The Mediterranean diet has a lower proportion of red meat and carbohydrates than the rest and where fresh and seasonal foods are the key. Grab a pen and paper to make the shopping list and sign up for healthy food.
What foods are part of the Mediterranean diet?
The base of the pyramid of the Mediterranean diet stands out for the use of olive oil, legumes, fruits, pasta, and cereals. For this reason, people who follow this diet have much more stabilized blood sugar and a lower risk of developing heart disease. Discover the main foods:
Vegetables:
Some native vegetables joined the foods introduced later by the Arabs (broccoli, artichokes, almonds, or lettuces), giving rise to a great amalgam of vegetables. How could it be otherwise, eating habits were forged from these foods, and for this reason, they became one of the bases of the Mediterranean diet.
Fruits:
Grapes, figs, tomatoes, chestnuts, pears, cherries, oranges, or olives. Mediterranean countries have countless fruits with which to recreate. Experts recommend that the amount of fruit and vegetables in the Mediterranean diet be five servings a day (three of fruit and two of vegetables).
On the other hand, olive oil, the only fat added to this diet, depending on the variety of olives with which it is made, can be of different types. Any of them is essential in the Mediterranean diet and one of the icons that identify it.
Pasta and cereals:
Bread, whole grains (such as rice), pasta, or potatoes should be consumed between three and four times a day according to the Mediterranean diet. Cereals are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as phytochemical compounds such as polyphenols and phytoestrogens.
Do you already know what are the foods of the Mediterranean diet? Take advantage of all its properties and follow a healthy diet combined with exercise.