Mediterranean Diet - Menus, Recipes, Pros And Cons

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 02:10

Mediterranean diet: pros and cons

The Mediterranean diet is not a guideline to follow in order to lose weight. Rather, it is the food traditions and habits that the inhabitants of the Mediterranean adhere to. They became known and popular all over the world due to the fact that people eat in large quantities such seemingly unhealthy foods as bacon, white flour bread, fatty cheese, but they do not get better. In addition, death rates from diseases of the cardiovascular system among residents of France are minimal, especially when compared with mortality rates among US residents.

It is not for nothing that UNESCO recognized the Mediterranean diet as a historical heritage of Morocco, Cyprus, Portugal, Greece, Croatia and Italy. Residents of these countries not only follow the principles of this diet, but also carefully store it.

Content:

• The essence of the Mediterranean diet
• Mediterranean diet rules
• How to make the right menu?
• Mediterranean diet menu
• Permitted and prohibited foods
• Diet adaptation to Russia
• Mediterranean diet recipes
• Pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet
• Contraindications
• Facts and myths about the Mediterranean diet
• Reviews and results
• Conclusion

The essence of the Mediterranean diet

The essence of the Mediterranean diet is simple: it is necessary to remove from the menu, or to minimize the consumption of red meat, refined carbohydrates and processed foods on an industrial scale. The emphasis is on complete proteins, healthy fats, grains and fruits. This will help maintain normal weight, as well as keep the heart and blood vessels healthy.

The food traditions of the Mediterranean are:

• Vegetable food sources.
• An abundance of whole grains on the menu.
• Eating foods that are appropriate for a particular season.
• Eating foods that have undergone minimal processing before serving.
• Olive oil as the main source of fat.
• An abundance of dairy products.
• Fat intake per day from 25 to 35%.
• Compulsory consumption of fish and poultry as the main source of meat.
• Red meat on the table - 2 times a month.
• No more than 4 eggs per week.
• Drinking wine (1-2 glasses).

For a month of the Mediterranean diet, you can get rid of 3-5 kg of excess weight. The loss of such volumes will not harm health, which is very important when following any diet.

Mediterranean diet rules

The diet assumes compliance with the following rules:

• The dressing for all salads without exception is olive oil.
• Wine can only be drunk red (semi-dry or dry).
• If the product can be eaten raw, then it is not cooked.
• Possible cooking options: steaming, boiling, baking, stewing. Frying food is not recommended.
• To boil cereals for a short period of time, they are pre-soaked.
• Banned: fast food, sweets, semi-finished products.
• The last meal is 4 hours before the night's rest.
• Salt is used in minimal amounts. You can add oregano, garlic, basil, thyme to dishes.
• Sugar should be replaced with stevia or honey.

How to make the right menu?

To properly compose your daily diet, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• Leafy vegetables - 100 g, other vegetables - 50 g.
• Potatoes - 100 g.
• Legumes - 100 g.
• Nuts - 30 g.
• Fruit: one banana, one orange, and one apple. You can choose between 30 g of grapes, or 200 g of watermelon / melon.
• 60 grams of fish or low-fat meat per day.
• Up to 60 g cereals (rice or pasta), 30 g cheese.
• A glass of milk or yogurt a day, 30 grams of cheese.
• One egg.
• 125 ml dry red wine.

