Guide to living the Mediterranean diet, which is considered the healthiest!

In the last decade, the Mediterranean consumption pattern has gained popularity as the healthiest diet method. This is driven by findings that show areas around the Mediterranean sea or around Italy and Greece have a less prevalence of cardiovascular disease. One of the drivers is the consumption pattern of the people there, known as the Mediterranean consumption pattern. Various studies have proven that the Mediterranean diet is useful for preventing various degenerative diseases, to reduce the risk of complications and death from cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

What is the Mediterranean diet like?

The Mediterranean diet is based on the consumption of a variety of traditional Greek and Italian foods known since the 1960s. The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Various sources rich in protein and fat such as red meat, fish, white meat (poultry) and eggs are also included in the Mediterranean consumption pattern, except that they are consumed with less frequency.

The Mediterranean diet plan can be described in simple terms, as follows:

1. Daily consumption - can be served every day with varying frequency for consumption. Types of food can be served every day such as various vegetables and fruits, olive oil, seeds, nuts, and spices that are used as cooking ingredients. Daily consumption also includes various sources of carbohydrates such as whole grains, cereal tubers, whole grains, rice and pasta.
2. Daily consumption in moderation - is a type of food that can be consumed daily or weekly in an amount and frequency that is not too much, for example once a day or once a few days. The types of food included in this frequency group include various white meat products, eggs, milk and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
3. Weekly consumption - is a food group that is only served and consumed about two to three times a week, including various types of fish (land and sea) and various foods seafood .
4. Monthly consumption - consumption group that is limited or can be consumed one to three times a month. Red meat is one of them. In addition, various sugary foods that contain sugar or sweeteners are also reduced to frequency only once or twice a month or, better yet, avoided.

Apart from regulating the frequency of types of food above, there are several other things that need to be considered in applying the Mediterranean consumption pattern:

• Reduce consumption of sugar from soft drinks, ice cream, and sugar.
• Reduce consumption of refined flour from white bread and pasta made with refined flour.
• Avoid trans fats from margarine and various processed foods.
• Avoid consuming a variety of processed meats.
• Avoid consuming processed foods that are labeled “low fat” or “diet”.
• Reduce alcohol consumption, replace it with consumption red wine with a maximum dose of 148 ml for women and 296 ml for men and only consumed twice a week.

Food source used in the Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean consumption patterns can use a variety of natural food sources, limiting consumption only based on the frequency over time and choosing healthier nutritional sources. Here are some examples of food sources that can be used:

• Vegetables: broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, kale, etc.
• Fruit: Apples, bananas, oranges, melons, strawberries, pears, grapes, dates, watermelons, etc.
• Nuts and seeds: peanuts, almonds, green beans, cashews, kwaci, pumpkin seeds, etc.
• Tubers: potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.
• Seed–grain intact: whole wheat, brown rice, whole oats, corn, bread, pasta and rice.
• Fish and seafood : Salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, crab, shrimp, etc.
• White meat: chicken, duck, pigeon, etc.
• Egg: chicken eggs, chicken quail eggs and duck eggs.
• Milk and dairy: cheese and yogurt.
• Herbs and spices: Red and white onions, mint leaves, cinnamon, chilies, peppers, etc.
• Source of oil and fat: olive oil, avocado oil.

Sample menu in the Mediterranean diet

Interested in trying the Mediterranean diet? The following is an example of a Mediterranean diet menu in four days:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Milk and oatmeal
• Lunch: Egg sandwich with vegetables
• Dinner: Tuna, fried in olive oil (olive oil)

Day 2

• Breakfast: Unsweetened yogurt with sliced ​​fruit
• Lunch: Red bean soup with brown rice
• Dinner: Omelette with vegetables

Day 3

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with banana
• Lunch: Chicken fillet with soy sauce with onions and brown rice
• Dinner: Vegetable salad with olive oil

Day 4

• Breakfast: Omelette with vegetables and tomato juice
• Lunch: Roast beef and roasted potatoes
• Dinner: Strawberry yogurt with slices of fruit

Make sure vegetables and fruit are included in your daily consumption menu. Types of fish, chicken and egg foods can be consumed alternately and try to consume red meat no more than once a week.

8 easy steps to apply the Mediterranean consumption pattern

The Mediterranean diet tends to be easy to implement because it does not restrict a person from fully consuming certain food sources. If you want to change your normal diet to a Mediterranean diet, it's best to do it gradually and not rush. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Get used to consuming fruits and vegetables as part of your daily diet, then continue by adding and replacing portions of your food types with vegetables and fruit slowly.
2. Replace snacks that are high in flour and sugar with fruit or a variety of nuts.
3. Start getting used to using herbs or spices to reduce salt and replace MSG. Apart from being healthier, it can make your dishes taste richer.
4. If you want to be healthier, make it a habit to consume whole grains because they have complex types of carbohydrates that are better for digestion.
5. Reduce your intake of trans fats and saturated fats from oils by replacing the use of margarine or other oils with olive oil.
6. If you are accustomed to eating red meat, start replacing it with fish and white meat. Reduce the frequency of consumption of red meat to the frequency per month and limit the consumption of fish and white meat to the frequency per week.
7. Limit consumption of fat from dairy products. Choose skim milk or low-fat cheese.
8. If you frequently visit restaurants or restaurants, choose types of fish-based foods and choose foods that are not fried or fried in olive oil.

The Mediterranean diet is not only about food selection

In addition to regulating the type and frequency of food, the Mediterranean diet encourages eating together and sharing meals with family or friends as well as regular physical activity. Physical fitness and social aspects are also factors that cause Mediterranean people to tend to be happier and live healthier.

Routine physical activity is something that cannot be missed and it is part of the Mediterranean consumption pattern. Keep in mind, this consumption pattern does not limit the consumption of calories and fat completely, it's just that there is a replacement of the frequency of consumption and food sources with healthier ones. Besides maintaining body weight, both routine physical activity and a healthy diet are necessary for the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.