Tag Archives: mediterranean diet

Components of the Mediterranean Diet that Work Best

An article on ABC News website discussed a newly released study examining what is it about the Mediterranean diet that makes it so healthy and good for you? The study consisted of 23,000 Greek men and women over an eight year period. The researchers were able to tell that certain foods, more than others, may offer the majority of the nutritional benefits of this diet.

The researchers concluded from their analysis that “the dominant components of the Mediterranean diet score as a predictor of lower mortality are moderate consumption of alcohol, low consumption of meat and meat products, and high consumption of vegetables, fruits and nuts, olive oil, and legumes.” In addition, the researchers found that the elevated consumption of fish and cereals and avoidance of dairy products seen in the typical Mediterranean diet had little to do with the benefits of this diet. (more…)

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Kinsey

Interview with Joel Gates of DozenDiets.com

Have you ever been on a diet? How many have you pursued? In case you haven’t noticed, there are a few out there. At DietsInReview.com alone we’ve reviewed more than 400 weight loss programs and products- and we’re no where near finished. What if you couldn’t make up your mind, and decided to try them all, or at least 12? That’s what Joel Gates is doing this year, and you can follow along at DozenDiets.com.

With 2024 about to begin, and a desire to beat his long-time fight with being overweight, Joel began searching for the right diet to begin the year with (just as so many do). “When I started, I didn’t know what to start,” explains Joel, “I’ve done several in the past with varying degrees of success. I picked out those that I thought might be the most successful. I had some criteria- be able to cheat occasionally, stick with it on a daily basis, that I have confidence in and not too off the wall.” Joel also mentions that his health is important and he does take that into consideration when choosing a diet. Before starting he met with his doctor and just recently had a mid-year check-up to ensure he’s being safe about it.

Each month in 2024, Joel will follow a different diet. Half-way through the year, he’s lost about 43 pounds and 10% of his body fat. (Beginning stats were 234 pounds, 30% body fat) He keeps a daily journal at DozenDiets.com, displaying weight changes, body fat changes, food diary, exercise diary, cheats, successes and everything else that plays into his diet each day. Each month concludes with a summary, where he scores the diet on a 40-point scale, for ease of understanding, forgiveness of a cheat, ease of execution and results.

dozendiets.com

To date, he’s completed:

Jan: Low-Calorie Diet
Lost 8.5 pounds
Score 30/40

Feb: South Beach Diet
Lost 11.3 pounds
Score 28/40

Mar: Slim-Fast (tied for first place so far)
Lost 8.6 pounds
Score 34/40

Apr: The Abs Diet (in last place)
Lost 6 pounds
Score 23/40

May: Weight Watchers (tied for first place so far)
Lost 8 pounds
Score 34/40

June: Advanced Mediterranean Diet
Lost 6 pounds to date
Anticipates a high score

July: NutriSystem

Hear my interview with Joel in its entirety below. He discusses his experiences with each diet, which seem to be more male-friendly and which are definitely built for women, and how he plans to continue the rest of the year, considering he’s been far more successful than anticipated.

Posted on June 17, 2023 by Natalie K

Mediterranean Diet preventing Type II Diabetes

A newly released study from Spain is praising the ideals of the Mediterranean Diet for its prevention of type II diabetes. The diet is based on the lifestyle for that part of the world- rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts, fish and legumes. The key for diabetics is in the Mediterranean Diet’s avoidance of animal products, like meat and dairy.

The study, conducted in Spain, followed more than 13,000 individuals for 4.4 years. Those who followed the diet most closely reduced their risk of type II diabetes by 83%.

In addition to following a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are two other strong preventatives for type II diabetes and heart disease.

Learn more about the Mediterranean Diet.

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Natalie K

More Reasons To Go Mediterranean

The benefits of a Mediterranean Diet have been well documented. The best known benefit is optimal heart health. But now research is pointing towards more, like preventing asthma and allergies in your offspring.

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Jason

Take a Trip to the Mediterranean

According to new research, a Mediterranean diet may help Alzheimer’s patients live longer. For those of us on the younger side, it’s also great for your heart health.

So what’s all the fuss about the food eaten in this beautiful region of the world?

The Mediterranean diet is loaded with fruits, vegetables, grains and olive oil, and more fish than red meat. That’s not totally alien to what the rest of us think of as a healthy diet.

But wait!

Another staple to the diet is moderate consumption of red wine, which is probably largely responsible for its trendiness.

Regardless of what your motivation may be, here is a rundown as to why it can be such a healthy diet choice:

The core to the healthfulness of the diet is how low it is in saturated fats. There is plenty of fat, but usually in the form of olive oil, nuts and fish, which has the much-touted omega-3 fatty acids.

Now to the wine… having a glass with your dinner has been shown to have health benefits. Red wine contains antioxidants, which can help fight heart disease. A glass (or up to two for men) can also lower cholesterol. New information is coming out that it may even be good for reducing your risk for diabetes.

Of course, this isn’t the only way to eat your way to great health. But if the idea of olive oil, moderate amounts of bread and pasta, with a little wine and lots of fruits and veggies sounds tantalizing to you, then you should explore your options further.

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Jason