The Healthy Plate.
What Does it Look Like?
Welcome to the ever confusing path of healthy eating.
The internet is filled with contradictory information, influencers forever claiming new diets that promises weight loss results and docu-movies presenting cherry-picked research that aims to influence viewers to change their dietary choices.
Nutrition has now become the new religion. The factions: Paleo, Vegan, Keto, Carnivore, Gluten-Free, Fruitarian, Raw Foodist, Macrobiotic, Body Love Movement, Intuitive Eaters, Elimination Diet and the list goes on.
Heard of them? Tried any of them?
While some of these diets are great to follow if you have been diagnosed with a specific condition, for example, Coeliac Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and certain autoimmune conditions, just to name a few, it is recommended that they are prescribed by a qualified health practitioner and only for a specified time for a specified condition. Most of the population should aim to eat a wholesome diet.
And what does this look like?
The Mediterranean Diet has been hailed as one of the best wholefood templates to follow. It is also one of the most well-researched diet to date with robust evidence in supporting cardiovascular health, Type 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease prevention, metabolic health and longevity [1,2,3,4,5].
The feature of this diet focuses on the consumption of:
polyunsaturated foods found mainly in oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds;
high polyphenol plant rich foods and complex carbohydrates;
moderate wine, meat, dairy and egg intake;
low consumption of sweets, desserts and processed meats.
This high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich diet provides a protective mechanism in maintaining cellular health and the prevention of many chronic diseases that we are currently facing today [6]. While the Mediterranean Diet’s hallmark of high olive oil intake contributes to the reduction of triglyceride levels and increase HDL cholesterol levels, many clinicians are still reluctant to recommend a high monosaturated fatty acid diets despite documented scientific evidence of its benefits in reducing cardiovascular risk factors, obesity and diabetes [1].
Research shows that adherence to a Mediterranean Diet has a 9% reduction in overall, as well as cardiovascular mortality rate. From a public health standpoint on a global scale, this has an enormous implication in reducing healthcare costs that can be solved with just changing the way we eat [7].
While you are still contemplating which new diet will suit your current viewpoint, I highly suggest using the Mediterranean Diet as your go-to-template to form a solid foundation to start your health journey. This should be your compass to navigate through the world of diets, refining the process as you progress to find a way of eating that compliments your unique physiology.
And of course, finding the right qualified nutritionist will guide you through this process with a clearer path and understanding of the best way of eating that suit you.
If cooking a simple hearty meal floats your vibe, try this Sausage Minestrone Soup.
Satiating, nourishing & tasting like you are on a Mediterranean getaway.
Reference:
1. Estruch et al. (2006). Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Diet on Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Annals of Internal Medicine.
2. Esposito et al. (2015) Journey into a Mediterranean diet and type 2 diabetes: a systemic review with meta-analysis. The BMJ.
3. Singh et al. (2014). Association of Mediterranean Diet with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
4. Di Daniele et al. (2017). Impact of Mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome, cancer and longevity. Oncotarget.
5. Boccardi et al. (2013). Mediterranean diet, telomere maintenance and heath status among elderly. Plos One.
6. Martinez-Gonzalez et al. (2015). Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Insights from the PREDIMED STUDY. Progress in Cardiovascular Disease.
7. Sofi et al. (2008). Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and health status: Meta-analysis. The BMJ.
