Things You'll Need:
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Fish
- Olive oil
- Yogurt
- Nuts & seeds
- Whole grain and high fiber ingredients
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Step 1
Use olive oil in cooking instead of butter or margarine. Olive oil has fat, but it is the healthy kind according to medical experts and it is believed that it could lower risk of some cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. See below for more information on the benefits of olive oil.
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Step 2
Consume fish (especially the varieties that are high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and tuna) instead of red meat. Again, this type of fish is high in fat but low in saturated fat - the kind found in red meat such as beef. Try cooking salmon in a cast iron pan with the recipe below.
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Step 3
Eat your vegetables. A dish that conforms to the Mediterranean Diet will consist of at least 2/3 vegetables. Purchase the vegetables that are in season and load up your dinner plate with them. Corn, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, spinach, etc. Whatever looks good and is fresh will be a good choice for the diet and will give your recipes bright color and interest. Try the delicious tomato relish recipe below, that can be served with low fat chicken cutlets.
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Step 4
Eat your fruits. Replace a sugary dessert with the sweet, delicate flavors of freshly prepared fruit. You will find that eating fruit for dessert can be very satisfying. Add a little cinnamon to apples or oranges, or grill a peach to bring out the sugars. How about a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade with mint leaves? Try this wonderful summertime recipe below.
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Step 5
Use whole grains instead of white flour or rice products. Admittedly, brown rice and whole wheat bread does take some getting used to when you're diet previously consisted of the white versions. But the benefits of whole grains are endless, starting with high fiber that can help fight cancer, irritable bowel problems, and other diseases. Additionally, whole grain products will help to maintain the feeling of fullness while enabling a more steady, consistent weight loss.
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Step 6
Control the serving sizes. Smaller portions of food at meals is also a hallmark of the Mediterranean Diet. To help control how much food you consume at each sitting, use a smaller bowl or plate to serve yourself.
