Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan For Diabetics is The Best Healthy Food Choice
What are main food groups allowed in the Mediterranean diet?
What makes up the main foods are a variety of fruits and vegetables such as grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, figs, olives, spinach, eggplant, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Also included are a variety of whole grain foods such as oats, brown rice, and whole wheat bread, pasta and kaskus. A majority of the Mediterranean diet is based on these food group recommendations. This allows a greater combinations of different foods to make creative meals.
Seafood is another delicious food group you can enjoy. Try lake trout, herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna or sardines. Include moderate amounts of low fat dairy products such as milk, cheese, or yoghurt to your diet also. Add eggs and poultry twice a week to your menu. Only include unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean and flaxseed oils. These are substituted for the unhealthy saturated fats such as butter, palm oil and coconut oil. After being on this diet plan for a time you will see better management of you blood glucose levels.
What are the benefits of Mediterranean diet?
Mediterranean style diet may improve heart health. It contains more fat than other heart healthy diets. But the fats are mainly from nuts, unsaturated oils such as fish oils and olive oil and certain other seed oils such as canola, soybean, or flaxseed oil.
In a meta analysis of randomised trials, Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of stroke compared with a low fat diet. In observational studies, it was associated with lower overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Mediterranean diet was also associated with a decreased incidence of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer disease and cancers including colorectal, prostate, digestive referential and breast cancers.
Tips For Home Cooking and Dinning
- Use herbs spices, garlic, lemon zest and citrus instead of salt to add flavour to foods.
- When making your sandwich substitute avocado slices to your sandwich instead of bacon.
- Eat fish for lunch or supper instead of red meat. Brush the fish with olive oil and broil or grill.
- Sprinkle seeds and nuts on your salad instead of cheese.
- Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter or oils that are high in saturated fat.
- Switch from 2% milk or whole milk to 1% of fat free milk
- Use vegetables and integrate dressing or hummus instead of dips made from mayonnaise or sour cream.
- Eat some fruit for dessert and stay away from cake.
- Try baked apples or have some dried fruit instead of sweet treats.
Tips for Dinning Out
- Choose broiled or grilled, baked or poached fish from menu instead of having it fried or breaded.
- Ask to have your meals prepared with olive oil instead of butter.
- Order dishes made with marinara sauce or sauces made from olive oil.
- Avoid sauces made from creamier mayonnaise or other similar sauces.
- Cut back on butter and margarine on bread. Instead, you can dip your bread in a small amount of olive oil.
- Chose a side salad or grilled vegetables instead of french fries or chips.
In Conclusion
The main foods are a variety of fruits and vegetables and also included are a variety of whole grain foods. Seafood and poultry a couple of times week with the occasional small red meat portions once a week is a good starting point. No saturated fats or oils allowed. If you use these rules to follow the Mediterranean meal plan, you will see better control of you blood glucose levels and enjoy some fantastic tasting meals at the same time. For some fantastic Mediterranean Recipes just click the link. http://snip.ly/g84kx6
GOOD HEALTH!!
