Mediterranean Diet could be the answer to your health problems

March is Nutrition Awareness Month, a time when Americans are encouraged to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits.

Adopting the Mediterranean Diet has become a popular option among those healthy eating habits.

The diet was first publicized by American biologist Ancel Keys and his wife, chemist Margaret Keys, after studies found that certain cultures around the Mediterranean had lower incidents of some chronic illnesses and obesity.

“It’s been shown to improve lot of disease states — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight loss and other things,” said, Hannah Dinterman, R.D., L.D.N., a bariatric dietitian with Meritus Bariatric Surgical Specialists. “It can also increase longevity.”

The Mediterranean Diet is a whole foods diet that focuses on lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fat sources such as seeds, nuts, fish and lean meats, and plant-based proteins such as chickpeas.

A key ingredient in the diet is food containing fiber, Dinterman said.

“A diet rich in whole food sources leaves less room for processed foods,” she said. “Fiber helps you feel full. It’s also good for your colon and helps improve cholesterol levels. High-fiber foods in general are usually very health-promoting.”

Another factor is that whole foods, especially fruit, contain natural sugars. Not all sugar is a bad thing, Dinterman said. But sugar found in processed food — “stuff that comes in a box” — often has added chemicals and preservatives and is not accompanied by natural fiber and nutrients of foods like fruit.

All of this can “affect how the food works to make you feel full,” she said. Even fruit juices, some of which contain good vitamins and minerals, often lack the fiber of their whole beginning fruit.

When it comes to planning out your meals under the Mediterranean Diet, Dinterman said there are some basic guidelines.

Have fruits and vegetables with most meals, a couple servings per day, she said. Olive oil, whole-grain bread, pasta, rice or couscous and other unprocessed grains should also be included, along with water.

At least one meal a day should include olives, nuts or seeds, along with herbs, spices, garlic or onions. Low-fat dairy should be part of one meal per day, too.

White meat, like chicken or turkey, along with fish or seafood, can be meals a couple times per week. Eggs should be eaten two to four times a week.

Heavy starches like potatoes are OK three times per week. Red or processed meat, like bologna, should be eaten only once a week, if at all, Dinterman said.

And save the desserts for only a couple times per week.

Dinterman cautioned that the Mediterranean diet, while very healthy, is not always the best option, especially if a person is looking to lose weight.

“When we’re looking at diet, we want to look at the patient’s physical and health goals,” she said. “Is it controlling their blood sugar, getting their weight down, reducing risk of colon cancer?”

In other words, talk to your primary care provider before embarking on a diet.

“You can modify the Mediterranean Diet toward whatever you’re working towards,” she said.

Meritus Bariatric Surgical Specialists have a program designed to help patients lose weight through surgery, but sometimes diet and lifestyle modification can do the trick. To learn more, visit meritushealth.com/Weightloss.