Mediterranean Diet And Olive Oil, A Healthy Weight Loss Combination
Greek olive oil is known the world over for its excellent flavor and health benefits. Greece produces over 300,000 tons of olive oil every year, and more than 80% of this oil is rated extra virgin. This is the most desirable grade of olive oil, because of its superlative flavor, and the method by which it is produced. Extra-virgin Greek olive oil is produced by a method known as cold pressing. In this process, the olives, which are picked at the peak of perfect ripeness, are ground to paste and then spread over discs that are made of a kind of fiber. The discs are stacked and then pressed to separate the oil. This is the only method of producing extra virgin olive oil. This grade of olive oil is particularly desirable because of its health benefits.
Olive oil and health are linked; studies have shown that consumption of Greek olive oil in the daily diet can result in significantly lower levels of blood sugar and blood pressure is also believed to be beneficial in the treatment of such conditions as peptic ulcer disease. Studies of people living in the Mediterranean region, particularly Crete, have dramatically fewer incidences of heart attack or heart disease in general. The diet of people living in this region is markedly higher in the consumption of fats – most notably, olive oil.
Greek olive oil, and olive oil in general, has been demonstrated to lower cholesterol levels in people who consume fairly high quantities of olive oil. It is also worthy to note that olive oil is a potential factor in the prevention of cancer. One should keep in mind, however, that no matter how good this diet may seem, it also must be paired with exercise on a consistent daily basis. In addition, consumption of healthy foods – not processed foods – must be adhered to strictly.
A popular olive oil weight loss plan, known as the Mediterranean Diet, is widely used today. The Mediterranean Diet menu consists of major portions of fruits, beans and other legumes, leafy vegetables, fruits and grains, with moderate portions of poultry, fish and eggs. Sweets are allowed, but only in moderation. In this diet, red meat is advised to be limited to perhaps once a month and wine is permitted, but only in moderation. Daily physical activity is definitely recommended. The Mediterranean Diet pyramid shows the recommended types of foods and how often they should be consumed.
You Can Lose Weight With The Mediterranean Diet Menu
Now that we know of the fantastic health benefits of Greek olive oil, let’s learn about the Mediterranean Diet menu. One of the key components of this olive oil weight-loss plan is, of course, olive oil. This has been shown to be effective in the prevention of heart disease, and that alone certainly makes it worth looking into! The traditional Mediterranean diet consists mainly of fruit and vegetables, which are high in antioxidants. In addition, people living in the Mediterranean generally eat almost no red meat, such as beef.
The Mediterranean Diet menu, as it is currently used, consists of eating at least 7 to 10 portions of leafy green vegetables every day. Fruits are also strongly recommended. When cooking, use olive oil in place of butter or margarine. You can also flavor your pasta with olive oil. In addition, this diet uses moderate portions of fish, chicken or turkey instead of the less healthy beef. You can also eat nuts in this diet, such as walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts or almonds.
The Mediterranean Diet pyramid has as its foundation daily physical exercise. This can be as simple as just walking around the block once or twice a day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park at the back of the parking lot when you go to the shopping center or you could join a gym. Whatever you choose to do in terms of exercise, start slowly and work your way up on a consistent daily basis. Exercise combined with the Mediterranean diet menu will result in weight loss.
The second level of this pyramid is bread and other grains such as couscous and polenta. A delicious way to combine the health benefits of olive oil and bread is to sprinkle some herbs into your olive oil and dip your slice of bread for a healthy and delicious snack. The remainder of the pyramid consists of approximately 4 servings of olive oil every day, modest amounts of cheese, yogurt and other dairy products, as well as poultry, fish eggs and sweets. Wine is permitted, but only in moderation, and you are encouraged to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day as well. Once you have tried this diet for a week, you may find that you will not have a desire for such unhealthy foods as chips and burgers. You will also notice that you feel better as you exercise and stick to the diet menu.
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