Mediterranean diet: what it is and how to do to lose weight

The Mediterranean diet, also called the Mediterranean diet, is based on the consumption of fresh and natural foods such as olive oil, fruits, vegetables, cereals, milk and cheese, and it is necessary to avoid industrialized products such as sausage, frozen food and powdered cakes.

This diet is actually a type of food that helps to change your lifestyle, and does not always need to be low in calories to help you lose weight, as it naturally improves metabolism and favors weight control.

How to do the Mediterranean diet

To make the Mediterranean diet, you must change your diet as follows:

1. Avoid industrialized products

The diet has to be mostly made up of natural products, mainly of vegetable origin, such as olive oil, brown rice, soy, eggs and milk. In addition, you should change the foods you buy ready-made, such as cookies and cakes, preferring the homemade versions.

Removing industrialized products will help to decrease the production of toxins in the body, reduce inflammation and fight fluid retention, naturally helping to deflate.

2. Eat fish and seafood

Fish or seafood should be consumed at least 3 times a week, as they are sources of good proteins and fats, such as omega-3, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, helping to relieve joint pain, improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease. See all the benefits of omega-3.

3. Olive oil and good fats

Olive oil and vegetable oils such as canola and flaxseed oil are rich in good fats for the heart, which help control cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.

To obtain the benefits, you must add the oil to the ready-made preparation, consuming a maximum of 2 tablespoons per day. Olive oil should also be used for cooking, sautéing and grilling meat or fish. Sunflower oil is rarely used. See tips for choosing the best olive oil in the supermarket.

4. Whole foods

The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole foods such as rice, flour, oats and whole pasta, which are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals that improve the functioning of the body, fight constipation and decrease the absorption of sugars and fats in the intestine.

In addition to grains, the diet should also be rich in protein vegetables such as beans, soybeans, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds that also help to strengthen muscles and improve metabolism.

5. Fruits and vegetables

Increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables is an important point of this diet, as they will provide fibers, vitamins and minerals for the metabolism, and bring the feeling of satiety, helping with weight loss. It is recommended to eat at least 3 different fruits a day, a good habit is to eat 1 fruit after each meal, whether for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.

See recipes for 7 Detox Juices to lose weight and cleanse the body.

6. Skimmed milk and derivatives

To improve nutrition and reduce fat consumption, skim milk, natural yogurt and white cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage cheese, should be preferred, or choose light versions of the products. To sweeten the natural yogurt a little, you can add 1 teaspoon of honey or homemade jam.

7. Protein sources

Red meats must be lean cuts, where no part of the fat is observed, and is restricted to only 1 consumption per week, so there is space for meals with eggs, fish and grain mixtures that are also good sources of protein, such as rice + beans, rice + lentils or rice + peas.

8. Drinks

The drink most suitable to quench the thirst to accompany meals is water, and you can choose the flavored water by adding lemon, or slices of ginger. In addition, 1 glass of wine per day (180 ml) is allowed, especially after dinner.

Mediterranean Diet Menu

The following is an example of a 3-day Mediterranean diet menu:

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Breakfast	1 glass of skim milk + 1 whole grain bread with ricotta + 1 slice of papaya	banana and apple smoothie made with skim milk + 2 tablespoons of oats	Oatmeal porridge, made with 200 ml of skimmed milk + 2 tablespoons of oat flakes + 1 shallow tablespoon of cocoa powder
Morning snack	3 whole toast + butter + 2 chestnuts	1 glass of green cabbage, lemon and carrot juice + 3 Maria or cornstarch cookies	1 plain yogurt + 1 teaspoon chia
Lunch	half a piece of grilled salmon + 2 boiled potatoes drizzled with olive oil and broccoli	1 grilled chicken breast steak with tomato sauce + 4 tablespoons of brown rice + 2 tablespoons of beans	Tuna pasta with pesto sauce, using wholegrain pasta
Afternoon snack	1 natural yogurt + 1 teaspoon of flaxseed + 1 tapioca with light cheese + 1 banana	1 plain yogurt + 1 brown bread with cottage cheese + 6 strawberries	1 glass of beet, carrot, ginger, lemon and apple juice + 1 brown bread with ricotta cheese
Dinner	1 chicken leg cooked with 2 tablespoons of peas + salad of curly lettuce, tomato and red onion + 1 pear	1 grilled turkey steak + coleslaw, grated carrots and grated beets + 1 slice of pineapple	1 omelet made with 2 eggs + braised cabbage salad with onion, garlic and eggplant + 1 orange

This menu should be made using preferably fresh vegetables, it is important to remember to add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the lunch and dinner plate.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is not just a weight loss diet, it is a way of life, normally present in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Its main health benefits are:

• Lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and degenerative diseases: Protects the body from atherosclerosis and thrombosis; It is a more economical version; It has more nutrients than processed foods, providing more nutrients to the body; Helps to vary more food, being good for the children's taste, making it easier for them to eat vegetables, greens and salads.

To really follow the lifestyle of the Mediterranean diet, one should consume vegetable foods, fresh, little processed, seasonal and local, daily, preferring to buy in small markets and fruit and vegetable stores, than in large supermarkets.

Check out the benefits of a Mediterranean diet in the following video: