Mediterranean Diet: Few diets emphasise a healthy lifestyle and place more of an emphasis on food quality than quantity. According to US News & World Report, one such diet, the Mediterranean diet, has been named the healthiest way to eat by a panel of experts for the sixth consecutive year.
In recent years, it has topped the rankings for balancing healthy nutrition, being simple to follow, and having a colourful palette. The 21 nations that border the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Croatia, Turkey, and Monaco, are the inspiration for its traditional cuisine.
At its core, this diet focuses on consuming a lot of plant-based foods, including whole grains, beans, nuts, seafood, lean chicken, and unsaturated fat from extra virgin olive oil.
According to studies, the Mediterranean diet lowers the chance of developing several chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which enhances quality of life.
The Seven Countries Study (SCS), the first major study to evaluate food and lifestyle, as well as other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, across various countries and cultures over a prolonged period of time, published a study on the nutritional benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
How the diet work?
On a daily basis, the Mediterranean diet requires you to eat a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, herbs, and spices. The diet includes at least twice a week of shellfish and fish, as well as poultry, eggs, cheese, and yoghurt in moderation.
Red meat and sweets are only consumed on rare occasions. Aside from that, a glass of wine every now and then is acceptable.
Other diets that made it to the list are:
- DASH Diet
- The Flexitarian Diet
- MIND Diet
- TLC Diet
- Mayo Clinic Diet
- Volumetrics Diet
- WW (Weight Watchers) Diet
- Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- Ornish Diet
