If you're looking for the best diet to slim down or the best way to rebalance your nutrition as summer approaches, know that there's no need to look far... The Mediterranean diet, which many French people have already adopted, is said to be the best in the world. We'll explain why in 5 points.
Since the 1980s, the traditional diet of several Mediterranean countries, including Crete, has been the subject of numerous studies due to its beneficial health effects.
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a significant consumption of cereals, vegetables, and a variety of fresh fruits. It includes little red or sheep meat and very little milk and butter, but cheeses or yogurts, as well as fish. Olive oil is the main source of fats and red wine is consumed moderately during meals.
Moreover, several studies have proven that this type of diet can reduce mortality and protect against cardiovascular diseases. As early as 1986, an international study demonstrated lower cholesterol levels and cardiovascular mortality rates in Mediterranean countries compared to those in Northern Europe.
More broadly, the Mediterranean diet has a protective effect on health, due to its richness in plant-based foods, fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids.
Epidemiological studies have shown that cancer rates are lower in Mediterranean countries, particularly for colon and breast cancers.
Certain foods and nutrients in the Mediterranean diet also have preventive effects on osteoporosis, cataracts, and the decline of cognitive functions related to aging. A 2006 American study observed a significant reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease when patients followed a diet similar to the Cretan diet.
Far from being a restrictive, monotonous, and depressing diet, the Mediterranean diet is good for the morale. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by French researchers in 2018.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry by researchers from Inserm and the University of Montpellier, reveals that a plant-rich diet, like that of Mediterranean countries, could help prevent depression.
The authors conducted a meta-analysis and compiled results from studies involving more than 36,000 adults. They concluded that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fish, and cereals reduces the risk of depression by 33% because it protects the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation.
Even though it can help you maintain a healthy weight, the Mediterranean diet is not a strict regimen for weight loss. It's more about a set of dietary habits linked to a lifestyle, with benefits for physical and mental health that become apparent in the short and medium term.
To reap the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, it's more effective to embrace the overall food habits and traditions of the Mediterranean region, rather than just focusing on consuming certain typical Mediterranean foods (such as using olive oil instead of butter). It's important to remember that sociability and physical activity are significant aspects of this traditional way of life.
In the Mediterranean diet, you can eat a variety of foods without completely excluding fats (such as olive oil and nuts), or carbohydrates (preferably whole grains), or dairy products (like cheese and yogurt).
This diet is therefore easy to follow on a daily basis, especially since you can eat vegetables without restriction to vary the pleasures and feel satisfied, and even drink a small glass of red wine when you feel like it.
It remains excellent for health, for the following reasons:
- the use of olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid (omega-9) associated with a low amount of saturated fatty acids.
- moderate consumption of red wine (no more than one glass per meal), which has a preventive effect on cardiovascular diseases.
- the way of eating by taking one's time and the conviviality of meals, which contribute to good chewing and digestion.
Author loïc on 15 May 2024
Gastronomy and Food : Food
Author Audrey on 21 August 2024
Gastronomy and Food : Food