Traditional Herbs of the Mediterranean Diet | Healing Herbs of Crete

By Jessica Swartz June 28, 2023 17 mins read 6404 Views

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Traditional Herbs of the Mediterranean Diet | Healing Herbs of Crete

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started on the Mediterranean diet?

Get started on the Mediterranean diet by stocking up your kitchen with fresh fruits and veggies. This could be as simple as making a variety of vegetables and proteins that can be used in recipes for the week. Whole grain options like quinoa, oat groats, or millet are excellent substitutes for refined grains. Healthy fats such as olive and sesame should also be included in meal prep to add flavor and nutrition to dishes. Finally, seasonings, including garlic, oregano, basil, and turmeric, are all good additions to meals and will help reduce the need for added sugar or salt!

Is the Mediterranean diet primarily plant-based

Yes, the Mediterranean Diet is primarily a plant-based diet. The Mediterranean Diet is primarily plant-based. This includes fruits, vegetables and legumes as well as nuts and seeds. Red meat, poultry, and fish can also be found in smaller amounts due to their provenance around the Mediterranean Sea. You can choose to avoid these protein sources if you are a vegetarian/vegan. Tofu and soy yogurt are excellent options for additional nutrition and protein.

How can I lose weight using the Mediterranean diet

Yes, you can lose weight on the Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean diet is a focus on whole foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes) and high quality fats such as olive oil. This can help lower calories and provide essential nutrients to your overall health and wellbeing. Incorporating physical activity into this eating style can also support weight loss by burning excess calories. With the right mindset, you can reduce your intake of processed foods and red meats, as well as add sugars, to help you maintain a healthy weight.

Is the Mediterranean diet safe for people with diabetes?

The Mediterranean Diet is a good choice for those with diabetes. This diet is based on whole foods, focuses on healthy fats instead of butter or lard, and minimizes refined sugars and carbs. This helps reduce diabetes risk in people who don't already have it. It also controls blood sugar levels and insulin for those with diabetes. Additionally, incorporating light physical activity into this eating style can help regulate and stabilize blood sugar levels with regular exercise! A balanced diet that includes healthy food substitutions, such as whole-grain bread being replaced with whole-grain bread and nuts being added to salads rather than crackers, can help manage symptoms of many different conditions.

Can the Mediterranean Diet also be vegetarian?

Yes, the Mediterranean Diet is adaptable to vegetarianism. To follow this eating pattern, vegetarians can avoid meat, poultry, and fish. You can choose from a variety of plant-based protein sources, such as legumes, nuts and seeds. These are all staples in the Mediterranean Diet. Adding healthy fats such as olive oil, olives, and avocados will help compensate for the sourced protein if needed. Tofu and soy yogurt are also options to increase vitamins and minerals in this diet. Other ideas include adding nuts and seeds to salads or bowls, mashing beans on toast, substituting ice cream for frozen banana slices, or serving hummus with vegetables throughout the day.

Is it okay to eat milk on the Mediterranean diet

Yes, milk may be allowed in the Mediterranean diet. Dairy products such as low-fat yogurt and cheese are an important part of this diet, providing calcium and other key nutrients. You should include milk in your daily diet, as well as other drinks like tea and coffee. You can also make your own smoothies or oatmeal with it. For sustainable farming practices to be promoted when buying milk, it is best to use organic varieties. For a healthy start to your day, add milk to breakfast options such as avocado toast or smoothie bowls.

Can I use regular oil instead of extra Virgin Olive Oil?

You can choose regular olive oil over extra virgin olive if you follow the Mediterranean diet. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (EVOO), has a higher quality, more nutritional benefits, and a milder flavor. Regular olive oil, however, is still an option. Regular olive oil works well for everyday meals, such as roasting vegetables to stir fry dishes. This oil comes at a lower cost than EVOO. Others believe it might be better suited to high heat applications, such deep frying. It is important to remember that it doesn't contain as many nutrients or positive compounds than EVOO. Therefore, you should try to compensate for these benefits with other food items.

Statistics

The research suggested that the diet reduced the risk of cardiovascular issues, including stroke, heart attack, and death, by about 30 percent compared with the control group. (medicalnewstoday.com)
Other components in tomatoes may help reduce the risk of blood clots, thereby protecting against cardiovascular disease, according to a March 2019 review in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. (everydayhealth.com)
Choose fat-free or 1% milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. (my.clevelandclinic.org)
One small study suggested that swapping one-half of your serving of a high-glycemic starch (like rice) with lentils helps lower the glycemic response by 20 percent. (everydayhealth.com)

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How To

How to Plan a Week Of Delicious and Nutritious Mediterranean Meals

The Mediterranean diet is a great way to improve your health and lifestyle. This healthy eating plan is rich in nutrients and emphasizes whole grains, legumes fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fats. Eating this way can have many potential benefits, such as helping maintain better blood lipids, improved glucose control, reduced risk for depression and certain types of cancer, better cardiac health, increased cognitive function, and improved weight management.

Following these tips can make it easy to incorporate Mediterranean-inspired foods into your diet: swapping out high-calorie snacks like chips with nutrient-dense vegetable appetizers or other traditional greens or beans dishes; learning how to increase variety with spices or different sources derived from nuts, fruits, and vegetables; integrating more whole grains, legumes, and high fiber items that can enhance satiety after meals; adding moderate amounts of dairy products like yogurt cheese and milk throughout the day for added nutrition; using olive oil as the primary cooking fat instead of traditional oils; occasionally enjoying a glass of red wine to complete the Mediterranean experience.

You can plan a week full of healthy and delicious meals that follow the Mediterranean diet guidelines. Start by focusing on certain components. ; fruits for desserts snacks smoothies, etc. Seasonings, herbs, tasty sauces, plus optional dairy yogurt cheese and kefir. Mixing and matching different flavors throughout the week will ensure that you get enough nutrients while still maintaining a balance of flavor, which is an essential part of a Mediterranean balanced lifestyle. Combining the meal in combination with regular exercise will result in even greater short-term gains and long-term benefits on your overall health and body composition.