The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries, but if you don’t live in countries where this diet is prevalent like Greece or Italy, you may not realize the many benefits of eating healthy “Mediterranean” style foods. According to studies, the Mediterranean diet encourages healthy weight loss and helps reduce the risk of many life-threatening diseases. Below are five of the main benefits of following this diet.
- Rapid Weight Loss
One of the main benefits of the Mediterranean diet is rapid weight loss. This doesn’t come from the results of a diet pill or starvation diet but from healthy, portion-controlled eating. Weight-loss rates vary, but some have reported losing an average of 10 pounds per month. Delicious diet recipes are often provided on the Mediterranean diet that help speed up the weight loss process without depriving you of much-needed vitamins and nutrients. Losing weight alone can provide many health benefits.
- Good Heart Health
The delicious diet recipes provided while following a Mediterranean diet are all designed to support good heart health. The Mediterranean diet consists of good doses of olive oil, fruits and vegetables and fatty fish. In some participants, a moderate amount of wine is consumed with meals. All of these help lower cholesterol and keep blood flow to the heart at a normal level, greatly reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Cancer risk reduction
Having too many toxins in the body can cause certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer Because fruits and vegetables are natural antioxidants, eating the types of healthful foods encouraged in the Mediterranean diet reduces the number of pollutants in the body.
- Prevent Gallstones
Those who have been victims of gallstones realize how painful they can be. With approximately 639,000 people hospitalized each year for gallstones, many studies are being conducted to help find a cause and a cure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, vegetable oil and fish. Although gallstones are not always linked to diet, eating these foods can help reduce the risk of gallstones or eliminate them altogether for some according to recent studies.
- Lower Blood Pressure
The healthy foods in a Mediterranean diet can also help lower and regulate blood pressure. Blood cholesterol levels can return to normal by eating less fatty and less salty foods, and more healthy vitamins and minerals. The cooking procedures of a Mediterranean diet generally involve roasting or grilling rather than frying, so more nutrients are retained in the food during preparation and there is much less fat consumption.
These are just a few of the benefits. The Mediterranean diet also offers many other benefits such as the reduced risk of blood clotting, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other life-threatening diseases. Do not deprive yourself. Start eating delicious Mediterranean diet recipes for healthy weight loss today.
