The mediterranean diet has been regaining popularity on social media platforms recently. If you’re young enough to not have been around during its last popular sprint, you might find yourself wondering what this diet entails and why it is recommended. Today’s blog post will explain the basics of the mediterranean diet, the benefits it brings, and of course some delicious recipes to try!
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
Unlike the fad diets that come and go, the Mediterranean diet has been around for nearly 65 years. It was not designed specifically to help with a condition, but rather from how people living in the Mediterranean eat (the countries around the Mediterranean Sea). This area is known for having lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, depression, and improved mental function.
This diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The main protein sources are seafood, nuts, and legumes. The main fat source is olive oil, and ultra processed foods are limited to once a week or less.
Benefits
The benefits from following the Mediterranean Diet, both from studying people from the area and those following this way of eating for studies, have shown its positive impact on the:
- Prevention or improvement of heart diseases
- Prevention or improvement of diabetes
- Increased life span
- Improved mental function
- Decreased risk of depression
- Lower risk of heart attack and stroke
- Possible weight loss
Let’s take a look at some of the foods included in this diet.
Vegetables: onions, garlic, potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, artichoke, squash, corn, broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower, mushrooms, beets, carrots, celery, greens, cabbage… really any veggie!
Fruits: grapes, tomatoes, citrus, apricots, pears, apples, cherries, avocado, melons, peaches, berries, kiwi, figs… again, any fruit!
Proteins: nuts, seeds, seafood (particularly salmon, cod, tuna, sea bass, mussels, shrimp, and anchovies), beef, chicken or pork once a week, and eggs 2-3 times per week.
Grains, Beans, and Legumes: lentils, peas, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, wheat, quinoa, orzo, rice, barley, pasta.
Dairy: yogurt, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, and feta can be eaten a few times a week.
People from the Mediterranean area use many different herbs and spices to create their flavor profiles: oregano, basil, dill, thyme, sage, rosemary, mint, bay leaf, cumin, turmeric, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, saffron, and cloves.
Now for the best part, the recipes! Let’s take a look at a full day of recipes for eating on the Mediterranean diet.
Breakfast: Smashed Chickpea Toast
Smashed Chickpea Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices Italian bread (or of your choice)
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ can Chickpeas (or prepared dried)
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 1 Green Onion (chopped)
- 1 Tomato (chopped)
- Sea Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Hard-Boiled Eggs (peeled and sliced)
- Parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Toast bread in a hot skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Remove toast, add remaining olive oil to skillet.
- When hot, add chickpeas, garlic, onion, and tomato. Season with salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 4 minutes.
- Once cooked, use a fork to gently mash the chickpeas.
- Top bread with chickpea mixture. Add sliced eggs, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.
Lunch: Lemon and Garlic Baked Cod
Lemon and Garlic Baked Cod
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Cod Fillet
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
- 5 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Melted Butter
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- ⅓ cup Flour
- 1 tsp Coriander
- ¾ tsp Paprika
- ¾ tsp Cumin
- ¾ tsp Sea Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400*F
- In a shallow bowl, mix lemon juice, oil, and butter in a small bowl, set aside.
- In another shallow bowl, mix flour, spices, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Pat dry fish filets, dip in lemon sauce then flour mixture. Shae of excess flour. Keep the leftover lemon sauce for later.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive in a large, oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and sear on each side for about 2 minutes per side. Remove skillet from heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the remaining lemon sauce. Drizzle over fish filets.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the fish is flakey. Plate and sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve with vegetables. Enjoy!
Dinner: Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Turkish Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced and divided)
- 3 Carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 Russet Potato (peeled and diced)
- Sea Salt (to taste)
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 6 cups Low Sodium Broth
- 2 tsp Aleppo Pepper (divided)
- 1 tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Coriander
- 1 cup Red Lentils (rinsed)
- 1 Lemon (large, wedged)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 2 tsp oil over medium high heat.
- Add onions, 2 garlic cloves, carrots, and potatoes. Season with salt Cook for 6 minutes, or until vegetables have softened.
- Add tomato paste and toss to coat the vegetables. Add broth, 1 tsp Aleppo pepper, and the rest of the spices.
- Add lentils and stir.
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, lower heat and cover.
- Let soup simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Remove from heat and blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add remaining Aleppo pepper and garlic. Cook a minute or two until the garlic is golden. Serve drizzled over soup with lemon juice from the wedges.
Dessert: Fruit is often used as a dessert in this area, however they will consume desserts with added sugar or honey about once a week. Here are some ideas for desserts:
- Baklava
- Fruit salad – mix it up and make this different every time!
- Fruit leather
- Smoothie or yogurt bowl
- Peanut butter and banana ice cream
- Fruit with nut butter
- Broiled fruits: pears, mangos, etc.
As you can see, the Mediterranean diet can be shown through a wide variety of foods and recipes. These are just a few recipes found in the area. You can find many more traditional recipes with a little research. This eating pattern gives guidelines that aren’t strict rules, which makes it much easier to follow than fad diets. It has also been long proven to be beneficial and is often recommended by medical professionals.
If you have more questions about the Mediterranean diet or would like to know if it could benefit you, reach out to our skilled team of dietitians that is ready to help!
