What The Mediterranean Diet Does Better Than Any Other Diet

As most of my readers know, I highly recommend the Mediterranean diet and think it is especially good for people dealing with cardiovascular problems.  Whether your issue is trying to maintain healthy blood pressure or healthy cholesterol levels, or you have reason to be concerned about heart attacks and strokes, the Mediterranean diet provides an excellent way to help ensure that your cardiovascular nutrition plan is right on point.

The most remarkable aspect of this way of eating is that it allows you to combine the right proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in each meal in order to prevent an excessive insulin release.

This rules out a big bowlful of sugared cereal with white bread toast and processed orange juice, or a plateful of pasta washed down with a big piece of Italian bread and a glass of wine (one of my personal favorites, I must admit).

Holding the line so that only 30 percent of your meal’s total calories come from a healthy fat may amount to only a tablespoon or two of olive oil, for example.

And while limiting yourself to getting 45–50 percent of your calories from carbohydrates may sound like a starvation plan, at four calories per gram, it can actually look like a plateful of vegetables or a generous salad with some fruit for dessert.

To limit lean protein to 20–25 percent, the portion size can be gauged as a 6-ounce piece of lean chicken breast, fish, or meat. That’s about the same size as the palm of your hand, or one-quarter of your full-sized dinner plate.

Variety is key to any eating plan, so I encourage you to try new foods and prepare foods in a way that’s different for you as you seek to eat with your health, and heart, in mind. 

For more cardiovascular nutrition tips, as well as delicious recipe ideas, visit www.drsinatra.com.