List of Mediterranean Food

Hey guys! Today I wanted to just talk a little bit more about what the real Mediterranean diet is. And we will look at a list of Mediterranean food that you can eat on this diet. So for a lot of us our experience of Mediterranean or what we think is the experience is we might go to like an Italian restaurant get some spaghetti and meatballs. And it might come with like a half a pound of spaghetti, a half a pound of meatballs and probably a whole bunch of cheese. And then a little bit of salad on the side. Or maybe a little thing of broccoli. Or we might go to like a Greek restaurant and get what we think it like a Greek salad. Which is iceberg lettuce and a whole bunch of other vegetables and cheese and olives. This is not the Mediterranean diet.

What a Real Mediterranean Diet Looks Like?

So let’s talk about what a real Mediterranean diet looks like. There’s an island of Crete which is often considered to be the heart of the Mediterranean diet. A lot of the islands are where the healthiest people in the world live. And Crete is a Greek island right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. So first research on the Mediterranean diet was done in Crete. And what they found on this particular island was at the time in like in the 1950s they had the highest rates in the world the man lived. And they only could find one man on the entire island who had any kind of heart disease in a 10-year period.

Why Mediterranean People Lived Long?

So the reason that people were living so long is because they weren’t dying of all the diseases that most of us die from. They were dying from old age so why is this? A lot of it has to do with the food and there’s now been thousands of studies done on the Mediterranean diet. There’s one coming out sometimes every day. But at least once every week. And the diet itself has been shown to help benefit with almost everything. From the top of your head to your toes.

So anything from Alzheimer’s, dementia, eye health, skin health, asthma of course, lung disease, cancer,  diabetes, heart disease and obesity. All of these things have been shown to be helped by the Mediterranean diet. But what you want to do is to try to eat a real really true Mediterranean diet. So I’m just gonna quickly tell you a list of Mediterranean food. That will help you have a better idea about what Mediterranean people eat on the island of Crete

Foods to Eat

Here are some foods that you can enjoy as part of the Mediterranean diet

FruitsApples, Oranges, Strawberries, Kiwi
Blueberries, Peaches, Apricots, Melon
VegetablesSpinach, Arugula, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Zucchini, Asparagus, Kale, Potatoes, Onions
LegumesChickpeas, Lentils, Beans
Whole grainsQuinoa, Couscous, Millet, Oats,
Brown rice, Buckwheat, Pasta, Farro
Nuts and SeedsAlmonds, Pistachios, Macadamia Nuts
Walnuts, Chia seeds, Flax seeds,
Sunflower seeds, Hazelnuts
PoultryChicken, Turkey, Goose, Duck
Egg yolks and Egg whites
SeafoodTuna, Trout, Mackerel, Anchovies
Mussels, Salmon, Sardines
DairyCheese, Yogurt, Milk
Healthy FatsOlive oil, Avocados, Olives, Avocado oil
Herbs and SpicesBasil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Pepper
Turmeric, Garlic, Cinnamon, Coriander
BeveragesWater, Coffee, Tea
Red wine 1, 2 glasses per day (as per religious practices)

Foods to Avoid

Here are some foods that you should limit or avoid as part of the Mediterranean diet.

Processed MeatsBacon, Salami, Sausage, Hot Dogs
Refined GrainsWhite Bread, Crackers, Biscuits, White Pasta
Tortillas, White Rice
Sweetened BeveragesPackaged Juices, Soda
DrinksSports Drinks, Energy Drinks
Refined OilsVegetable Oil, Soybean Oil, Canola Oil
Corn Oil, Safflower Oil
Processed FoodsFast Food, Chips, Convenience Meals, Pretzels
Added SugarTable Sugar, Ice Cream, Candies, Cookies
Baked Goods, Cakes and Pastries

Sample Menu

Here is a sample 3 day menu for the Mediterranean diet.

Day One

Break fastVeggie omelet with spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms
LunchGreek salad with chicken, feta, olives cucumbers and tomatoes
DinnerLemon baked salmon with broccoli and brown rice

Day Two

Break fastOatmeal with strawberries blueberries walnuts and cinnamon
LunchGrilled chicken with roasted asparagus and Buckwheat noodles
DinnerWhole-wheat lasagna with a side salad  

Day Three

BreakfastGreek yogurt with chia seeds and sliced bananas
LunchZucchini boats stuffed with ground turkey, quinoa, bell peppers, tomatoes and marinara sauce
DinnerBaked salmon with sautéed kale and barley

Conclusion

The bottom line, the Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating pattern. That is based on the traditional diets of those in countries like Spain France Italy and Greece. And the diet encourages nutritious foods like fruits, veggies, healthy fats and whole grains. While limiting processed ingredients and added sugar. Following a healthy Mediterranean diet can not only help increase weight loss. But also enhance heart health reduce inflammation and promote better blood sugar control. This list of Mediterranean food offers you a wide range of foods that you can select and enjoy on this diet. And I hope this article was helpful.

Leave a Reply