At the beginning of the year, US News & World Report magazine released its list of the best diets for 2022, in which the Mediterranean diet topped the “best overall diet” list, its fifth consecutive This year won the title.
What exactly is the Mediterranean diet? What’s so special about this eating pattern?
What is the “Mediterranean diet”?
Mediterranean diet generally refers to the diet of European countries such as Greece, Spain, France and southern Italy on the Mediterranean coast. It is a dietary pattern dominated by plant foods.
Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil and spices make up a major part of the Mediterranean diet;
Eat at least a week of these foods on a daily basis 2 times of fish or other seafood;
moderate consumption of dairy products and eggs;
minimize red meat and desserts;
must drink alcohol It is advisable to choose wine, and no more than 2 glasses per day for men and no more than 1 glass for women.
Characteristics and benefits of the Mediterranean diet
From the perspective of food composition, the Mediterranean diet is very balanced and comprehensive. Compared with other dietary methods, it has the following characteristics and benefits:
1
Rich in unsaturated fatty acids
The main oil used in the Mediterranean diet is olive oil , its proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids is very high, which can reach more than 70%; nuts and deep-sea fish are also excellent sources of unsaturated fatty acids.
Abundant unsaturated fatty acids can help reduce blood viscosity, which is of positive significance for the protection of blood vessels. Unsaturated fatty acids are also important nutrients for cranial nerves, and proper intake also has a certain preventive effect on cognitive decline.
2
High in dietary fiber
Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes that are eaten every day contain a lot of dietary fiber, which can improve the health of the human body. Satiety, promote gastrointestinal motility, delay postprandial blood sugar rise.
3
Moderate protein intake
Mediterranean diet mainly chooses white meat, beans, dairy products, and eggs as the main sources of protein, and hardly eats it Processed meats such as bacon and sausage can help reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids while ensuring sufficient protein, which is more beneficial for weight stability and cardiovascular health.
4
Low degree of food processing
The ingredients used in the Mediterranean diet are mainly seasonal and local ingredients; Moreover, the Mediterranean diet is more often seasoned with spices such as pepper, rosemary, mint, and basil than seasonings such as sugar and salt, all of which effectively reduce the loss of nutrients.
However, although the Mediterranean diet is good, after all, it is based on the eating habits of Europeans. Direct copying will definitely not be suitable for Chinese people. If you want to use it, you have to properly convert it into “Chinese”. Just do it.
This is more suitable for Chinese people
1
Coarse grains account for 1/3 of the staple food
The Mediterranean diet is basically based on whole grains , beans and other staple foods, but now everyone’s stomach has become accustomed to polished rice and white noodles, and replacing them all at once will easily increase the burden on the stomach and cause discomfort. Generally speaking, it is enough to replace about 1/3 of the staple food of each meal with whole grains.
2
Replace olive oil with a variety of vegetable oils
For Chinese residents, the price of olive oil is not so “friendly” and the taste is not so suitable , so you don’t have to replace your daily oil with it.
In fact, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, and corn oil are also relatively high in unsaturated fatty acids, and the price is very affordable. Using them as the main oil is also very beneficial to health.
However, I would like to remind everyone that it is not advisable to use only one type of cooking oil for a long time. Regular replacement of different types of oils or mixing of multiple oils in proportion can ensure a more comprehensive nutritional intake. At the same time, no matter how you cook, the daily intake of edible oil per adult should be controlled within 25~30g.
3
Increase the intake of dairy products
Although dairy products are now very common, the average daily milk intake of Chinese residents is still lower than the recommended standard (Milk and dairy products are about 300 grams), so you need to focus on increasing.
In addition, it is best to choose pure milk, low-fat and high-calcium milk, etc. for daily milk consumption. People with lactose intolerance can drink yogurt, Shuhua milk, and try to avoid drinking flavored milk, milk drinks and other sugary milk high variety.
4
Adjusting the meat structure
Chinese people’s meat is basically red meat such as pork, beef and sheep, and the frequency of processed meat such as sausage and bacon is also very high. However, these meats contain more saturated fatty acids, and excessive intake will increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, everyone needs to adjust the meat structure appropriately, reduce the proportion of red meat, and increase the intake of fish and other seafood.
Source: CCTV home for dinner