There a many different healthy diets in the world and the majority of them include fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, and a limit of unhealthy fats.  The difference in these diets results in proportions of certain foods and a certain amount of physical activity. Recently, the Mediterranean diet has received a lot of attention due to its simple eating plan and many health benefits.

“I have heard a lot about the Mediterranean diet especially from my mom. She has been on countless diets, and she’s never liked any of them except for the Mediterranean diet,” said sophomore Sarah Gordon.

The traditional Mediterranean diet consist of eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. A variety of fresh plant foods should make up the majority of your meals. In addition, it’s also important to maintain regular physical activity.

The diet also encourages eating fish and poultry at least twice a week and limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month. Fish is eaten regularly in the Mediterranean diet because it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease blood clotting, improve the health of your blood vessels, and help moderate blood pressure. Fish is also a good source of protein in replace of red meat.

“I have been on multiple diets and I have to say that the Mediterranean diet is by far my favorite. I work 12 hour shifts and I feel like I have a lot more energy,” said Joellen Gordon.

Furthermore, the diet includes replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil and using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.  Olive oil is the primary source of fats because it is mainly a monounsaturated fat. Unlike saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans fats), this type of fat can help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. In other words, monounsaturated fats can help to lower risk of heart attacks.

Not only is the Mediterranean diet good for your heart, but research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet can possible prolong your life. In fact, an analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer, as well as a reduced incidence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

“This diet sounds so healthy and really easy to stick to. There are so many diets out there that are so hard to follow and sometimes there not really that great for you” said college freshman Sarah Hearne.

FSA Connection Questions

1.)    In the article what is the author’s main idea?

2.)    Select a sentence from the article that best supports main idea.

3.)    Summarize the article in one sentence.

4.)   According to the article are saturated fats and hydrogenated oils a good source of fat?

5.)    Do you agree with the author? Explain.