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The benefits of a Mediterranean diet are great and expansive. The good fats associated with it, such as from nuts, fish, and grain oils, come with amazing health advantages for improvements.
The Family and Friend Experience
If you have ever been to or indeed live in a country that surrounds the Mediterranean Sea, then one of the first things you notice is the difference in eating habits. Family meals are just that; family sits down, socializes, and eats together for a long time. Of course, this is far from what you experience in the UK or the USA. But you can have something of the experience by visiting a good local Italian bistro, a well-known Greek taverna, or a sublime Spanish tapas bar.
Reduced Chances of Heart Disease
Getting together with friends and family is at the core of most Mediterranean customs. But from a wider health point of view, foods can help reduce heart disease. Olive oil and nuts are well-known for helping with this. And one study found that a control group consuming these was at a 30% lower risk of cardiac issues. This also concluded that a Mediterranean diet was more effective at reducing common heart problems like heart disease than an extremely low-fat diet.
Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet Include Weight
Losing weight is one of the biggest challenges you can face as a human. And keeping it off is just as hard. Yet some studies suggest that a Mediterranean diet such as that from Kos, Greece, helps you with both of these. Fish, oils, and nuts are more effective than a low-fat or even vegan diet for losing the pounds and making sure you don’t pile them back on. One of these is that proteins in these food products make you feel more satisfied after eating and fuller for longer.
Halves the Effects of Diabetes
Following a diet from a country such as Italy, Spain, and Greece can help maintain blood sugar levels. As a result, it can help you with diabetic issues, especially type-2. And the results are impressive, with 52% of people at a high risk of type-2 diabetes from one study were free and clear of risk after four years of eating nuts and olive oils without even exercising more or losing weight. This study found that the results were more efficient than low-fat and low-GI diets.
Greatly Improved Mental Health
When you go with the Mediterranean lifestyle and adopt the diet, you will socialize more and enjoy your meals as a group with family and friends. This, of course, helps with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Something which needs to be addressed these days. But the anti-inflammatory properties of such a diet also result in reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. This is in comparison to a diet high in processed foods, sugar, and trans fats.
Summary
There are many benefits of a Mediterranean diet that you can experience. The social aspect has mental health benefits. But it will also help with weight loss and staving off type-2 diabetes.