Saturday, July 18, 2009

Why Go Mediterranean?

Recently, there's been a lot of information about Mediterranean dietary patterns. People often have questions as to how the Mediterranean diet program works. The reason the Mediterranean diet is becoming so popular is because of the 16 nations on the Mediterranean coastline, there is a notably lower incidence of chronic disease and a much higher life expectancy.

A traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern calls for as much as 40% of all total daily calories to be consumed from fat. This may seem like a contradiction because fat is commonly said to contribute to cardiovascular disease. However, on a Mediterranean diet plan, the fat consumed is monosaturated fats. Monosaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, do not contain the same cholesterol-raising components as saturated fats found when eating the standard American diet.
On the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is noted as an excellent source of antioxidants. Also, the regular consumption of fish is said to promote an increase of omega-3 fatty acids in the bloodstream. This is important because most societies in the world do not consume enough omega-3.
Also noted on the Mediterranean eating pattern, the sparing use of red meat has been proven to increase health. Instead, grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and monosaturated fats take the place of the consumption of red meat. As most Americans have been told, the mass consumption of red meat, at least in the quantities consumed by the U.S. population, is known to cause an increased instance of heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
It's often difficult to define and understand the true nature of the Mediterranean diet. The reason for the difficulty is because there are so many countries on the Mediterranean basin. Each of these countries recognizes and regularly embraces a variety of dietary habits. However, it is also noted that regardless of the differentiation between each of these nations, there remains an increased level of health and the promotion of longevity simply by eating a diet of a Mediterranean style.


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