Mediterranean diet menu

	Breakfast	Dinner	Snack	Dinner main	Additional dinner
	Flakes with 200 g of yogurt, bread and hard cheese, a glass of tea	Baked pike - 200 g, baked vegetables, a glass of wine or a glass of compote	Fruit salad	Boiled seafood (200 g), salad with herbs and tomatoes with olive oil dressing	A glass of kefir
	Omelet with seafood from 2 eggs, a glass of tea	Baked trout - 100 g, pasta - 100 g, mozzarella - 2 slices	Fruit - 200 g	Stewed rice with herbs, baked squid, glass of wine or tea	A glass of yogurt
	Cottage cheese casserole, grape juice	200 g chicken soup with spinach, corn porridge - 100 g, baked vegetables, coffee	Nuts - 30 g, orange	Buckwheat porridge with tomatoes - 200 g, baked minced fish cutlets (pike), boiled egg, juice	Fruit salad, yogurt
	Oatmeal with yogurt - 200 g, toast with tomatoes and cheese, water	Pasta and shrimps - 200 g, seaweed salad - 100 g, toast with tomato cheese, a glass of wine or tea	Kiwi and apple 1 pc	Steam sea fish - 200 g, tomatoes and mozzarella, a glass of green tea	Toast with shrimps and cheese
five	Seafood salad - 200 g, tea	Gruka duck in red wine - 200 g, stewed zucchini with thyme, a glass of tea	Fresh berries (currants or cherries), or a portion of dried fruits	Pilaf with vegetables - 200 g, grilled fish - 150 g, green tea	A glass of kefir
	Vegetable omelet with 2 eggs, tomatoes, orange, juice	Buckwheat porridge and turkey - 200 g, salad (apple and celery), juice	Seafood	Carp stewed in sour cream - 150 g, grilled vegetables, baked trout - 150 g	Low-fat cottage cheese with sour cream - 200 g
	Toast with cheese and tomatoes - 2 pcs, orange, juice	Vegetable stew - 200 g, baked turkey - 100 g, fruit drink	Grapefruit	Pasta with shrimps - 100 g, baked trout with herbs - 150 g	Cottage cheese with sour cream - 200 g

Permitted and prohibited foods

The Mediterranean diet is represented by a pyramid. Its base is complex carbohydrates. They account for up to 60% of the menu. The next block is proteins (up to 30%), and the top of the pyramid is fats and simple carbohydrates (no more than 10%).

Carbohydrate foods that form the basis of the diet:

• Coated cereals (rice, barley, bulgur, etc.);
• Durum wheat pasta;
• Wholemeal bread;
• Legumes;
• Vegetables and fruits (you need to eat at least 6 servings per day),

The center of the pyramid is products such as:

• Dairy products (up to 2 servings per day): kefir, cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, milk;
• Nuts for healthy fats (one serving per day)
• Dried fruits as sources of pectin (up to 2 servings per day);
• Sea fish (no more than 6 servings in 7 days);
• Poultry (no more than 4 servings per day);
• Potatoes (no more than 3 times every 7 days);
• Egg (no more than 4 pieces per week);
• Bitter chocolate and confectionery (no more than 3 times every 7 days).

Red meat is at the top of the pyramid, so lamb, beef, and pork can only be eaten 4 times a month. In this case, the volume of portions should not exceed 100 g.

Allowed Products:

