Nutrition: Top 10 Reasons To Follow the Mediterranean Diet

A healthy, balanced diet is vital to achieving longterm weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle. Though there are a lot of moving parts and factors to finding the perfect healthy diet for you, following the basics of the Mediterranean diet is a great place to start. The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy diet plan that focuses on eating fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes. It also advocates replacing fats such as butter with olive oil, using herbs and spices to flavor food in lieu of salt, limiting red meat, and enjoying wine in moderation. This diet is enjoyed by those in the Mediterranean region such as Italy, and Greece and is often associated with a longer life, and a healthier heart. Here are the top 10 reasons to follow the Mediterranean diet:

10.  You have fun during your meals.  The Mediterranean diet is not a diet—it is a lifestyle.  Eat your meals at a table, spend time finishing your meal, and eat among others.  I promise you end up having a more enjoyable dining experience.

9.  Your cardiovascular risk decreases.  This diet is the perfect formula for helping your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers improve significantly.

8.  You wake up feeling 10 years younger.  A diet rich in plant foods (vegetables, fruit, herbs, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds) can decrease inflammation as well providing constant energy.

7.   Your loved ones are impressed by your cooking skills.  Following the Mediterranean diet results in spending more time in the kitchen preparing composed meals.  You'll have the ability to create some awesome dishes—including intimidating recipes you’ve always kept off your meal plan.  Use www.h3daily.com and skills that you may have learned as a guest in the H3 Healthy Kitchen as a valuable resource.

6.  You suddenly feel like an athlete every time you work out or train.  A diet focused on plants, lean proteins, fatty fish, healthy oils (olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut oils), low fat dairy, beans, legumes, wine in moderation, herbs, spices and a lot of water will fuel your muscles and body necessary for prime performance.

5.  Fad diets are no longer an option.  No major food group is discounted.  You are focused on getting a variety of foods, going local, choosing seasonal produce and the diet monkey chatter can slowly dissipate.

4.  Healthy food tastes awesome!  Using herbs, spices, vinegars, oils, nuts, seeds and more adds amazing texture as well as giving you a huge flavor boost without excessive sodium or added sugars.

3.  Your friends come to you for nutrition advice.  Your lifestyle is now admirable among your peers and they are asking what you’ve been doing with your diet and exercise.  Here is the great thing—it is easy to encourage those around you because you truly believe in the lifestyle you are living.

2.  You get to buy a new wardrobe.  Due to a significant improvement in your food choices, your weight loss goals will be easy to achieve.  Hello, shopping mall!

1.  You are finally living in diet freedom.  You can finally let go of every fad diet you’ve followed and hold onto something that is realistic, healthy and enjoyable.  Key word—enjoyable.

We certainly hope that you try out the Mediterranean diet and it helps you get closer to reaching your weight loss and wellness goals.

Hundreds of Studies Prove Mediterranean Diet the Way to Go

According the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), hundreds of scientific studies have linked the Mediterranean diet to reduced risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and other conditions. The evidence is so overwhelming that Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, the Vincent Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention at the HSPH describes the Mediterranean way  of eating  “possibly the best ever”. A new study published on February 25^th on the New England Journal of Medicines web site adds more evidence to support Dr. Trichopoiulos’ belief. In fact it might provide the strongest evidence to date. Quoted in the New York Times Rachel Johnson called the study “really impressive” Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and a spokesperson for the American Heart Association added, “And what is really important – the coolest thing – is they used very meaningful endpoints. They did not look at risk factors like cholesterol or hypertension or weight. They looked at heart attacks and strokes and death. At the end of the day, that is what really matters.” The study found that participants at high risk for heart disease and stroke cut their risk by 30% by switching to the Mediterranean diet.

But what is the Mediterranean diet and is something that most people could live on. The Mediterranean diet, according the Mayo Clinic, emphasizes:

•   Getting plenty of exercise


•   Eating primarily plant based-based food, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains legumes and nuts


•   Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive and canola


•   Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods


•   Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month


•   Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week


•   Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)


•   Enjoying meals with family and friends

If this looks familiar, it should, our guests have been enjoying this type of delicious culinary experience here at H3 for years. Including providing the meals a pleasant, family style environment with interesting, friendly people from all over the world.