7 Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet
The ingredients that make a Mediterranean diet and the way it is prepared and eaten make it one of the healthiest diets in the world. Originally Mediterranean diet was the food habits of the people from Greece, Italy and Crete, but nowadays the food from Southern France, Spain and Portugal are also called Mediterranean diet even though Portugal does not have a Mediterranean coast. The Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fresh fruit as dessert, lot of beans, legumes, nuts, cereals and seeds. Most importantly they use olive oil as a dressing for salads and cooking. Also included in the diet are moderate amounts of fish, poultry and wine. The benefits are many. Some of the health benefits from following a Mediterranean diet are
1. Lower risk of heart diseases
The Mediterranean diet is known to be low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturated fat, and high in dietary fiber. This makes it a healthy diet and lowers the risks of heart diseases as there are fewer chances of fat getting deposited and your arteries getting thicker. Olive oil helps lower blood cholesterol levels, hypertension, and blood sugar levels.
2. Lowers risk of Type-2 diabetes and helps control it if you already have it.
Since the diet consists of a good dose of legumes, it increases the glycemic control of people with type-2 diabetes, keeping it in check and bringing down the risks associated with the diabetes. Together with Legumes, Olive oil does the same.
3. Less obesity
When your diet has less fried food, less beer and even more less saturated fat, there are very less chances of you becoming obese.
4. Longer life span
Eliminate the risk of heart diseases, Type-2 diabetes and stroke and you have a healthy long life.