Products	Protein	Fats	Carbohydrates	Calorie content per 100 g
Greens and vegetables:
Broccoli		0,4	5.2	28
Cilantro	2.1	0.5	1.9	23
Corn	3.3	2.8	15.6	101
Green / red / onion	1.3 / 1.4 / 1.4	0/0/0	4.6 / 9.1 / 10.4	19/42/41
Olives	2.2	10.5	5.1	166
Carrot	1,3	0.1	6.9	32
Chickpea	nineteen		61	364
Cucumbers	0.8	0.1	2.8	fifteen
Salad pepper	1,3		5.3	27
Parsley	3.7	0,4	7.6	47
Radish	1,2	0.1	3.4	nineteen
White radish	1.4		4.1	21
Salad	1,2	0.3	1,3	12
Beet	1.5	0.1	8.8	40
Celery	0.9	0.1	2.1	12
Asparagus	1.9	0.1	3.1	20
Tomatoes	0.6	0.2	4.2	20
Pumpkin	1,3	0.3	7,7	28
Beans	7.8	0.5	21.5	123
Garlic	6.5	0.5	29.9	143
Lentils	24	1.5	42,7	284
Fruit:
Avocado		20	7.4	208
Orange	0.9	0.2	8.1	36
Watermelon	0.6	0.1	5.8	25
Banana	1.5	0.2	21.8	95
Cherry	0.8	0.5	11.3	52
Grapefruit	0.7	0.2	6.5	29
Melon	0.6	0.3	7.4	33
Fig	0.7	0.2	13,7	49
Kiwi		0.6	10.3	48
Lime	0.9	0.1		sixteen
Lemon	0.9	0.1		sixteen
Mango	0.5	0.3	11.5	67
Nectarine	0.9	0.2	11.8	48
Apple	0,4	0,4	9.8	47
Berries, mushrooms:
Grapes	0.6	0.2	16.8	65
Sea buckthorn	1,2	5.4	5.7	82
Currant		0,4	7.5	43
Champignons	4,3			27
Nuts and dried fruits:
Peanut	26.3	45.2	9.9	551
Walnut	15.2	65.2		654
Raisins	2.9	0.6	66	264
Cashew nuts	25.7	54.1	13.2	643
Almond	18.6	57.7	16.2	645
Flax-seed	18.3	42.2	28.9	534
Dates	2.5	0.5	69.2	274
Pistachios	20	50		556
Cereals, pasta, porridge, bread:
Buckwheat	4.5	2,3	25	132
Oatmeal porridge	3.2	4.1	14.2	102
Bulgur	12.3	1,3	57.6	342
Barley porridge	3.1	0.1.84	22.2	109
Brown rice	7.4		72.9	337
Barley porridge	3.6		19.8	eleven
Amaranth	13.6	1,3	69	371
Pasta 1 grade	10.7	1,3	68.4	335
Bran bread	7.5		45.2	227
Chocolate:
bitter chocolate	6.2	35.4	48.2	539
Condiments, spices:
Basil	2.5	0.6	4,3	27
Mustard	5.7	6.4	22	162
Zira	12	five	32	112
Ginger	18.8	0.8	15,8	80
Curry	12.7	13.8	25	352
Coriander	1.5		five	25
Cinnamon	3.9	3.2	79.8	261
Bay leaf	7.6	8.4	48.7	313
Homemade mayonnaise	5.3	58.7	4.5	568
Honey	0.8		81.5	329
Rosemary	3.3	5.9	20,7	131
Salt
Sage	3.7	0,4	eight	49
Saffron	11.4	5.9	65.4	310
Dairy products, cheeses:
Kefir	3.4			51
Yogurt 2% fat	4,3			60
Gouda	25	27		356
Dor blue	21	thirty		354
Parmesan	33	28		392
Feta	17	24		290
Cheddar	23	32		392
Oil:
Olive oil		99.8		898
Alcoholic drinks:
Dry red wine	0.2		0.3	68

Foods to avoid during the Mediterranean diet:

• Any bread that contains sugar, yeast, baking powder or dyes;
• Any products that have been preserved;
• Any food that has a long shelf life;
• Purchased ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese sauce and other food additives that contain sugar and preservatives;
• Sweet and semi-sweet wines, spirits, dessert wines (you can only drink high-quality wine, which lowers blood cholesterol levels, acts as an antioxidant, speeds up metabolic processes, improves blood composition);
• Purchased sweets: milk chocolate, sweets (it is permissible to eat only dark chocolate).

Diet adaptation to Russia

In order for the inhabitants of Russia to be able to practice the Mediterranean diet without problems, it had to be slightly adapted to the real conditions of the country. So, olive oil is replaced with sunflower oil, but unrefined. To maximize the benefits of the product, you can eat sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts.

Red fish may be replaced with herring and mackerel. Be sure to include in your diet flaxseed, which is a source of beneficial fatty acids. For better absorption, fish should be eaten with cauliflower.

Expensive pasta can be successfully replaced with durum wheat pasta. You can also eat any domestic cereals.

Dill, parsley, and basil are becoming an alternative to spicy herbs.

Mediterranean diet recipes

First meal

Sturgeon soup with meatballs

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.7 kg of sturgeon;
• 0.1 kg of carrots;
• 2 onion heads;
• 50 g parsnips;
• Dill and parsley - prefabricated bunch;
• Egg;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 100 ml of milk;
• 100 g of bread;
• 25 g flour;
• 5 g ginger;
• Clove pepper - 10 g;
• Olive oil - 50 g;
• Salt to taste.

