Greek salad with grilled fish or soup and bread is a simple yet healthy dinner that fits within the Mediterranean Diet guidelines. Enjoy making or ordering such dinners from home or from restaurants alike.
The Mediterranean Diet (Med Diet) is not a restrictive eating pattern. Instead, it emphasizes filling your plate with vegetables, whole grains and seafood while including heart-healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts in moderation.
Vegetables
Vegetables play an essential part in the Mediterranean diet, from leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and other colorful veggies packed with essential nutrients to cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower that contain cancer-fighting fiber and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Beans and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas (hummus) are staples in a Mediterranean diet, providing essential protein, iron and other essential nutrients. Be sure to include these nutritious staples into salads, stews and casseroles to get maximum benefit from them!
The Mediterranean diet is an easy way to incorporate nutritious yet flavorful food into your meals and reduce your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes while improving overall health and mood. Just be sure to limit alcoholic beverages to two 5-ounce glasses of wine daily for men and one 5-ounce glass a day for women.
Lean Protein
The Mediterranean diet has long been associated with positive cardiovascular health outcomes, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and an extended life span. This diet tends to focus on plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables rather than meat consumption.
Diets incorporating lean protein sources such as eggs, low-fat dairy and poultry should include small portions each week for lean protein sources that won’t raise cholesterol levels in blood vessels as much as red meat might do. Poultry should be chosen instead because its lower risk of raising blood cholesterol levels makes it a superior option than red meat.
Olive oil is an indispensable kitchen ingredient. Look for extra-virgin brands, which mean the oil has not been refined or processed in any way. Swap out butter or other vegetable oils when cooking with it; drizzle it on salads as an extra boost of flavor and texture!
Fill half your plate with vegetables, one quarter with whole grains and the remaining quarter with lean proteins. Use these guidelines as a starting point, consulting with your dietitian about tailoring it specifically to meet your medical needs and individual preferences.
Whole Grains
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole grains while restricting highly processed foods. When choosing meals from this plan, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice and quinoa over white pasta and potatoes; focus on fish over meat (beef or pork); add small amounts of dairy like yogurt, low-fat cheese and milk for protein completeness; enjoy wine responsibly if it is your passion!
Start out small if you’re ready to switch over, by replacing refined foods with Mediterranean-style options. Switch butter for olive oil and add in nuts as a daily source of protein boost. As your body adjusts over time, gradually transition away from red meat towards fish or chicken while increasing fruits and veggies while cutting back on sugary beverages or butter intake. Be sure to consult your physician first if making major dietary changes – they’re a valuable source for creating personalized meal plans tailored specifically for you!
Healthy Fats
For a nutritious and flavorful meal, choose extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds as sources of healthy fats that provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3s. They’re packed with heart-friendly monounsaturates such as olive oil while also being packed with protective phytochemicals according to Everyday Health staff dietitian Kelly Kennedy RDN. As Kelly suggests replacing saturated fats like butter with olive oil over time; using nut or seed butters as snacks; and switching out red meat consumption with fish or poultry alternatives instead.
Try these easy swaps from the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab: steel-cut oatmeal instead of breakfast cereal; fruit smoothie topped with 1 T of nut butter instead of pastry; Greek yogurt with strawberries and walnuts in lieu of ice cream – these simple switches help move you toward adopting the Mediterranean diet, which has long been linked with long-term heart-health and longevity benefits. Aim to incorporate two to three servings of seafood each week along with legumes or tofu instead of meat for better heart-health and longevity benefits; finish it all off by including salad with hearty veggies, whole grains and lean proteins for complete meals.
