The way you perceive the word “diet” nowadays is something borne of restriction that helps you shed some excess fat. The Mediterranean diet couldn’t be further from that. Rather, it’s a heart-healthy diet that includes the food staples of people who live in the region around the Mediterranean sea, namely Greece, Croatia and Italy.
How Does The Mediterranean Diet Work?
Most Mediterranean diet tips would tell you that the Mediterranean diet is not centered around weight loss — as a matter of fact, because it wasn’t developed at all, but is known to be a style of eating in a region of people that evolved naturally over centuries. In shorter terms, there’s no official way on how to start this diet.
However, it’s popular due to it being a well-rounded approach to eating that’s not too restrictive.
What Are The Potential And Known Benefits Of The Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is most famous for its benefits to heart health, lowering the risk of heart disease by, in part, reducing the levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and lowering mortality from cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, it’s also been credited with a lowered probability of certain cancers, such as breast cancer, as well as conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Emerging evidence also suggests that eating this way may also offer protective effects for those who are at risk for type 2 diabetes. For one, the Mediterranean diet helps improve blood sugar control in those who are already diagnosed with the said condition, suggesting it can be a great way to better manage the disease.
Finally, people eat about 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day on a Mediterranean diet. Produce packs an array of disease-fighting antioxidants, and people who fill their diet with these foods have a lowered risk of disease.
Can Following the Mediterranean Diet Help With Your Losing of Weight?
As a traditional way of eating for a lot of cultures worldwide, the Mediterranean diet wasn’t designed for weight loss. It just so happens that it’s considered to be one of the healthiest diets all over the globe also is a great way for you to keep your weight in control.
A review that was published in The American Journal of Medicine back in April of 2016 looked at 5 trials on overweight and obese people and found that after a year those who adhered to the Mediterranean diet lost as much as 11 pounds more than the low-fat eaters. However, the same study found the same weight loss benefit in other diets, such as low-carb diets. The results suggest that there’s no ideal diet for achieving sustained weight loss in overweight or obese people.
However, the Mediterranean diet is an incredibly well-rounded way to lose weight that ditches gimmicks and doesn’t require calorie or macronutrient counting as other diets do. And with the emphasis on healthy fat, it’s also satisfying.
There you have it, these are just some of the basic health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and facts that you should know about the mentioned diet. Just remember to always take your portions right and don’t overdo it.
