Q. What foods can I eat on the mediterranean diet? A lot of fruits, beans, veggies, legumes, pasta, bread, rice, whole grains, nuts, lean red meat and poultry, extra virgin olive oil, some cheeses, yogurt and red wine in moderation.
Q. Is it high in fat? There are a lot of fats consumed on this diet however they are the fats that are good for you and that your body needs such as monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. The typical American diet consists of a lot of saturated fats
Q. Doesn\’t fat intake cause weight gain? A. Fat is not the determining factor for weight loss that title goes to calorie consumption. You need to lower your calorie consumption to get the full healthy benefits of any diet.
Q. What makes the Mediterranean diet different from the common American diet? A. The typical American diet consists of high numbers of red meat, chicken, dairy ( such as cheeses etc.), while the Mediterranean Diet has a lot less and has a lot more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, olive oil, beans, breads, cereals, and potatoes.
Q. Is this diet good for the heart? A. The people from the region that this diet come from have a much lower occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks.
Q. Isn’t this just a low carb diet? A. No, it also is lower protein, contains healthier foods such as root veggies, fruits and omega 3 rich foods and also helps prevent heart attacks.
Q. Do I still need to exercise in order to lose weight on this diet? Daily physical activity is important for overall good health. This includes strenuous exercise like running and aerobics, as well as more leisurely activities such as walking or taking the stairs instead of riding the elevator.
Keith Junor writes a blog on fat burning foods at Fat Burning Kitchen