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Mediterranean Diet

May is Mediterranean Diet Month

There isn’t a single diet that encompasses the unique cuisines of all the countries that border the Mediterranean like Italy, Spain, Greece, and Lebanon, however the foundations of the traditional food from the Mediterranean are similar. A traditional Mediterranean diet includes common elements such as plenty of fresh and locally sourced vegetables and fruits, legumes like beans and lentils, whole grains, more seafood than meat and poultry, and heart-healthy olive oil.

The Mediterranean diet has captured the health community’s attention since the mid-20th century, when the long-running Seven Countries Study examined the health of people in United States, Japan, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, and then-Yugoslavia. The study found that Mediterranean-eating patterns were remarkably connected with good health. Since then, countless studies have contributed to the growing body of evidence that supports the healthfulness of a traditional Mediterranean Diet.

The Mediterranean diet isn’t the traditional “going on a diet” type of diet; it’s a long-term, sustainable approach to a healthy life, free of quick fixes, deprivation, and hunger. It is more lifestyle than diet and incorporates foods, regular physical activity, meals with friends and family, and wine in moderation.

Infographic via America’s Test Kitchen (https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/509-the-mediterranean-diet-food-pyramid-infographic)

The typical American diet is high in animal fats, sugar, preservatives and processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables. Artificial ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and flavor enhancers are common. Curious about how to alter your American diet and make it more Mediterranean? Here’s how:

Adopting the Mediterranean diet can help significantly improve your health. These are just some of the proven ways the Mediterranean diet can help your body.

Health Benefits

 

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17058434

https://oldwayspt.org/

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