The broth is cooked from the sturgeon head, fins and tail. Root vegetables must be present in the broth. The fish fillet is twisted in a meat grinder with bread soaked in milk and fried onions, an egg and salt are added to it. Form meatballs from minced meat, roll them in flour, boil until cooked in half of the broth, filter it. The flour is diluted in a glass of broth, mixed with that part of the liquid that remains from the preparation of meatballs, and boiled. When the broth boils, meatballs are introduced into it. Greens are added to the soup before serving.

Sturgeon puréed soup

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.75 kg of sturgeon;
• 100 g carrots;
• 50 g of parsley roots;
• 100 g of flour and butter;
• Two bay leaves;
• Mixed greens - dill and parsley (1 bunch);
• Salt to taste.

Fins, head and tail are boiled in water with root vegetables. Fish fillets are cut into pieces and stewed together with onions. Pass the flour and add 4 glasses of fish broth to it, bring to a boil, put the fish fillet there, cook until cooked. Strain the soup and grind the pulp through a sieve. The prepared soup is salted, oil and herbs are added to it.

Fish hodgepodge

To prepare the dish, the following products will be consumed:

• 1 kg of sea bass;
• 0.2 kg of champignons;
• Sauerkraut - 0.25 kg;
• Pickled cucumbers - 0.1 kg;
• Onion head;
• Olive oil - 10 g;
• Pickled olives - 50 g;
• Flour - 50 g;
• Ground red pepper - 10 g;
• Bundled bunch of dill and parsley;
• Salt to taste.

The onions are fried in oil, the mushrooms are chopped and boiled until half cooked. Flour is separately sautéed, a little broth is added to it. The cucumbers are cut into cubes.

Bones are removed from the fish, boiled in mushroom broth, pepper and kept on fire for 7 minutes. Cabbage, cucumbers, olives, fried onions and diluted flour are introduced into the hodgepodge. Greens and lemon are added to the soup before serving.

Shrimp soup

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.25 kg of shrimp;
• 0.1 kg of tomatoes;
• 0.1 kg of rice;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 50 g olive oil;
• A bunch of dill;
• Ground red pepper - 5 g;
• Salt to taste.

Fry onions. A liter of water is poured into a saucepan and shrimps, sliced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, dill, fried onions are introduced into it, cook until tender. The soup can be served with rye croutons.

Bean soup

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Beans - 0.3 kg;
• Carrots - 0.1 kg;
• Beets - 50 g;
• Onion head;
• Parsnip - 50 g;
• Celery root - 20 g;
• Allspice and red ground pepper - 10 g each;
• A bunch of parsley and dill;
• Olive oil - 50 g;
• Cloves - 5 g;
• Salt.

The beans are boiled for 45 minutes, fried roots, cloves, pepper and salt are added to it. Cook until the beans are tender. At the end of cooking, herbs are added to the soup.

Lentil soup with nuts

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.3 kg lentils;
• 0.1 kg of walnuts;
• Two onions;
• Rye flour and olive oil 50 g each;
• Allspice - 5 g;
• Combined bunch of dill and parsley.
• Salt.

The lentils are boiled in 2 liters of salted water for 1 hour 30 minutes. Finely chop the onion, fry in a pan, add flour at the end of frying. Add ready-made onions to the soup, add chopped walnuts there and boil for another 20 minutes. The soup is poured into bowls and sprinkled with chopped herbs.

French soup

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.3 kg of potatoes;
• 0.1 kg of parsnips and carrots;
• 0.25 kg of canned peas;
• 50 g butter and the same amount of parsley and celery roots;
• 0.2 kg of Monterrey cheese;
• A bunch of dill;
• Salt.

The roots are cut and fried with the peas. The water is brought to a boil, chopped potatoes are dipped into cubes, salt and pepper, kept on fire for 10 minutes. At the end of cooking, grated cheese is added to the soup, the broth is constantly stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Mayonnaise is added directly to the plate, chopped greens are added there.

Okroshka with tomato juice

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Boiled tongue - 0.25 kg;
• Tomato juice - 2 liters;
• 2 cucumbers and 2 eggs;
• Green onions - 150 g;
• Bundled bunch of dill and parsley;
• 10 g mustard;
• Salt and pepper optional. / P>

Boiled meat, eggs and cucumbers are cut. Chop greens. The products are mixed, laid out on plates, poured over with tomato juice. The dish is served chilled.

