4. The Mediterranean Diet May Help With Weight Loss and Mainte-
nance
Likely due to its focus on whole, fresh foods, the Mediterranean diet may
help you lose weight in a safe and sustainable way, but if you’re looking
for fast results, you may be better off with a different diet plan. As men-
tioned, in its 2019 rankings, U.S. News & World Report rated the Mediter-
ranean diet as No. 1 in its Best Diets Overall category, yet the diet tied
with several other plans for the 17 th position among the website’s Best
Weight Loss Diets. (1)
Over a five-year period, eating a calorie-unrestricted Mediterranean diet
high in unsaturated vegetable fat led to slightly more weight loss and add-
ed less to participants’ waist circumferences than a low-fat diet, according
to an analysis of the Spanish PREDIMED trial data that was published in
August 2016 in the journal The Lancet: Diabetes and Endocrinology. (10) Particularly, people who added extra-virgin olive oil to their diets lost
the most weight — 0.88 kilograms (kg), or 1.9 pounds (lbs) on average. Those who added nuts lost 0.4 kg on average (0.88 lbs), and those in
the control group who ate a low-fat diet lost 0.6 kg (1.3 lbs).
5. Eating a Mediterranean Diet May Help Stave Off and Manage Type 2 Diabetes
For type 2 diabetes management and possible prevention, a Mediterranean diet may be the way to go.
Using participants from the PREDIMED study, researchers randomized a subgroup of 418 people ages 55 to 80 without diabetes and fol-
lowed up with them after four years to see if they had developed the disease. The results were published in the journal Diabetes Care. (12)
Those participants who followed the Mediterranean diet, whether supplementing with olive oil or nuts, had a 52 percent lower risk for type 2
diabetes during the four year follow-up, and they didn’t necessarily lose weight or exercise more.
6. People With Rheumatoid Arthritis May Benefit From the Mediterranean Diet
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, creating pain and
swelling in and around them. (14) Certain properties of the Mediterranean diet, including its richness in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids,
may help relieve RA symptoms.
7. Are Foods in the Mediterranean Diet Protective Against Cancer?
Indeed, a Mediterranean diet meal plan may help prevent certain types of cancer.
A meta-analysis and review of 83 studies published in October 2017 in the journal Nutrients suggested the Mediterranean diet may help re-
duce the risk of cancers such as breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and help prevent cancer-related death. (17) “These observed beneficial
effects are mainly driven by higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains,” the authors wrote.
8. Eating Foods in a Mediterranean Diet May Help Ease Depression
The Mediterranean way of eating is linked to lower incidence of depression, according to an analysis of 41 observational studies published in
September 2018 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. (19) Analysis of pooled data from four longitudinal studies revealed that the diet was
associated with a 33 percent reduced risk of depression, compared with following a “pro-inflammatory diet” (richer in processed meats, sugar,
and trans fats) that is more typical of a standard American diet.
While the study didn’t reveal why a Mediterranean diet lowered depression risk, the study authors wrote that their results may be a launching
point to develop and study diet-based interventions for depression.
Source: Salomon, S. (2019). 8 Scientific Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/
mediterranean-diet/scientific-health-benefits-mediterranean-diet/
A Mediterranean Sample Menu for 1 Week
Below is a sample menu for one week on the Mediterranean diet.
Monday
Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and oats.
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich with vegetables.
Dinner: A tuna salad, dressed in olive oil. A piece of fruit for dessert.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins.
Lunch: Leftover tuna salad from the night before.
Dinner: Salad with tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies, tomatoes and onions. A piece of
fruit.
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich, with cheese and fresh vegetables.
Dinner: Mediterranean lasagna.
Thursday
Breakfast: Yogurt with sliced fruits and nuts.
Lunch: Leftover lasagna from the night before.
Dinner: Broiled salmon, served with brown rice and vegetables.
Friday
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in olive oil.
Lunch: Greek yogurt with strawberries, oats and nuts.
Dinner: Grilled lamb, with salad and baked potato.
Wellness Newsletter Issue 36/ January/February 2020
Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, nuts and an apple.
Lunch: Whole-grain sandwich with vegetables.
Dinner: Mediterranean pizza made with whole wheat, topped with
cheese, vegetables and olives.
Sunday
Breakfast: Omelet with veggies and olives.
Lunch: Leftover pizza from the night before.
Dinner: Grilled chicken, with vegetables and a potato. Fruit for dessert.
There is usually no need to count calories or track macronutrients
(protein, fat and carbs) on the Mediterranean diet.
What to Drink
Water should be your go-to beverage on a Mediterranean diet.
This diet also includes moderate amounts of red wine — around 1 glass
per day. However, this is completely optional, and wine should be avoid-
ed by anyone with alcoholism or problems controlling their consumption.
Coffee and tea are also completely acceptable, but you should avoid
sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices, which are very high in sugar.
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