Mediterranean Diet Foods & Pyramid
1.Fruits grains and vegetables in the Mediterranean diet
2. Olive oil, canola oil and nuts in the Mediterranean diet
Fruits grains and vegetables in the Mediterranean diet:- The traditional diet plan among some Mediterranean countries includes fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice, for example, residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
In the Mediterranean diet pyramid, Grains in the Mediterranean region typically contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet there. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten without butter or margarines, which contain saturated fat or trans fats.
Olive oil, canola oil and nuts in the Mediterranean diet:- Olive oil is the principal fat in the Mediterranean diet pyramid. It is a monounsaturated fat that lowers ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels and raises the good HDL levels. Olive oils antioxidants also keep LDL from damaging arteries with plaque. It helps reduce blood pressure and regulates blood sugar, and is known as the longevity food. In the Mediterranean diet pyramid, all types of olive oil provide monounsaturated fat, but “extra-virgin” or “virgin” oil are the least processed forms, and so contain the highest levels of the protective plant compounds that provide antioxidant effects.
The Mediterranean diet includes nuts which are high in fat — up to 80 percent of their calories — but tree nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat. Walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts provide an easily accessible and highly nutritious food during cold winter months, when other food sources were scarce. For the best nutrition, avoid honey-roasted or heavily salted nuts. The Mediterranean diet pyramid places nuts in the same category as fruits, vegetables, beans, and other healthful plant-based foods.
Less than 15% is red meat and generally consumed on a monthly basis rather than on a regular weekly basis. Fish on the other hand is far more important, although it is more and more difficult to get fish that has not been contaminated by pollution in the sea and rivers, fish is a source of omega3 fatty acids that protect against heart attacks.
Fish consumption has long been recognized as important in keeping blood vessels in a healthy state. Protective effects and benefits of omega-3 fatty acids amongst others, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. Mechanisms of benefit for omega-3 fatty acids are under investigation. Several studies have shown that in addition to lowering triglycerides and providing a possible anti-inflammatory effect, omega-3 fatty acids improve parameters of autonomic function, including heart rate variability.