Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option

Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option

The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy diet, the elements in a Mediterranean-style cuisine. To adopt a Mediterranean diet.

From the staff of Mayo Clinic

If you are looking for a heart healthy diet, the Mediterranean diet might be for you. The Mediterranean diet contains the fundamentals for a healthy diet - plus a touch of perfumed oil and perhaps a glass of red wine - among other things, the style of traditional cuisine of the countries bordering the Mediterranean.

Most food, fruit, vegetables, fish, cereals, whole grains, less fat and unhealthy. Although these parties for a healthy diet and continue to be accurate, subtle changes or differences in the proportions of foods can make a difference in risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Benefits of Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is thought to your risk of heart disease. In fact, a study from 2007 in the U.S. found that men and women who have a Mediterranean diet reduced their risk of death, heart disease and cancer.

The main components of the Mediterranean diet are:

* Eating a large amount of fruit and vegetables
* The good fats like olive and canola oil
* Eat small portions of nuts
* Drinking red wine, in moderation, for certain
* Consumes very little red meat
* The consumption of fish on a regular basis

* Fruits, vegetables and cereals

The traditional Mediterranean diet includes fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice. For example, the inhabitants of the Greek eating very little meat and, on average nine hours a day rich in antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. The Mediterranean diet is associated with a low oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) - "bad" cholesterol is likely to deposits in the arteries.

Cereals in the Mediterranean are usually whole-grain and usually contain little trans fat is unhealthy, and bread is an important component of the diet is. But in the region of the Mediterranean, the bread is consumed, without the butter or margarine contain saturated fat and trans fatty acids.
Good fats

The target is the Mediterranean diet are not restricted to the total fat, but the choice about the type of fats that you eat.

The Mediterranean diet is similar to the American Heart Association, the stage I diet, but it contains much more fat and cholesterol. But fats are healthy - including monounsaturated fats like olive oil and polyunsaturated fatty acids include acid recipients (an omega-3 fatty acids). These sources include fats canola oil and nuts, particularly walnuts. Fish - another source of omega-3-fatty acids - is consumed on a regular basis in the Mediterranean diet. Omega-3 fatty acids lowest to improve the health of blood vessels. The Mediterranean diet keeps the saturated fatty acids and oils, and hydrogenated (trans fats), in a heart disease.
Selection of oils and fats

* Olive oil. All types of olive oil provide mono-unsaturated fats - a type of the fat-May on the reduction of LDL-cholesterol when they replace saturated fats and trans. "Extra Virgin" and "Virgin" olive oil is less, which means that they meet the highest standard of protection of plants, from the Antioxidanseffekten.

* Nuts. Nuts are rich in fat (80 percent of calories from fat), but the nuts, including Noix de Grenoble, pacanes, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fatty acids. Nuts also contain omega-3-fatty acids. Nuts are rich in calories, it should not be consumed in large quantities - usually no more than a handful per day. For a healthier diet to prevent, roasted nuts, honey or salt to pastry.

*Wine
The health effects of alcohol have been debated for many years, some doctors are reluctant to the consumption of alcohol due to the impact on health of excessive alcohol consumption. However, the light of alcohol was associated with a risk for heart disease in some research studies.

Red wine has a similar effect to aspirin reduces the ability of the blood to clot, and also contains antioxidants. The Mediterranean diet contains usually red, but that should be in moderation. That means no more than 5 oz (148 ml) of wine per day for women (or men who are older than 65 years) and not more than 10 ounces (296 ml) of wine per day for men aged under 65. Not more than that increases the risk of health problems, including an increased risk for certain cancers.

If you are not their alcohol consumption in the amounts specified above, if you have personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or if you have the heart or the liver, no wine or other alcohol. Remember that the red wine May trigger migraines in some people.
Put everything

The adoption of a Mediterranean diet is easy if you're smarter. Choose lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, you should use your red meat and eat fish at least once per week. Despite avoiding fish fried or loaded with butter or heavy sauces. The use of good fats such as olive oil and canola oil for cooking and baking - but only in moderation because of their high calorie content. Tighten nuts as a snack or complement to a salad. Finally, the reduction or elimination of saturated fats and trans fatty acids (also known under the name of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) for the power supply.

Read the labels of foods to see what one buys them in your body. Here are some steps you can:

* Eating peanut butter instead of course the type of hydrogenated fats added.
* Use the butter with discretion. "Low fat" or "cholesterol" on the label does not necessarily mean that a product is right for you. Many of these are the trans fatty acids.
* Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day to another. Ultimately, we will try, seven to 10 servings per day. Storage of carrots, apples and bananas on hand to provide a fast service, the satisfaction of the snacks. Fruit salads are a great way to eat a variety of health - and tasty - fruit.
* Use canola oil or olive oil in the kitchen. Try the olive oil vinaigrette and Health to replace the butter or margarine. After baking, pasta, a touch of olive oil, garlic and green onions to your taste. Soak the bread in olive oil lightly perfumed spread on bread or cereal for a tasty alternative to butter.
* Change the fish and poultry for red meat. Avoid sausage, bacon and other meats with high fat content.
* Upper limit of fat, like dairy products, or 2 percent milk, cheese and ice cream. Go for skimmed milk, nonfat yogurt and cheese with low fat content.
* The consumption of fish once or twice a week. Water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are healthy choice. A good taste of grilled fish and requires little cleaning. Avoid the fried fish, unless, jumped in a small amount of olive oil.
* Keep all nuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and pacanes on hand for a quick snack.
* If your doctor agrees to go on and a glass of red wine at dinner with pasta or fish. If you do not drink alcohol, do not need to start. Pourpre drinking grape juice can be a good alternative to wine.

Once you experience the delicious and healthy choice in the Mediterranean has to offer, it could be your diet.

Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option