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Facts And FAQs On The Mediterranean Diet

By: Robert William Locke

Many people ask me about the Mediterranean Diet as I have been living in Italy for over thirty years now. I, myself can personally state that it is a healthy diet and remind you that there are lower incidences of heart disease in the Mediterranean basin than in America. There are similar figures for cancer rates and recently it has been shown that it may slow down Alzheimer's disease although more research needs to be done on this. This diet has been the subject of a lot of research in many countries.

The Mediterranean diet is basically the dietary traditions followed by the people of Greece, Spain and southern Italy who live around the Mediterranean Sea. The amount of weight watchers and people generally looking to improve the health of either themselves or their nearest and dearest by adopting the Mediterranean diet is growing substantially every day.

Let me make it very clear that if you are not prepared to lose weight in a healthy manner but you would prefer surgery or something along those lines, then the Mediterranean diet is not for you. The Mediterranean Diet is easy, tasty (how many diets can say that), verified and really, great fun.

Lots of people imagine that there must be some complicated recipes in this diet. This is not true at all. If you master the easy instructions for say about eight recipes, then it is child's play to vary these to make many more delicious meals.

Lots of fresh vegetanbles and fruit are the pillars of this diet. Legumes, bread and other cereals are also prominent as indeed is virgin olive oil. Moderate quantities of red wine are allowed at meal times. There is a low consumption of animal products and fish is used a lot although white meats such as chicken can be eaten. These products that I have listed above are full of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids which are great allies in the battle against ageing.

Why is red wine receommended in this diet, many people ask. It is thought that red wine as an alcoholic substance can be harmful . This is true is if it is drunk outside meal times and in large quantities. What scientists have discovered though,is that red wine contains flavanoids which are great antioxidants. These are a great ally in the war against ageing. An even healthier alternative, if you do not like wine, is to drink grape juice as this has all the healthy elements which are in red wine.

In the fight against high cholesterol, the Mediterranean diet comes out with a very good grade! Lots of research has been done which shows that bad cholesterol is lowered if you follow this diet. Saturated fats have had a bad press and not surprisingly you will not find great quantities of full-fat dairy products or large portions of red meat in this diet ! The other staple of this diet is virgin olive oil which research has generously awarded great prizes. It not only reduces blood pressure but will lower blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol.

There are many types of restaurants and delis which now specialize in Mediterranean food and Italian cuisine is also very popular. It is therefore quite easy to find the ingredients you need to prepare these delicious dishes, quickly, without any fuss. The link below will give you all the details you need to follow the Mediterranean Diet.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

Fed up with fiddly, difficult diets ? Try the Mediterranean Diet For breaking news on Wellness, visit Robert Locke's blog The Wellness Bible

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