery store. Feta cheese, which is a widely consumed product of the Mediterranean, can be easily found in many supermarkets. Other sources of natural fiber and fat in their diet are hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts. They are added to enhance the taste of many Mediterranean dishes, desserts, fruits and snacks.

The base part of the pyramid includes the foods that should be incorporated in everyday meals, like fruit, veggies, grains and dairy products. The next portion of the pyramid includes food that should be consumed only a few times per week. Eggs and fish comes under this category. The smallest and upper portions of the pyramid constitutes of sweets and red meat. This indicates that these foods should be added very rarely in a diet. People of the Mediterranean region usually consume them once a month. Red meat is considered quite unhealthy for the body because it increases the body's fat.

The typical American diet is rich in red meat, deep-fried foods, processed fats and starch. Corn oil is also consumed excessively, which is a saturated unhealthy fat. Corn oil has an ability to fatten livestock. Red meat, which is restricted in the Mediterranean diet, is lavishly consumed by the Americans. On the flip side, you won't see fat people in the Mediterranean region because all they eat are fruits, veggies and healthy fats. If you don't believe the science, take a trip and check it out for yourself, because at the end of the day you can either live a long, healthy life or you can continue being a sick, overweight statistic.