Second courses

Flounder in red wine

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.5 kg of flounder;
• 250 ml of red wine;
• 50 g butter;
• 20 g rye flour;
• Onion head;
• A bunch of parsley;
• Three bay leaves;
• Ground red pepper - 10 g;
• 4 carnations.

To make the sauce:

• 50 g butter;
• 25 g rye flour.

The fish is placed in a frying pan on a pillow of pepper, cloves, parsley, onions, salt and bay leaves. Pour everything with wine and cook for a quarter of an hour under a closed lid. The broth is poured into a separate container.

To prepare the sauce, a glass of broth is poured into a saucepan, a spoonful of flour mixed with oil is added to it and brought to complete dissolution, salt and pepper, and then the broth is filtered.

Put the fish on a plate, pour over it with sauce and serve it to the table.

Boiled eel with sweet and sour sauce

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Onion head;
• Eel - 1 kg;
• Bundled bunch of dill and parsley;

To make the sauce:

• 50 g flour and butter.
• 100 ml of dry wine.
• Salt, lemon juice, and sugar.

The fish is boiled for 45 minutes in salted water with bay leaves, onions and herbs.

To prepare the sauce, the flour is sautéed with butter, a little broth in which the fish was boiled is added, sugar and lemon juice are added. After 15 minutes of boiling, add wine.

The fish is laid out on plates, poured over with sauce and served.

Cod cutlets

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 1 kg of cod;
• Two onion heads;
• 100 g of olive and butter;
• 0.3 kg of white bread;
• Two eggs;
• Bundled bunch of dill and parsley;
• 0.2 liters of milk;
• Lemon.
• Salt and pepper.

Minced meat is prepared from onions soaked in milk of white bread and fish, eggs, butter are added to it, salt and pepper are added. Form cutlets from minced meat, roll in flour, put in a baking dish. Sprinkle the cutlets with herbs on top and cover with lemon wedges. Bring the cutlets to readiness.

Boiled pike perch dumplings

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Pike perch - 1 kg;
• 100 g flour;
• 0.4 ml of milk;
• 2 eggs;
• Salt.

The fish is passed through a meat grinder. A thick sauce is prepared from flour and milk, heated in a pan, cooled and poured into minced meat, eggs are also introduced there.

The dumplings are laid out in a saucepan, filled with water and boiled until cooked. Before serving, the ready-made dumplings are poured with oil and sprinkled with herbs.

Mushroom cod roll

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 1 kg of cod;
• 0.3 kg of white bread;
• 0.2 liters of milk;
• 0.4 kg of champignons;
• Onions - 4 heads;
• 150 g butter;
• Two eggs;
• 70 g of ground crackers;
• Two bunches of parsley;
• Salt and pepper.

Twist the fish fillet and soaked bread with a meat grinder. Add butter to the minced meat, salt and pepper.

Fry mushrooms and onions, cool. A napkin is moistened with water, the minced fish is spread on it, forming a layer 2 cm thick from it. Mushrooms and onions are placed in its center, a roll is formed from the minced meat and put on a greased baking sheet. Cover the roll with an egg on top, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, sprinkle with oil. Bring the roll to readiness in the oven. Serve a dish with boiled potatoes, sprinkle with herbs on top.

Mussels with sauce

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 20 pieces of mussels;
• Onion head;
• 100 g of flour and butter;
• Lemon juice - 50 g;
• Bay leaf;
• A bunch of parsley;
• Salt.

Mussels are boiled in salted water, along with onions and bay leaves. Take out the mussels from the shells, cool.

To prepare the sauce, flour is mixed with water and boiled for 10 minutes, seasoned with butter and lemon juice. Pour mussels with prepared sauce, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Risotto with mushrooms

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Rice - half a kilo;
• 2 onion heads;
• 50 g dried porcini mushrooms;
• Two cloves of garlic;
• 100 g of mushrooms, butter and dry white wine;
• Liter of meat broth;
• Salt and pepper.

