Generally, when you think of a Mediterranean diet, olive oil and salmon come to mind, and although these may be parts of the Mediterranean diet, there is much more to think about.
The Mediterranean diet focusses largely on a plant-based intake and variety of plant foods. This includes vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, beans and lentils. Seafood is the main source of animal protein, followed by some intake or chicken and dairy, with minimal intake of red meat and foods with added sugar.
This way of eating has been shown to reduce risk of chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and obesity. This is likely due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties from the high intake of plant-based foods and healthy fats.
Mediterranean style eating also has an emphasis on the food environment, ideally sharing meals with family around a dinner table without electronic distractions. There is also an emphasis on exercise, aiming for regular incidental exercise throughout the day – this could be taking a 5-10 minute break every 2 hours at work to stretch and walk around as well as planning in some structured exercise.
Sample Mediterranean diet meal plan:
o Breakfast: Oat, fruit, and nut bowl: ½ cup of rolled oats with 1/3 cup mixed nuts and seeds, ½ cup fruit and 2tblsp Greek yoghurt
o Lunch: Bean and rice/quinoa salad with dressing: ¾ cup beans or lentils with 2 cups of salad vegetables (at least 3 different colours) with ¾ cup cooked brown or wild rice or quinoa, 2tsp olive oil mixed with lemon juice and parsley, ½ an avocado
o Dinner: Baked fish and vegetables with almond flakes: 150g baked fish with 1 cup of mixed white and sweet potatoes, 2 cups of other baked vegetables (at least 3 different colours) sprinkled with dried thyme, 1tblsp roasted almond flakes, and 2tsp olive oil for the baked vegetables
o Snacks: 1-2 fruits, 4 wholegrain crackers with cottage cheese, 200g Greek yoghurt
This intake provides around 20 different plant-based foods in just one day.
Try this out for yourself and see how you feel.