5 Great Reasons to Adapt the Mediterranean Diet

When you’re looking for a food plan or diet to follow, it can be hard to choose one. The internet has so many that the options are often overwhelming. One friend may swear by one diet while another downplays it.

Many diets also come with certain questions, like “are they good for you?” and “do they really work?”

One of the best diets to follow is the Mediterranean diet. Packed with natural foods that cover all the important nutrients, the Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries and has weathered the test of time.

Below, we’re going to run over a few reasons of why you should adapt the diet today!

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Oilve oil; image source: pexels.com

It’s Easy to Follow

When browsing through other diets, you may notice plenty of them that encourage you to take out a restraining order against a certain type of food or nutrient. The Atkins Diet is well-known for restricting carbs while Keto restricts both carbs and protein.

When it comes to the Mediterranean diet, it’s something you can follow from day one. You won’t have to pour over the list of ingredients on the back and everything you need for delicious recipes can be found at a local grocery store.

You won’t have to worry about driving halfway across town to find some unknown fruit or type of flour. You’ll be able to put everything in front of you.

It’s Not Super Restrictive

Playing off the last point, the Mediterranean diet doesn’t come loaded with restrictions. The things it does encourage against should be what you’re already avoiding: foods high in sugar, sugary drinks, lots of red meat, hard liquor, foods with trans fats, refined grains, and processed foods.

The only thing you’ll really need to double check on is your fish and wine consumption. Fish should be eaten no more than twice a week and you should be avoiding those high in mercury, like swordfish or shark.

While the diet itself encourages wine consumption, you should limit your intake to 3-4 glasses a week with meals. If you happen to go out, replace a Jack and Coke or beer with a glass or red wine. The antioxidants help you heart.

Speaking of your heart…

It’s Great For Your Heart

Arguably the most important organ in your entire body, the Mediterranean diet can do wonders for your heart. It’s been shown to lessen the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Because of this, those that adhere to the Mediterranean diet are more likely to have a longer life.

The results amongst men and women vary, as some research suggests that the Mediterranean diet has slightly better effects for men that for women. Either way, you’re going to lessen your chance of cardiovascular issues for the future.

It Helps an Aging Brain

As people often say, “Father Time is undefeated”. Eventually, you’re not going to be as fast, strong, or quick-witted as you used to be.

This doesn’t mean that you have to give in to the relentless march of time and succumb to the effects of aging. The Mediterranean diet can help you prevent sharp cognitive decline and the onset of some other brain diseases.

Your brain needs oxygen to survive, and a big part of bringing oxygen to your brain is through your blood vessels. Those that show cognitive decline usually have poor vascular health which means less oxygen. Following the Mediterranean diet is a way to keep up your vascular health and ensure you’re living out your life with a sound body and mind.

It May Protect Against Cancer

While the studies on this are still unclear, some point to the Mediterranean diet playing a huge role in cancer prevention. The cancers most notably affected were breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Reports say that the diet helps build up anticancer bacteria in the breasts.

Scientists noted this because of the high amounts of fruits, vegetables, and olive oil present in diets. A big part of that is the healthy omega-3 fatty acids that come with the diet. Remember, not all fat is bad (nor cholesterol, but that’s an article for a different day).

While there is still more evidence to be gathered, all signs point to the Mediterranean diet being incredibly healthy.

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