Porcini mushrooms are soaked for 2 hours, cut into small pieces, chopped onion and garlic. Fry them together with rice.

Mushroom infusion, white wine and meat broth are mixed. Add the broth to the frying, boil for half an hour, until the rice is completely cooked.

The cheese is rubbed. The champignons are chopped, fried in butter, garlic is added there. Mix all the ingredients (rice with porcini mushrooms and mushrooms with garlic), sprinkle with grated cheese on top.

Lasagne with chicken liver, mushrooms and minced meat

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Dough for lasagna in layers - 10 pcs.
• 0.2 kg of ground beef, mushrooms, chicken liver.
• 100 g of hard cheese and olive oil.
• 150 ml of red wine.
• Salt and black pepper.

The liver is fried for 5 minutes, mushrooms are fried for the same amount of time. Minced meat is fried until cooked. Mix all the ingredients, salt and pepper, add red wine, stew over low heat.

Spread minced meat on layers for lasagna, sprinkle with grated cheese on top, bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Salads

Salad with nuts and tuna

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• 0.25 kg of tuna;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 20 g walnuts;
• 20 g of dill and parsley;
• 10 g lemon juice;
• 50 g olive oil;
• 10 g ground pepper;
• Salt.

The fish is boiled until tender, scrolled in a meat grinder along with garlic, salt and pepper, add olive oil. Spread the minced meat in a salad bowl, sprinkle with nuts and herbs.

Salad with squid, eggs and seaweed

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• A pound of squid;
• 0.25 kg of sea cabbage;
• 4 eggs;
• Onion head;
• A bunch of green onions;
• 150 ml mayonnaise;
• Salt and pepper.

The squid is kept in boiling water (no more than 2 minutes), peeled, washed, boiled for another 5 minutes in salt water, cooled and cut into cubes. Chop kelp, green and onions, as well as boiled eggs. All components are mixed, seasoned with mayonnaise.

Salad with tomatoes, feta cheese and olives

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Tomatoes - 0.3 kg;
• Olives and cucumbers - 100 g each;
• Radish and feta - 150 g each;
• Lemon juice - 50 ml;
• A bunch of dill;
• 3 sprigs of thyme;
• Salt and pepper.

Tomatoes, radishes and cucumbers are cut into cubes, the cheese is crumbled by hand, all the components of the salad are mixed, olives and chopped herbs are added. For dressing, use a sauce based on salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Sorrel and spinach salad

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

0.3 kg sorrel and spinach;

For refueling:

• 4 cloves of garlic;
• 20 g green onions;
• 100 g of walnuts;
• A bunch of parsley and dill;
• 50 g olive oil;
• Salt.

Boil the stalks of sorrel and spinach with the addition of salt, drain the water, put it in a salad bowl. Pour them with a sauce of walnuts, garlic, onions and herbs passed through a blender, mixed with olive oil. Sprinkle the salad with chopped parsley on top.

Chicken salad with pineapple and apples

To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:

• Boiled chicken and pineapples - 0.2 kg each;
• 0.1 kg of apples;
• Dressing for salad - 100 g;
• Lemon juice - 20 g;
• Ground red pepper - 10 g;
• Salt.

Apples, pineapples and boiled chicken are cut into cubes, mixed, poured with lemon juice, salted and pepper. This mixture is left for half an hour. Before serving, fill the dish with salad dressing, decorate with pineapple slices.

Pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet

Pros of the Mediterranean diet:

