If you have been keeping up with health-related news in the few past years, you have likely heard some reputable experts recommend the Mediterranean diet.
Based on the traditional cooking styles of countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, the Mediterranean diet offers a heart-healthy approach to planning your meals.
When following this diet, you can expect to eat a variety of plant-based foods along with moderate amounts of fish, dairy, and poultry.
What can you eat on the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet emphasises heart-healthy foods like nuts, fish, and olive oil and limits the intake of red meat, butter, and added sugar. For this reason, it might be difficult to adapt the diet if you typically subsist on seamless or frozen dinners.
Luckily, you do not need to go all-in on the diet to reap benefits. You can start small by increasing your vegetable intake or switching from refined grains to whole grains.
Here is a look at the most common Mediterranean diet staples.
Fruits
The Mediterranean diet discourages added sugar consumption but welcomes the natural sugar found in your favourite fruits. Not only do these satisfy your sweet tooth, but they also offer many nutrients.
Get creative! Snack on the tart seeds of a pomegranate, enjoy figs filled with a little goat cheese or grill up some ripe peaches.
Vegetables
Include two servings of vegetables in a variety of colours at both lunch and dinner. Traditional Mediterranean choices include kale, eggplant, artichoke, beetroot and sweet potatoes.
Greek yoghurt
Rich in protein, a good source of calcium, and full of gut-healthy probiotics, Greek yoghurt is a staple in most Mediterranean diets.
From tzatziki dipping sauce to smoothies to yoghurt bowls topped with fruits and nuts, Greek yoghurt can be used in a variety of Mediterranean dishes. Watch out for low-fat, ‘Greek-style’, and flavoured yoghurts.
Sticking with the plain, unsweetened option is your best choice, as it will have no added sugars or thickening agents. Make it sweet by adding your own berries.
Whole grains like quinoa
Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free whole grain. It is also a complete protein that also provides fibre. When you add quinoa to water and let it boil, it becomes fluffy. Add it to a salad to keep you fuller for longer, or substitute it where you would normally eat other grains.
The Mediterranean diet emphasises whole grains over refined grains since refined grains are stripped of their fibre and nutrients due to processing.
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin oil is traditionally the primary cooking fat of the Mediterranean diet. It is used for almost anythin from salad dressings, marinades, and roasting to baking.