Mediterranean Diet a Heart-healthy Eating Plan

If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating, plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine, among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2007 study conducted in the United States found that both men and women who consumed a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of death from both heart disease and cancer.

Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:
* Getting plenty of exercise and eating your meals with family and friends
* Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
* Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
* Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
* Eating small portions of nuts
* Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some
* Consuming very little red meat
* Eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains

The Mediterranean diet traditionally 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. The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the 'bad' cholesterol that's more likely to build up deposits in your arteries.

Healthy fats

The focus of the Mediterranean diet isn't to limit total fat consumption, but to make wise choices about the types of fat you eat. The Mediterranean diet is similar to the American Heart Association's Step I diet, but it contains less cholesterol and has more fats. However, the fats are healthy, including monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats, which contain the beneficial linolenic acid (a type of omega-3 fatty acid).

Putting it all together

Adopting a Mediterranean diet is easy if you're a smart shopper. Choose plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, limit your intake of red meat, and eat fish at least once a week. Though avoid fish that's fried or laden with butter or heavy sauces. Use healthy fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, when cooking '" but only in moderation because of their high calorie content. Consider nuts as a snack or an addition to a salad. Finally, reduce or eliminate saturated fat and trans fats (also known as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) from your diet.

The Mediterranean lifestyle has been proven by scientific research to have health benefits, and now it can be followed easily with this handy and entertaining guide that includes tips and recipes. This clever book is so delightful to read, you won't even realize you are learning how to eat for a healthier 'you.' I recommend Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet to anyone who wants to make a change to a healthier lifestyle.'
Laura Calderon, Professor and Associate