• The menu is balanced, it allows you to saturate the body with vitamins and microelements necessary for its proper functioning.
• The diet has a version adapted for Russia.
• The menu is rich in foods with omega-3 fatty acids. Their regular consumption in food is the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the condition of hair, skin and nails is improved. A person is less prone to stress.
• The diet has no contraindications. It can be practiced both in childhood and in old age, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• A person's mental capabilities expand, the risk of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and senile dementia decreases. This is possible due to the fact that the menu includes nuts and olive oil, which are powerful antioxidants.
• The diet can be practiced to prevent stroke and peripheral neuropathy.
• For smokers, the Mediterranean diet is a real godsend, as a set of products from the menu can reduce the risk of developing COPD.
• Studies have found that the Mediterranean diet is one of the ways to prevent cancer, in particular, cancer of the stomach, mammary glands and intestines.
• The diet allows you to prevent the development of diabetes mellitus, since there are many products with coarse dietary fiber on the menu. This makes it possible to control surges in blood glucose. Also, the diet can be adhered to by people who already suffer from this disease, since it allows you to lower blood cholesterol levels, makes blood vessels more durable.
• The thyroid gland is normalized.
• Exchange processes are accelerating.
• The diet can be used to prevent rickets and osteoporosis.
• Diet can improve bone strength.

Cons of the diet:

• You will not be able to quickly lose weight.
• Some products are quite expensive.

Contraindications

The diet should not be followed by people who suffer from diseases that require adherence to a certain menu. Also, do not use products for which a person has an individual intolerance.

Facts and myths about the Mediterranean diet

• First myth. The diet is expensive. In fact, in order to adapt your diet to the Mediterranean diet, you need to include beans and lentils in the diet, as well as eat more vegetables and cereals. These products are much lower in cost than any semi-finished product.
• Second myth. Wine can be drunk in unlimited quantities. In fact, there are certain norms. So, women are recommended one glass of wine, and two glasses for men. Only by observing the indicated dosages can you benefit your own health, namely, the heart and blood vessels.
• Third myth. You need to eat a lot of spaghetti and bread. The average portion of pasta equates to 60 g, so even 80 g of pasta is already a lot. The rest, unoccupied part of the plate should be left for vegetables, fish, salads or low-fat meat. Also, do not eat more than one slice of whole grain bread at a time.
• The fourth myth. The Mediterranean diet is a common set of foods and nothing more. For Mediterranean people, food is a significant part of life. It is important not only to eat permitted foods, but also to exercise.
• Fifth myth. Any vegetable oil has an equal benefit. Olive and peanut oils should be preferred when dieting as they contain a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids. Oils must be cold pressed. They should be used in salads. The oil should not be heat treated. For frying, it is best to use sunflower, corn, cottonseed, rapeseed or safflower oil.

Reviews and results

Recommendations of doctors

An article published in the American British Medical Journal evaluates the Mediterranean diet as one of the nutritional systems that can increase life expectancy and maintain health. The authors of this work are American scientists.

Aesthetic medicine specialist A. Sterngarts calls the diet balanced. He believes that with its help it is possible to successfully fight obesity and many chronic diseases. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet can increase life expectancy by 8 years (average data).

Nutritionist recommendations:

• Before starting the diet, you should endure several fasting days, eating low-calorie foods.
• The menu should be built only on products from the list of approved products.
• You need to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.
• Fruit can be used as a snack, provided that it is not included in salads during the main meals.
• It is imperative to go in for sports so that the weight begins to go away faster.

Reviews of those who have lost weight

Ekaterina: “The Mediterranean diet can hardly be called a diet. Rather, it is a diet that can be followed throughout life. A friend of mine followed this technique for a long time. She did lose weight, although the process is not quick.”

Veronica: “At the time when I lived in those parts, I ate accordingly. I really liked this diet: I managed to lose weight and improve my well-being. However, at home I returned to my usual menu."

Natalya: "As for me, this is a pretty good diet, but financially very burdensome."

Alevtina, 24 years old: “I followed a diet for ballerinas and a low-calorie diet, which was difficult for me, as I constantly wanted to eat. So I was frustrated, and the result turned out to be zero. Thanks to the Mediterranean diet, I have managed to lose weight. In 8 weeks I lost 10 kg of excess weight."

Marina, 31: “The diet is very tempting, but not cheap and not suitable for everyone. It is easier to stick to it in summer, and I gain weight in winter, so this diet is not suitable for me."

Conclusion

The Mediterranean diet is one of the nutritional methods that allows you not only to bring your weight back to normal, but also to improve your health. If you adhere to all the recommendations, then you can cope with obesity and change your life for the better. Many people, having tried a diet once, remain faithful to it forever.

The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist

Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).