For the fourth year running, fitness experts consider the Mediterranean diet one of the best diets in the world. A Mediterranean diet follows the dietary habits of the French, Spanish, and Italians. The diet was first popular in the 1990s, making a comeback in 2016. It has remained a strong contender in foodie and fitness circles for the last five years. The reason for its comeback is clear to its adopters—it is not a fad diet, it is a lifestyle change. The results are healthier, sustainable, and implementable. Olive oil is often associated with Mediterranean cuisine and Italian roots, but Texas olive oil is a fan favorite in 2021.
Let’s find out why.
What Makes the Mediterranean Diet Different?
The diet focuses on nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, lean meats, Texas olive oil, and nuts. The Mediterranean diet is a slow-paced diet. In 50% of all diet cases, fad dieters tend to regain their lost weight as soon as they’re off the diet.
By juicing, cutting fats and carbs, fad diets look for quick fixes and feed into toxic diet culture. These diets can deny dieters much-needed nutrition and cannot sustain long-term weight loss. A Mediterranean diet concentrates on progressive weight loss. It can reduce body fat by 5-10% while ensuring nutritional benefits and full bellies.
The Mediterranean diet is compatible with intuitive eating that focuses on natural weight loss and nutrition. It denies what author Elyse Resch calls the “biology of starvation” and as a result, has a more positive effect on mental and physical health. Meal options for this diet can include salmon and mackerel dishes, salads with Texas olive oil and lemon dressings, and a generous serving of food. These meals go against the biology of starvation and even encourage flavorful food. The Mediterranean diet also encourages plant-based and vegan meal options and focuses on physical exercise to make bodies leaner.
Further, a major advantage of the diet is its taste. One of the benefits of the diet is its complex flavor profile. Unlike other diets, the Mediterranean diet does not sacrifice taste for health. The diet even allows for Texas olive oil flavor infusions and blends. We recommend the varieties from Texas Hill Country Olive Co.
What Are the Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet with Texas Olive Oil?
Due to its differences from fad diets, the Mediterranean diet has significant advantages. The diet has positive implications for short-term and long-term health goals.
Improving Physical Health
Mediterranean diets reduce disease risks and symptom management. Experts claim it increases health management and longevity. Diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and heart disease are all linked to eating sugar, saturated fats, and processed food. Clean eating with a Mediterranean diet may not completely prevent the prevalence of serious diseases. Yet, like with any healthy and consistent lifestyle choice, health risks are reduced.
Improving Mental Health
Molecular Psychiatry reported that Mediterranean dieters have a 33% less chance of mental health issues. The diet might not reduce all incidences of mental health, but it might help with symptom alleviation and management. Diets of saturated fats, processed foods, and refined oils can exasperate low moods or mental health symptoms. Crash dieting can have negative associations with body image. Further, elongated, excessive calorie restriction is also associated with incidences of depression.
Weight Management
A Mediterranean diet may help with weight loss and weight management. Crash dieting reduces muscle and water weight. A consistent, year-long Mediterranean diet can reduce up to 22 pounds of fat. Crash dieters might gain back weight if they switch back to a regular eating routine. A Mediterranean diet creates sustainable weight management and reduces fat slowly. The reason for this is that a Mediterranean diet builds balance. Fad diets and overeating junk food are both examples of disorderly eating.
What are Food Options for a Mediterranean Diet?
A Mediterranean diet is holistic and encourages clean eating and a balanced intake of nutrients. Vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, and fruits are regular staples in a weekly diet. Red meat and dairy products are limited, however, to reduce chances of weight gain, cholesterol increase, and inflammation.
Fish and Lean Meat
The diet asks for a shift away from red meat to white meat. Poultry and seafood are rich in nutrients like zinc, iodine, Vitamin B-12, and protein. Red meat has the same nutrients but it also poses a risk of heart disease. The diet then advises eating white meat once a week and cutting down on beef, lamb, and mutton.
Nuts
Mediterranean dieting focuses on good fatty acids from nuts and Texas olive oil. Handfuls of peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and almonds act as snacks between meals.
Fruits and Vegetables
Mediterranean diets have a heavy emphasis on fruits and vegetables. Dieters need to eat servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Fruits like dates, berries, bananas, and citrus fruits are all good for dieting. The diet concentrates on vegetables like zucchini and cucumbers instead of starchy vegetables like potatoes.
Whole Grains
Whole oats, barley, rye, and brown rice are staples in a Mediterranean diet. They balance meals with essential carbs and fibers. The Mediterranean diet does not villainize carbs but calls for healthy alternatives that improve energy levels and metabolism.
Texas Olive Oil in a Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean cuisine originates from places like Italy. Olive oil is a regular sight in Italian pantries and appears in salads, meat dishes, and even in desserts. In the U.S., some of the highest quality olive oil comes from Texas, like that of the Texas Hill Country Olive Co.
The Italian staple has monounsaturated fat, making it ideal for weight loss and clean eating. Saturated fats in fried food, desserts, and junk food correlate to health risks. Monounsaturated fat correlates with reduced cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Adding olive oil to a pantry can help improve overall health.
Starting a Mediterranean diet is easy if a dieter sources good products. Fresh fish and chicken meals can be weekday meals and farmer’s markets can provide the necessary fruits and vegetables for clean eating meals. Organic vendors like the Texas Hill Country Olive Co. serve Italian cuisine and produce locally-made, organic, and infused Texas olive oils and flavored balsamic vinegars. Infused products increase flavor in salad dressings, soups, grilled food, baked fish, and snacks.
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